PhD-Programme: FAQ

As a first step, all applications are reviewed for completeness and eligibility by the CGA Coordination. Applications that meet these requirements will then be assessed by CGA faculty members based on academic qualifications and research achievements. Up to 80 shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend online panel interviews from December 7-10, 2026. The top approximately 25 candidates will then be invited to attend recruitment week, which will be held in Cologne, Germany, from February 15-19, 2027. Ultimately, up to 12 candidates will be offered a PhD position at CGA.

Host lab proposals for the current application phase can be found here.

A four-day recruitment week is scheduled to take place in Cologne, Germany, from February 15-19, 2027. Hotel accommodation will be provided for all invited candidates who live too far away from Cologne to travel there on the same days. Travel expenses will be refunded several weeks after the recruitment week has finished.

During the recruitment week, prospective host groups will present their available projects to all invited candidates at a poster session. Following this information session, candidates will have the opportunity to visit up to five different laboratories of their choice. Three laboratories have already been designated for visits during the online application process, and two additional visits can be scheduled during the poster session. Social events, such as barbecues, meetings with current CGA students, and other activities, will provide insights into life in Cologne and offer opportunities for networking and social interaction with CGA students, alumni, and faculty members. Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application approximately two weeks after the end of the recruitment week.

In general, you must have a Master's degree or equivalent (MD, Diploma, ...) in a field of the life or natural sciences, such as Biology, Cell/Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Biophysics, Genetics, Medical Biology, Translational Medicine, or related fields. You must also have gained sufficient research experience during your studies to date. All applications will be carefully evaluated in terms of their eligibility and suitability for the programme.

Next call for applications: The call for applications will be open from August 11 to November 3, 2026, for individual PhD projects starting between July 1 and October 1, 2027.

Online submission: Only complete applications submitted through our online application portal will be accepted and processed. You can access your individual application form at any time to add or change information until you submit your details in the final step of the application process. Please note that you will not be able to change your details once they have been submitted. The completed form will not be returned to you, so please take screenshots for your own records before submitting. Make sure that your email address and the contact details of your referees are correct.

Usage of artificial intelligence: Please note that using of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve certain aspects of your application (e.g. language quality) is permitted, provided it is done with the utmost integrity and in accordance with good scientific practice. If you choose to utilize such technology, please disclose this transparently in the 'Additional Information' section of your application. The use of AI should be limited to supporting your application. Our goal is to gain an authentic understanding of your scientific perspectives, ideas, and personality. In case of any uncertainties or if not explicitly stated, we may utilize tools such as AI text detectors to assess the content.

Academic details and degrees: In the 'Academic Details' section of the application form, you must list all your previous and current degrees, e.g. BSc and MSc degrees. If you have a combined degree, e.g. a diploma or an integrated BSc/MSc degree, you may also indicate this.

Research and Motivation: In the 'Research and Motivation' section, please provide statements about your prior research experience and your motivation for joining our programme. You are also required to upload a detailed research proposal outlining your scientific interests and ideas for a PhD project. Please note that this project does not need to serve as your official PhD research. To ensure your application is submitted on time, please prepare your statements and proposal in advance.

Host laboratories: Carefully consider the available host laboratories. In the 'Host Groups' section of the application form, you must indicate three host groups of interest to you (not in order of preference). Your online application will be evaluated by these groups, among others. Students conducting their Master's thesis or internship in one of the selected host groups should be open to pursuing a PhD with any of the indicated groups and should not be biased towards the laboratory of their Master's thesis/internship.
During the recruitment week, all invited candidates will visit the three selected laboratories and up to two other laboratories. This will allow all candidates to make an informed decision about their preferred PhD group.

Documents: Start compiling your documents (CV, transcripts, certificates, statements and proposal etc.) and contact potential referees well in advance. Allow sufficient time for your two referees to write their letters of recommendation.

Referees: Once you have specified your referees in the relevant section, they will automatically receive an email with a link to the recommendation form. You can view the status of your referees' submissions in your application profile. It is your responsibility to contact your referees and ensure that they submit the form by the specified referee deadline, which is one week after the application deadline. References received after this date will not be considered. Applicants cannot submit letters of recommendation on behalf of referees.

Your application will be accepted even if you have not yet been awarded your Master's degree at the time of application. However, you must have received your degree by the start date of your PhD project, which is between July and October. For the application procedure, please upload any available provisional diplomas and/or transcripts, as well as your current transcripts. If you receive your degree after submitting the application form, please send it to cga-coordination[at]uni-koeln.de.

Please mention 'not applicable' if your degree did not include a thesis. If you have not yet completed your thesis, please indicate this and provide a provisional abstract. Please distinguish between results obtained and experiments planned. If you do not have a provisional abstract for your thesis at the time of submitting your application, please indicate this. You may instead provide details of a project conducted during your Master’s programme, such as an internship. Please specify this clearly and include the duration of the internship.

As part of the application process, you must provide details of two referees. The first should be your current or most recent academic supervisor (e.g. of your BSc or MSc thesis project). Your second referee can be a former supervisor from a science-related work environment (e.g. also industry), but not necessarily from academia. This referee can also be a postdoctoral supervisor, provided they have a PhD.

