Master-Programme: FAQ

Candidates should hold a Bachelor degree (BSc or equivalent) in Biological Sciences, Biochemistry or a related subject.

All Principal Investigators available as mentors are listed in our online application portal. Please check the research area of the groups and select a mentor during the online application process. Once you have been accepted into the Master Fellowship Programme, you will join the respective group and have regular meetings with your mentor. During your time on the programme, you will be able to change your mentor if you wish. Once you have found a suitable mentor, you can choose this group as your host group for your Master thesis.

Applications for our Master Fellowship Programme are made through our online application portal. 

For the online application you will be asked to provide the following information:

• Statement of past and current research interests
• Statement of motivation for joining the Master Fellowship Programme and for pursuing a Master degree
• Specification of a preferred and an alternative student mentor (see list of possible mentors in the application portal)
• Contact details of two academic advisors as referees
• CV, certificates, transcripts and other supporting documents as separate pdf files
• Confirmation of application to one of the below-mentioned Master programmes at the University of Cologne

Application and admission to one of the MSc programmes offered by the Department of Biology, namely Computational Biology, Genetics and Biology of Aging and Regeneration or Neuroscience, or to the MSc programme in Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine at the University of Cologne is a prerequisite for the award of a Master Fellowship and an independent step.

For the relevant MSc programmes of the Department of Biology, please apply here: https://biologie.uni-koeln.de/studium-lehre/master-of-science/how-to-apply
For the MSc programme in Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, please apply here: https://bc.uni-koeln.de/master-of-science/application

The decision on your admission to the respective Master programme at the University of Cologne will be communicated to you by their recruitment committees in July/August 2025.

Master students who have started their MSc studies in Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine at the University of Cologne in the summer term 2025 and have achieved excellent grades in the first subject modules are also welcome to apply!

If you are not already enrolled in the Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine Programme at the University of Cologne, you have to apply for both, the Master Fellowship Programme and one of the MSc programmes of the University of Cologne (Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Computational Biology, Genetics and Biology of Aging and Regeneration, Neuroscience) in parallel. 

The application deadline for the respective MSc programmes and the Master Fellowship Programme is July 15, 2025! Please note that different deadlines may apply for international applicants registering via uni-assist and are indicated on the websites of the respective MSc programmes.

For the Master Fellowship Programme we only require proof of your completed application to one of the MSc programmes. We will be informed internally of any offer of a place on one of the University's MSc programmes and will automatically include this in the selection for the Master Fellowship Programme.

Only applicants who have been admitted to one of the above MSc programmes will be considered for the Master Fellowship Programme and their online profile and submitted documents will be assessed by our faculty. Successful candidates will be admitted to the Master Fellowship Programme in mid-August 2025. Admitted students will be able to start their Master studies as scholars in October 2025.

The Fellowship Programme will start on October 1, 2025, the same date as the start of the MSc programmes at the University of Cologne.

Yes, all Master courses and rotations are taught in English! In addition, the CGA faculty is very international and many students have an international background.

Master Fellowship holders will be supported with a monthly fellowship of €992 for max. 1.5 years and until the start of the Master thesis. During the Master thesis project, students will be provided with an equally remunerated working contract. 

Your application will also be accepted if the Bachelor degree has not yet been awarded at the time of application. However, it must be awarded before the start of your Master studies on October 1, 2025. If you receive your degree after submitting the application form, please send the corresponding documents (i.e. transcripts, certificates, diplomas) to cga-coordination[at]uni-koeln.de.

Please note that different regulations may apply to your application for the MSc programmes of the Department of Biology or for the MSc programme in Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine at the University of Cologne.

We will also accept your application for the Master Fellowship Programme if you already hold a Master degree, provided there is an understandable reason for obtaining a second Master degree. However, if you have a Master degree in a relevant field, we strongly encourage you to apply directly to our Graduate Programme.

Please note that different regulations may apply to your application for the MSc programmes of the Department of Biology or the Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine Master Programme.

Have you been asked to write a letter of recommendation? Please refer to the applicant's registration code in the email you received from us. Please use the link that has been sent to you, evaluate the applicant and submit the letter of recommendation in English to our online application portal until July 23, 2025 at the latest. Please note that applicants are not allowed to submit letters of recommendation on your behalf, they have to come directly from you.

All candidates must have a very good command of written and spoken English for their studies, i.e. non-native English speakers must demonstrate an English language proficiency at the upper level of B2 according to the European standard.

Please indicate 'not applicable' if your degree does not include a thesis:

If your thesis has not yet been completed, please indicate this and provide a preliminary abstract. Please distinguish between results obtained and experiments planned. 

If your degree does not require a thesis, but you have carried out a scientific project as part of a rotation, please indicate this in the abstract field, but clearly identify it as a rotation project.

For online applications, we accept documents in all languages using the Latin alphabet, however we regret that we are unable to accept application documents in foreign language characters/alphabets such as Cyrillic, Devanagari, Greek or Chinese. In these cases, please provide an official translation of your certificates.

All candidates will be recruited in mid-August 2025, on the basis of their online profiles and submitted documents.

Application and admission to the MSc programmes in Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Computational Biology, Genetics and Biology of Aging and Regeneration or Neuroscience at the University of Cologne is a prerequisite for the award of a Master Fellowship and an independent step.

For the relevant MSc programmes of the Department of Biology listed above, please apply here: https://biologie.uni-koeln.de/studium-lehre/master-of-science/how-to-apply
For the MSc programme in Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, please apply here: https://bc.uni-koeln.de/master-of-science/application

We can only admit students to the Master Fellowship Programme who have been accepted as Master students by the University of Cologne!
Admitted students will start their Master studies as fellowship holders in October 2025.

No, there is only a social fee of around €305 per semester, which includes a fee for the student use of the cafeteria, for the General Students' Commitee ('AStA'), the public transport pass for Germany and the university sports. You can find more information on costs and financing here.

A single apartment at the student housing costs around €300-400/month. On the private market, apartments cost around €600/month, depending on size, location and facilities.
For more information on accommodation for international students, click here.

Master Fellowship holders will be supported with a monthly fellowship of €992 for the duration of their studies (maximum 1.5 years). They will be provided with an employment contract for the duration of their Master thesis project. All admitted students will choose a Principal Investigator from our internationally renowned faculty as a student mentor. As part of the mentor's group, Master Fellows actively engage in scientific and social activities of their chosen group and have regular advisory meetings with their mentor. This gives our students a unique opportunity to identify the research area they are most passionate about for their future PhD studies at an early stage in their scientific career.

The German scientific education system enjoys an outstanding reputation worldwide due to its long scientific tradition and an excellent infrastructure for research work. As well as offering state-of-the-art technology and well-equipped research institutions, Germany is also known as the 'land of ideas' with a high standard of living. Find more information here.

Cologne offers an outstanding international research environment at Germany's most prestigious ageing research cluster, including the 'Cologne Excellence Cluster on Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases' (CECAD), the University Hospital Cologne, the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing and the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research. Cologne has emerged as leading global research centre with a stellar constellation of institutes and scientists dedicated to ageing research.

Find out more about Cologne's vibrant city life here.

Of course, we encourage all students who successfully complete their Master studies as Master Fellow to apply for a PhD at the Cologne Graduate School of Ageing Research! But it is really up to you - with an educational background in biological sciences and ageing research many doors will be open for you!

Support for students with disabilities is available at all collaborating institutions. Please indicate your disability status in your application and upload any relevant certificates. Please inform us if you require any additional support so that we can make early arrangements (e.g. assistive technology or adaptation of learning material).