PhD Heidelberg Biosciences International Graduate School (HBIGS) at Heidelberg University

Programme overview

HBIGS was founded in 2007 to attract excellent PhD candidates to research in all areas of molecular life sciences. It has 160+ principal investigators and about 340 PhD students and is one of the main graduate programmes of Heidelberg University.

Faculty: Faculty of Biosciences | Department: Heidelberg Biosciences International Graduate School (HBIGS) | Intake: Applications accepted year-round; individual deadlines apply to advertised PhD positions | Study mode: full-time | Location: Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

What you will study

PhD training includes a course programme, technical and transferable skills training, a Thesis Advisory Committee, mentoring and an HBIGS career service.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

A university degree that allows acceptance as a PhD student at the Faculty of Biosciences. Applicants with medical, clinical medicine or veterinary degrees cannot join; applicants from other faculties are not accepted. Apply online before the PhD project starts; email or postal applications are discarded. Documents: academic records, secondary school leaving certificate, CV, statement of purpose (about 500 words), two referees with reference letters, and proof of English or German unless native. English: TOEFL iBT 90 (or 4.5 of 6 as of Jan 2026), IELTS 6.5, Cambridge CAE, or certificate that undergraduate instruction was in English. German: DSH-2, TestDaF TDN 4 in all parts, Goethe diploma, KMK Sprachdiplom II or equivalent. Applicants not eligible for unconditional acceptance must pass a Qualifying Exam (scheduled 26 Nov 2026, 21 Jan and 25 Mar 2027). Up to three advertised positions may be applied to.

Intake: Applications accepted year-round; individual deadlines apply to advertised PhD positions

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