Overview

Apart from a solid foundation in the key scientific disciplines of physics, chemistry and biology, you will also learn a common scientific language through the joint courses, a key skill indispensable for interdisciplinary research. Matter to Life (Direct Track Master Phase) is offered at the Max Planck School Matter to Life

Key facts

The Matter to Life programme brings together students with different study backgrounds from all around the world, thus encouraging peer to peer learning. You will be taught and trained by experts in the respective fields, and will access to state of the art laboratories and facilities, ensuring you receive an outstanding and well rounded education. To ensure that you can devote yourself fully to your research, we support you with a stipend during this phase.

We are looking for highly motivated students with a Bachelor or a comparable undergraduate degree in chemistry, physics, biochemistry, biophysics, biotechnology, materials science, engineering or related subjects, who are interested in an interdisciplinary curriculum. The programme is entirely taught in English and we welcome international students. Small cohort sizes enable strong scientific and cultural exchange and will give you the chance to not only interrogate scientific questions from the perspectives of various disciplines, but from different cultural contexts as well. The application phase is usually from September – December, one year prior to the start of winter study semester.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

We offer two different foci in Matter to Life (MtL) at our teaching universities: MtL with a focus on Complex Systems and Biological Physics at the University of Göttingen and MtL with a focus on Molecular Systems Chemistry and Engineering at Heidelberg University.
In the first term, you will study a common curriculum with shared lectures between the universities

You will get an insight into Synthetic Biology, Physics of Complex Systems, Ethics in Synthetic Biology, Biophysics and Physical Chemistry of Life and more taught by the MtL Faculty members who are experts in the respective fields

In the second term, you can choose from a selection of specialized courses and this can be tailored to your specific interest and aptitude
The third and the fourth term will give you enough time to get familiar with the research of the MtL Faculty during the lab rotations and the Master thesis

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 24 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-09-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-12-01 00:00:00

Language

English

TOEFL^® IBT

90

Schedule TOEFL®

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Credits

120 ECTS

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Heidelberg, Germany
Göttingen, Germany

Disciplines

Physics Chemistry Biology View 49 other Masters in Chemistry in Germany

Join for free or log in to access our complete career info list.

Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

TOEFL^® IBT

90

Schedule TOEFL®

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

We invite undergraduate students with a background in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Biotechnology, Materials Science or Engineering (or a related sub-field) to apply to our program
Whether your previous study is relevant will be decided on a case-by-case basis and depends on your transcript and specific modules you have completed
Your previous study needs to have an equivalent of 96 ECTS
Solid knowledge of the English language is necessary for your success in the program, which will be conducted entirely in English. An internationally-accepted language test is required for non-native English speakers (exceptions if your previous program was taught completely in English); proof of proficiency can be submitted after the selection process
For detailed admission criteria, please check our website

Student Insurance via Studyportals Partner

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items like Additional medical costs, Repatriation, Liability etc. Make sure your student insurance covers your needs.

Studyportals partnered with Aon to provide you with the best affordable student insurance, for a carefree experience away from home.

Get your student insurance now

Starting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.

Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at Max Planck School Matter to Life and/or in Germany, please visit Student Insurance Portal.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

Free
Domestic Applies to you

Applies to you

Citizens or residents

Free

Additional Details

The MPS MtL offers full funding for the duration of the program which allows our students to focus on their scientific work entirely.

Living costs

Heidelberg

Germany

922 - 1397 EUR / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

Students receive a scholarship and, if applicable, a subsidy for health insurance and material costs.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

Loading

Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Matter to Life (Direct Track Master Phase).

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

Key facts

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Student Insurance via Studyportals Partner

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic Applies to you

Additional Details

Living costs

Heidelberg

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

Our partners