PhD-Programme: FAQ

Next call for applications: The call for applications will be open from August 12 to November 3, 2025, with the programme starting between July 1 and October 1, 2026.

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 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 rferee 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.

In general, you must have a Master's degree or equivalent (MD, Diploma, ...) in fields of the life and natural sciences such as biology, biochemistry, biophysics, bioinformatics, bioengineering, pharmacology, neuroscience, medical biology or a related field. In addition, you must have gained sufficient research experience during your studies. Individual applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Your application will be accepted even if your Master's degree has not been awarded at the time of application. However, it must be awarded before your individual start date of your PhD project between July and October. For the application procedure it is sufficient to upload your available (provisional) diplomas and/or marksheets and your current transcripts. If you receive the 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 your thesis has not yet been completed, please indicate this and provide a provisional abstract. Please distinguish between results obtained and experiments planned.

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

Host lab proposals for the current application phase can be found here. New host lab proposals for the upcoming call will be published on the date the call opens.

You must provide two referees for the application process. The first referee 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, not necessarily from academia, but from a science-related work environment (e.g. industry). Your second referee can also be a supervising postdoctoral researcher, but this person should have a PhD.

You have been asked to write a letter of recommendation? Please use the link sent to you, evaluate the applicant 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.

If you are having problems logging in to the application system, please try the following first: 1. Try a different browser (preferably 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 all of these steps do not work, please email cga-coordination[at]uni-koeln.de.

Yes, have a look at our international CGAstudent body and alumni members.

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

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

As a first step, all applications are reviewed for completeness and eligibility by the CGA Coordination. Applications that meet these requirements will be assessed by CGA faculty members on the basis of academic qualifications and research achievements. Online panel interviews will then be scheduled for the top 80 shortlisted candidates from December 8 to 10, 2025. Up to 25 of these candidates will be invited to the recruitment week, which will take place in Cologne, Germany, from February 23 to 26, 2026. Up to 12 candidates will be offered a PhD position at the CGA.

There will be a four-day recruitment week scheduled from February 23 to February 27, 2026, in Cologne, Germany. Hotel accommodation will be provided for all invited candidates who live too far away from Cologne to travel on the same days. Travel expenses will be refunded several weeks after the actual recruitment week.

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 their acceptance approximately two weeks after the conclusion of the recruitment week.

All PhD students receive an employment contract including social benefits for a period of 3 years. Remuneration is based on TVL-13, 65% (gross monthly salary of approx. € 3,009 in the first year), if the requirements under collective bargaining law are fulfilled, or on the equivalent remunerated PhD support contract of the Max Planck Society (Promotionsfördervertrag, sui generis). If the PhD project is not completed within 3 years, the respective PI will fund the student for at least one additional year or until completion of the PhD under the same conditions. Depending on the affiliation of the research group, the employment contract will be concluded either with the University of Cologne, the University Hospital of Cologne or the Max Planck Society. Certain aspects of the contracts may therefore differ.

The CGA Coordination provides assistance with all personal and administrative matters, including visas, residence permits, accommodation, opening bank accounts, insurance, contracts and anything else related to your PhD. Our Buddy Programme provides further support with many of the questions that new doctoral students may have. The 'CGA Welcome Days' in October provide you with all the information you need to start your PhD and give you the opportunity to meet other CGA students and faculty and to get to know the campus and Cologne. Once you have started your PhD, you will also 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, free German language courses are offered. We also hold regular scientific and social CGA events where you can meet fellow students. You can rest assured that you will never be left alone should you encounter any difficulties! Still got questions? Find out more about our support and your benefits watching the CGA film or exploring our CGA stories!

There is only a social fee of approximately €335 per semester, which covers access to university cafeterias at reduced rates, student sports facilities, and the university library. Additionally, a public transportation pass within Cologne and Germany (the Deutschlandticket) is included. Further information is available here.

There are seiveral options for accommodation in Cologne. A single apartment at the student housing costs approx. €450/month. On the private market, apartments cost around €600/month, depending on size, location and facilities.

The CGA is organised to best promote the well-being of our PhD students, to foster an environment of scientific excellence and to 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 and 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 for conferences. You will develop skills outside the formal modules, such as event organisation, including practice in fundraising and inviting and interacting with internationally renowned guest speakers. As part of the CGA, you will not only have the support of the Coordination Office, but also of the CGA network consisting of your classmates, senior students alumni or your TAC members! In addition to the opportunity to interact with highly talented students from different countries, classes and social events such as a 'regulars' table' bring together students working on different research topics, which greatly facilitates networking and establishing collaborations.

The German PhD enjoys an outstanding reputation worldwide due to its long scientific tradition and the excellent infrastructure for research work in Germany. Germany not only offers state-of-the-art technology and well-equipped research institutions, but 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 in 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 become a leading global research centre with an exceptional constellation 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, the spot on section and our CGA stories to get some ideas!
To assist you in identifying the most suitable career path, variety of career events are offered on the Cologne biocampus such as an on-site "Career Panel Discussion," the online  "PhD Career Perspectives" events, and the "What's Next" seminar series. Our personalized career mentoring programme is also available to help you determine the best next step in your professional journey.

We support our employees in achieving and maintaining a good work-life-balance. We foster family-friendly work conditions and a family-conscious organizational 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. Please inform us if you require any additional support so that we can make early arrangements (e.g. assistive devices or adaptation of learning materials). For more information please visit the website of the Service Center Inclusion