Application Frequently Asked Questions

Applicants holding (or expecting to hold) a university master's degree (MSc or equivalent) including a written master's research thesis are eligible to apply. Our PhD students typically have a background in (molecular) biology, biochemistry, chemistry, physics, mathematics, computational biology, computer science or epidemiology/public health studies.

Applicants still studying for their degree should anticipate to receive it not later than 6 months after the application deadline. A provisional certificate or bona fide statement from the University, stating the examination marks already obtained, should be provided. During completion of the online application form, you will be required to upload a scanned copy of your certificates as a PDF file of not more than 5MB.

In case you hold a degree that is NOT a MSc but that you think is equivalent to a MSc (including a written master's thesis), please contact the Graduate Program Office, listing the name of the degree in the original language and the English translation and we will inform you whether you are eligible to apply. 

Degrees from countries outside the European Union are subject to a recognition procedure if a faculty of a German university is chosen. The faculty may ask for additional qualifications or an entrance examination to be completed in the early phase of the thesis work.

If you hold a four-year bachelor degree along with significant research experience thereafter, you may also apply.  If you only hold a three year bachelor degree you are unfortunately not eligible to apply. However, you might be interested in the Master's Program Major Cancer Biology, organized by the German Cancer Research Center in collaboration with the University of Heidelberg.

A language test for English is requested for all applicants except those coming from German-speaking countries (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), as well as native English speakers from Australia, Canada, Ireland, UK and USA. If your studies were in English, then please upload a PDF document from your University (or Director of Studies) in which this is stated and select "Degree in English" in the section "Proof of English" in the online application system.

The following proof of English is accepted:

• TOEFL test with a score of 95+ (internet-based), 240+ (computer-based) or 587+ (paper-based)
• IELTS certificate with a band score 7.0+
• Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE)

If you are planning to take a TOEFL test for your application to the DKFZ International PhD Program, you may have the results sent directly to us by quoting the DKFZ code number, 4320, when you take the test. If not, then you will be required to upload a scanned copy of the certificate as a JPEG or PDF file of not more than 3MB.

A Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not mandatory. If you have a GRE certificate, please scan and upload this to your online application under the "Documents" section. Both English proficiency certificates and GRE score certificates can be uploaded under the tab "English Certificate".

We also require a copy of your high school certificate.

Applicants still studying for their master's degree should anticipate to receive it not later than 6 months after they have been accepted to the PhD program. A transcript or provisional certificate from the university, stating the examination marks already obtained, should be provided. During completion of the online application form you will be required to upload a scanned copy of your certificates a PDF file of not more than 5MB.

There are usually two application rounds each year, one in winter and one in summer. The deadlines to apply online are typically 15 May for the Summer Selection and 15 December for the Winter Selection.

Please check the PhD Program start page for the next deadline.

You are eligible to apply if you will finish your master's degree and be able to start your PhD within 6 months after you have been accepted to the PhD program. It will be fine if you submit your transcript and provide us with your master's certificate after your graduation. In the master's certificate section you should upload a transcript or your master's exams that you have taken to date.

For information about the application process please read our handbook. 

Candidates who are selected through the Winter Selection should plan to start their PhD between mid-March and the end of October. Those who apply through the Summer Selection should plan to start between the end of August and the end of February (of the next year).

There is no tuition fee at the DKFZ and all our PhD students are financed throughout their PhD studies. However, you will be required to enroll (matriculate) with the university, which has administrative fees of approx. 160 Euro per semester.

If you are accepted as a PhD student at the DKFZ, you have to register with a university faculty within the first 6 weeks of starting your PhD. This is essential as your PhD is awarded by the university you registered with, not the DKFZ. Most PhD students at the DKFZ register with the renowned University of Heidelberg. However, you are free to register with any faculty of your choice, including faculties of other universities. The degree you are awarded depends on your area of research and university faculty you registered with.

Additionally, you will also be required to enroll (matriculate) with the university of the faculty you have registered with. This has administrative fees of approx. 160 Euros.

With a professional medical degree (M.D.) you are eligible to apply to obtain an academic medical doctoral title (Dr. med). If you already hold an academic doctoral title, then you are overqualified for the PhD program and not eligible to receive a second doctoral title in Germany without completing a further basic study (Bachelor plus Master or equivalent). An application for a postdoc position would then be more appropriate.

The working language of the PhD program and the PhD Program Office is English, as is the language in the laboratories of the DKFZ. As part of the PhD program, PhD students at the DKFZ have the opportunity to attend a wide range of courses and seminars, including German courses, for free.

The typical duration of the doctoral studies at the DKFZ is three to four years.

A language test for English is requested for all applicants except those coming from German-speaking countries (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), as well as native English speakers from Australia, Canada, Ireland, UK and USA. If your studies were in English, then please upload a PDF document from your University (or Director of Studies) in which this is stated and select "Degree in English" in the section "Proof of English" in the online application system.

The following proof of English is accepted:

• TOEFL test with a score of 95+ (internet-based), 240+ (computer-based) or 587+ (paper-based)
• IELTS certificate with a band score 7.0+
• Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE)

If you do not have the official report yet, you can upload a screenshot of your results as a PDF document of not more than 5MB. If you are invited for the interviews taking place in Heidelberg, we expect you to provide us with the official report.

