Frequently Asked Questions

Deadlines for the positions are announced together with the call. In Potsdam there is normally a call with a deadline in November. Positions in Hannover are advertised as they become available. All applications that are complete (including all requested letters of recommendation) will be reviewed in the next meeting of the selection committee.

It can take up to four months from the end of the application deadline until final decisions are made.

After a careful review of the applications, shortlisted candidates will be invited for one or several (online) interviews before the final decision is made.

We value a strong background in gravitational physics or related subjects. Depending on the precise call, more theoretical or experimental profiles are preferred and this is detailed in the relevant job opening.

Yes, you can send your application before you get the official degree. The only condition is that you should hold your master degree when you start here.

The PhD degree is awarded by one of our partner universities, and therefore their official admission rules apply. In general, most master degrees with good marks are accepted, for details see the information provided by the partner universities.

Your cover letter should briefly describe yourself and your motivation to apply to the PhD program at the AEI. Your CV must include a section on your academic education, including institutions/universities from which you received academic degrees and the final grades. Your CV must also include a section on your work and research experience, including a brief description for each item. You may also want to include:

- a section on relevant skills (programming languages, etc),
- a list of publications (if applicable), talks, and presentations.

Your research statement should include a description of your past research experience. It should also include a description of your research interests, which you would like to pursue during your PhD, and how it relates to research done at the AEI.

For some applications you may be asked to write a short essay. The essay should describe your motivation why you want to come to our institute. You do not have to go far back in your past and motivate your choice from your childhood, but you can motivate it from the interests you developed during your studies and from the courses you took. You do not need to have a concrete research idea, we only want to get an impression of your general interests and motivations. Half a page is usually a good length, and it should certainly not be longer than one page.

The precise numbers of letters is stated in the specific job opening for the PhD position. You will typically need two or three reference letters, preferably from people you have research experience with. Letters from course instructors and research personnel (e.g., Postdoctoral researcher) are acceptable.

When you apply you must name the referees who are then contacted by us to submit their recommendation letters. You should make sure that your referees agree to send their letters.

At the point of your application, you do not need a certified translation. You can put scans of your original documents, and provide a list of your transcripts in English (along with an explanation of the meaning of the grades, e.g. you should specify the scale of the marks: what is the lowest/highest possible mark). You might be required to provide an official translation later in case you are selected.

Yes, you can put the degree you are expected to obtain with the foreseen date.

We expect all applicants to have a good knowledge of the English language which is at the basis of the research work at the institute. We however do not require any language test. If you have a test result, you can of course include it in your application.

No, the GRE is not required. If you have a test result, you can of course include it in your application.

No, every applicant is considered also for financial support.

The AEI has an International Office to support incoming students with all administrative and organisational matters, such as finding apartments, opening a bank account, getting health insurance, organising visas, etc.

We will provide more information after you have been accepted into the IMPRS.

There is no student housing associated with the IMPRS and students find their own accommodation. The international office can assist in this matter.

The working language in the research groups is English and a good command of English is expected. For everyday life it can be useful to understand some basic German and the institute supports German classes for incoming international students.

Doctoral degrees are only awarded by the universities. If you are admitted in our graduate program, you will also have to enrol officially in one of our partner universities. You do not need to apply to the university at the time of applying to the IMPRS; you have to matriculate at the university only after you have been accepted in the IMPRS.

When accepted into the IMPRS, you will be part of a research group and work under the supervision of your PhD supervisor. Together with them you will carry out your research project. You will have access to a working space (desk) and other research facilities and will be in constant exchange with the members of the research group. While the main research agenda is determined together with your supervisor, there are other research and training activities that you will participate in. As an IMPRS student you will also have a Thesis Advisory Committee consisting of at least three experienced researchers (including your supervisor) who assist you and monitor your progress towards the PhD. This involves regular documented meetings.

As part of the community of IMPRS students you can also network and socialise with your fellow students and benefit from the associated wider network of researchers.

The duration of your PhD depends on many circumstances, some specific to you, some specific to the research field. The initial PhD contract at the AEI is typically for 3 years. In theory/data analysis, most students conclude their PhD within 3 to 4 years. Experimental research might take more time due to longer start-up phases of experiments.

There are no fees at the Max Planck Institute. For the enrolment at the university you have to pay a small semester fee that depends on the University.

For all students (of any nationality) based at AEI we offer a working contract similar to the rules of the collective wage agreement “Tarifvertrag öffentlicher Dienst” that includes contributions to health insurance, pension funds and is taxable. Extra payment for children is possible.

Every IMPRS student concludes a supervision agreement that sets out basic rights and duties of students and supervisors, such as supervisors assisting the student in their research and students heeding the advice from their supervisors. There are a few mandatory lecture courses and/or block lecture weeks (at attractive outside locations) in the IMPRS that you will be asked to attend and, depending on the university, there can also be the necessity to tutor some problem sessions at the university as part of the requirements for getting the PhD. These mandatory requirements are light and most of the time is spent doing research.

In consultation with your PhD supervisor, you can and should attend conferences outside the institute in order to broaden your horizon and disseminate your research. Travel support for such activities is available.