You have been asked to write a letter of recommendation? Please evaluate the applicant using the link sent to you and submit the letter of recommendation in English to our online application portal by the specified deadline. Please note that applicants cannot submit letters of recommendation on your behalf; they must come directly from you.

An excellent command of English (C1 level) is a prerequisite for our programme. If you have taken an English language test such as the TOEFL, you can upload your results to the documents section. However, providing a language test certificate is not compulsory; alternatively, you can provide a written statement explaining why you believe you are fluent in English (e.g. some of your studies were conducted in English).

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

If you are having trouble logging in to the application system, please try the following first: 1. Use a different browser (ideally Chrome or Firefox). 2. Clear your cache and try logging in again. 3. Copy and paste your login details instead of entering them manually. If none of these steps work, please email cga-coordination[at]uni-koeln.de.

PhD projects begin on an individual basis between July and October each year. The structured CGA programme starts in October with the 'CGA Welcome Days'.

Yes, the entire structured programme will be conducted in English. Have a look at our international CGA student body and alumni members.

The CGA Coordination team can help with all personal and administrative matters relating to your PhD, including visas, residence permits, accommodation, opening bank accounts, insurance, university enrolment and contracts. Our Buddy Programme offers additional support and answers to many of the questions that new doctoral students may have. During the 'CGA Welcome Days' in October, you will receive all the information you need to start your PhD. You will also have the opportunity to meet other CGA students and faculty, and to familiarise yourself with the campus and the city of Cologne. Once you have started your PhD, you will have a main supervisor and two co-supervisors with whom regular and documented thesis advisory meetings will take place to ensure that your PhD progresses smoothly. To facilitate your integration in Germany, we offer free German language courses. We also hold regular scientific and social CGA events where you can meet fellow students. Rest assured that you will never be left alone should you encounter any difficulties! Still got questions? Find out more about our support and the benefits available to you by watching the CGA film or exploring our CGA stories!

We support our employees in achieving and maintaining a good work-life-balance. We promote family-friendly working conditions and a family-conscious organisational culture. Some of our PhD students have children.

For more information, please visit our Dual Career and Family Support Service.

Support for students with disabilities is available at all collaborating institutions. Please indicate your disability status on your application form and upload any relevant certificates. If you require any additional support, please inform us so that we can make early arrangements (e.g. provide assistive devices or adapt learning materials). For more information, please visit the Service Center Inclusion website.

There are several options for accommodation in Cologne. A single apartment at the student housing costs around €450 per month. On the private rental market, apartments cost around €650 per month, depending on their size, location, and facilities.

All PhD students receive an employment contract of at least three years including social benefits. Remuneration is based on TVL-13, 65% (net income, i.e.the salary after tax deductions and social insurance contributions, which is approx. €2,060 in the first year), provided that the requirements of the collective bargaining agreement are met. Alternatively, it is based on the equivalent remunerated PhD support contract (Promotionsfördervertrag, sui generis) of the Max Planck Society.  If the PhD project is not completed within the initial contract period, the respective Principal Investigator (PI) will fund the student until the PhD is completed under the same conditions. Depending on the research group's affiliation, the employment contract will be concluded with either the University of Cologne, the University Hospital of Cologne, or the Max Planck Society. Certain aspects of the contracts may therefore differ.

There is only a social fee of approximately €356 per semester. This covers access to university cafeterias at reduced rates. It also covers student sports facilities and the university library. Additionally, the Deutschlandticket, which allows travel on public transport in Cologne and across Germany, is included. Further information is available here.

The CGA is organised to promote the well-being of our PhD students, foster an environment of scientific excellence, and provide student representation on all relevant management bodies. During your PhD, you will participate in a structured curriculum, including lecture series, journal clubs, retreats, and intensive, exclusive training in scientific and soft skills, and a personalised career mentoring programme. You will also have access to an annual travel grant of €1,500 to attend conferences. Outside the formal modules, you will develop skills in event organisation, including practice in fundraising and inviting and interacting with internationally renowned guest speakers. As part of the CGA, you will have the support of not only the Coordination Office, but also of the wider CGA network, consisting of your classmates, senior students, alumni and your TAC members! In addition to interacting with highly talented students from different countries, social events such as the 'regulars' table' bring together students working on different research topics, greatly facilitating networking and collaboration.

The German PhD enjoys an outstanding worldwide reputation due to Germany's long scientific tradition and excellent research infrastructure. Not only does Germany offer state-of-the-art technology and well-equipped research institutions, it is also known as the ‘Land of Ideas’ with a high standard of living. Find out more here.

Cologne offers an outstanding international research environment within Germany's most prestigious ageing research cluster, including the 'Cologne Cluster of Excellence on Aging and 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 become a leading global research centre boasting an exceptional array of institutes and scientists dedicated to ageing research.

Find out more about Cologne's vibrant city life here or  watch the CGA film to gain insight into student life at CGA.

You have many options in academia, industry or the sector of your choice! Check out our alumni profiles and our CGA stories for inspiration!
To assist you in identifying the most suitable career path, a variety of career events are offered at the Cologne biocampus, including an on-site 'Career Panel Discussion', online 'PhD Career Perspectives' events and the 'What's Next' seminar series. Our personalised career mentoring programme is also available to help you determine the next best step in your professional journey.