If you do not yet have the official certificate, you may upload a screenshot of your results as a PDF (max. 5 MB). Official documentation must be provided if you are invited for interviews in Heidelberg. If you have no formal certificate but your education was in English, upload a PDF from your university or Director of Studies confirming this.

In the section "University courses", please list the main topics of the university courses (e.g. "Principles of Molecular Biology") and coursework (e.g. "Lab rotation in the group of XY at University Z") you have already completed. Please do not list every lecture, but rather provide a brief overview. The university courses during your master studies are more important, but if you think your bachelor courses are also of importance for this application, you can list those as well.

A Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is considered advantageous for your application but it is not mandatory. If you have a GRE certificate, please scan and upload this to your online application, under the "Documents" section. If you do not have the official report yet, you can upload a screenshot of your results as a PDF document of not more than 5MB.

You can submit the original high school certificate. Possibly later, if you are offered a position after the selection process, an English translation of the certificate is required to register with a faculty

It is not necessary to contact group leaders to discuss your application before submission. You can view the names of the recruiting groups/divisions and a description of the project(s) offered by them in the online system. Only the listed groups/divisions will be recruiting students to join their labs, so please select projects that align with your research interests and goals. 

Please check that you have saved your file in the correct format. This should be a PDF file. Then you should check that the size of your PDF file does not exceed 5MB.

If your file is in the wrong format or too large, you will have to modify it and then try to upload it again in the new size/format.

Please ask your referee to check their spam folder, as the e-mail may have been inadvertently filtered by the receiving server.

If they still do not have the e-mail, please ask them to send their letter of recommendation as a PDF document to the PhD Program Office by e-mail.

Please remember that you DO NOT have to wait for both of your referees to submit their letters of recommendation before you submit your application. Please submit your application early to facilitate a fast review process.

This applies to referee information or if you have already submitted your application.

Please send us an e-mail with the following information:
- Your first name
- Your surname
- Your login e-mail address
- A description of the problem (if the referee address is wrong, be sure to tell us which referee etc.)

If the mistake is not in the referee information OR you have not yet submitted your application, then you should be able to correct the mistake yourself using the "edit" function.

Applications are evaluated within five weeks after the deadline. All applicants are informed about the outcome of the evaluation via email at the same time and shortlisted candidates are invited to the panel interviews. Each candidate is asked to participate in two independent online panel interviews, which are reviewed by 3-4 senior scientists of the DKFZ. During these interviews, aspects such as intellectual brightness, creativity, perseverance, independent thinking and the ability to work in a team will be evaluated.

Based on the results of the panel interviews, up to 35 candidates are then invited to the personal interviews and an on-site visit to the DKFZ in Heidelberg, after which the 18 highest ranking candidates who successfully identified a match are offered a PhD Program funded position.

If you have previously submitted an online application for the PhD Program and were NOT invited for interviews, then you are eligible to re-apply. You will need to create a new account in the online system and re-submit all your documents, including the letters of recommendation. It is not possible for you to re-use a previous application.

If you have previously submitted an online application for the PhD Program and WERE invited for interviews, but were unable to obtain a position, then you are NOT eligible to re-apply through the online application system. Instead, we encourage you to contact PhD supervisors directly. Potential supervisors can receive further information about your previous application by contacting the PhD Program Office.

If you would like to apply for a PhD position outside the selection rounds, we recommend that you get in contact with department heads directly. You can find further information about Research Groups at the DKFZ and contact persons on our website or you can search for specific research topics using the TopicFinder.

If you require assistance during the application process, for example in the case of a disability, please contact us.

If you already hold a full PhD scholarship or intend to apply for an external scholarship and you wish to find a PhD project at the DKFZ, please apply through the online application system.

When completing your application, in the "publications/honours" section of the online application form, you should mention that you have already have funding and you should also upload a copy of the letter confirming this in the "Documents" section under "Master". 

If you do not wish to take part in the selection rounds of the PhD Program, then you may e-mail the division and group heads who you are interested in working with, to enquire as to whether a position may be available if you bring your own scholarship. You can also search for specific research topics using the Topic Finder.

No. It is neither necessary nor recommended to contact group leaders individually. You can view the projects from the group leaders who are participating in a particular selection and select up to five projects that are of interest to you.

From the winter 2025/26 selection onward, candidates must select at least one and no more than five offered projects at the time of application. You can view the description of the projects as well as the research profile of the division/group in the online system.

You would also need to include a brief statement sharing your motivation for selecting each project.

Applications are evaluated within six weeks after the deadline. Applications are assessed both for minimum eligibility and holistically, considering factors such as academic excellence, research experience, and scientific engagement. All applicants are informed about the outcome of the evaluation via email. Eligible applications are visible to the recruiting groups who then nominate candidates for a qualifying online panel interview. 

Nominated candidates are invited to participate in a single qualifying panel interview. Here, the candidates are reviewed by 3-4 senior scientists of the DKFZ who evaluate aspects such as intellectual acumen, scientific knowledge, creativity, motivation, perseverance, and independent thinking.

Based on the results of the panel interviews, up to 80 candidates are then invited to the personal interviews and an on-site visit to the DKFZ in Heidelberg. After the on-site visit candidates and supervisor preferences are collated and successfully matched candidates are offered a position irrespective of their rank. The 18 highest ranking candidates who successfully identified a match are awarded the DKFZ Doctoral Scholars Award in addition to their PhD position.