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Application & Scholarships

If you are interested in registering for the Cognitive Science PhD Program, the first step is to find a professor who is willing to supervise your work and to referee your thesis. With your supervisor you should discuss the topic of your thesis and required resources for your work as well as grant options, job openings, or a scholarship. Please note that there are currently no grants or scholarships available within the Program. Applicants have to find their financial support individually. After you got in contact with your supervisor, you can send a formal application.

Academic requirements

Master's degree (or equivalent) in Cognitive Science or a sub-discipline is required. This must include at least basic qualifications in at least two of the following disciplines: artificial intelligence, biology, computer science, (computational) linguistics, neuroscience, philosophy, or psychology. (For details see the admission regulations .)

Application documents

• application form (download doc-version or pdf-version)
• all documents as required in the application form (educational certificates etc.)
• curriculum vitae
• papers published or submitted for publication
• previous theses (Bachelor, Master, etc.)
• names and addresses of two referees

Please send an electronic version of these documents to Gunther Heidemann (gheidema@uni-osnabrueck.de). Officially authenticated photocopies of certificates will be required on admission.

Deadline

The application deadlines for the start in the winter semester will be 1st April every year. Late applications may be accepted if there are still open places in the Program.

Study fees

There are no study fees for PhD students but only an administration fee of appr. 260 € per semester. Students have to provide proof of health insurance upon registration.

Grants / Scholarships

Since there are currently no scholarships available within the Program, applicants have to find their financial support individually. The DAAD website for PhD students https://www.daad.de/deutschland/promotion/en/ may be helpful, also the DAAD scholarship database https://www.daad.de/deutschland/stipendium/datenbank/en/21148-scholarship-database/.

Master Students in the PhD Programme

Excellent Master students may be admitted to the PhD programme in the second year of their Master studies thus integrating Master and PhD studies.

Application Procedure

Master students who want to apply for the PhD programme

• have to be enrolled in the Cognitive Science Master programme at the University of Osnabrück;
• must provide proof of excellent results in the first year;
• devise a brief outline of the intended Master/PhD work agreed upon with their supervisor;
• hand in a letter of recommendation by their supervisor.