Frequently asked questions

Deadlines for EU applicants and non-EU applicants are different.

All applicants for the Scholarship Program (EU and non-EU applicants):
1st of December (for the winter semester in the following year)

Non-EU applicants:
1st of May (for the upcoming winter semester)

EU applicants (EU natives and students with an EU degree):
1 July (for the upcoming winter semester)

Important: The application portal will only open 3-4 weeks prior to the respective deadline stated above.

Please note: All courses start in winter semesters. Summer semester starts are not offered!

A B. Sc. degree (or equivalent) in Physics (or related fields) is required. In particular, we require applicants to have successfully completed the following coursework by the time the first M. Sc. semester in Physics or Astrophysics starts:

• Experimental physics:
  Courses in atomic, molecular, solid-state, nuclear, and/or particle physics, corresponding to at least 15 credit points in total.
• Theoretical physics:
  Courses in quantum mechanics and statistical physics, corresponding to at least 15 credit points in total.
• Lab courses:
  Lab courses corresponding to at least 15 credit points in total.

For the M. Sc. program in Astrophysics it is certainly helpful, but is not mandatory, having taken an introductory course in astronomy and/or astrophysics.

Please note:

• In case it is not evident from the transcript that these criteria are fulfilled (e. g. due to additional coursework), the applicant should address this in the application.
• The applicant has to prove that she or he has taken at least two lab courses performing experiments individually or in small groups and worked out written analyses of these experiments. Just watching someone else doing the experiment is not sufficient.

General remarks:
Our Master courses in Physics and Astrophysics are designed as "consecutive Master" courses, i. e. a solid foundation in physics is required. Applicants should have prior knowledge not only of classical mechanics (including Lagrange and Hamiltonian formulations) and electrodynamics (Maxwell equations and their solutions), but should also have taken introductory classes in atomic, molecular, solid state and nuclear/particle physics.
Furthermore, the Master courses require prior knowledge of non-relativistic quantum mechanics (including the axioms of quantum mechanics, the Schrödinger equation and its time-independent solution for the harmonic oscillator and the hydrogen atom, the angular momentum algebra and time-independent perturbation theory) and of thermodynamics and statistical physics (energy conservation, the principle of entropy, the canonical ensembles and introductory quantum statistics).

English proficiency at the level B2 is mandatory.
This may be proven by a language test such as CAE, CPE, IELTS (min. score 5.0) or TOEFL iBT (min. 72 points).

If your bachelor course is entirely held in English, it is also sufficient to get an official form or certificate from your university stating the language of instruction was English.

For German applicants the high school diploma (Abiturzeugnis) is sufficient, if it proves 6 years of English classes.

A finished B. Sc. degree is not a requirement during the application. You can finish your online application without uploading your final degree. Please use a PDF and note down all the courses you are planning on or are taking during your final semester. Upload this PDF in the degree slot.

Important: If you are accepted to the program, a finished B. Sc. degree is mandatory for enrollment. If we do not receive your diploma/preliminary diploma/degree certificate before the enrollment deadline, you will not be able to enroll.

Letter of Acceptance (LoA): document issued as proof of being accepted to the program, in general sufficient for Visa applications. NOT the final document and NOT sufficient for enrollment.

Zulassungsbescheid (English: enrollment document): final, official document for enrollment. Without a diploma/preliminary diploma/degree certificate, the Zulassungsbescheid will not be issued and enrollment won't be possible.

Scholarship application period: Proof of registration (PDF of summary page after registering succesfully and filling out the form/uploading all required documents on their portal) is sufficient, as scholarship recipients do not need an APS certificate for Visa application. See Applying for a Scholarship for more details.

Reason: Although scholarship holders do not require an APS certificate to obtain a Visa, only a very small number of students will be granted a scholarship. If the scholarship application is not successful, there might not be enough time to apply and receive the APS certificate in time for the semester deadline.

Regular/non-Scholarship application period: A completed APS certificate is required for applying to the BCGS. Applications without the complete certificate will be flagged and not processed. No exceptions can be made.

We would like to strongly point out that we have had cases where the process of obtaining the certificate took several months, so if you are planning on applying to the BCGS, apply for the certificate early enough.

During the online application a scan of your original document is sufficient, but in case of admittance, we will require the documents above mentioned as certified*) hardcopies, so we advise you to start the certification process as soon as possible. These copies will be sent via postal service to the enrollment office, so make sure not to send your originals (unless you have several original copies for this purpose), as you will not get them back.

*)"Certified" means that a legal authority (notary, registrar's office of your university, municipality etc.) has confirmed (official stamp and signature) that the copy is of the original. Please submit the copies with a certified English translation if they are in other language than English OR German.

By "school leaving certificate" we mean the certificate/official document you were issued in your country allowing you to go to university to take up academic studies. In some countries this is also called "High School Certificate/Diploma" or "Transfer Certificate".

Several foundations like DAAD (The German Academic Exchange Service) offer scholarships and grants. Funding opportunities can be found on their website. Applying for a scholarship can already be done in your home country. Therefore, please get informed early enough about possible scholarship opportunities, as well as their corresponding application deadlines (some foundations only decide 1-2 times a year who is granted a scholarship).

For general financing and support, please have a look at the Central Study Advisory and Counseling Service, this is not something BCGS office can help with.

Please note: There are different conditions for graduates and non-graduates. Sometimes an application for a scholarship is only possible after being accepted to a university.

For winter term: 15 July 
For summer term: 15 January

Important: international students are highly recommended to apply for their preliminary review documentation (VPD) before 1 June (winter term) or 1 December (summer term) to ensure that they receive the VPD in time!

Note that the application portal usually opens 1 June (winter term) or 1 December (summer term).

All applicants need to provide:

•  School leaving certificate (or an equivalent degree of qualification for access to German universities)
• Transcript of Records
• Bachelor of Science in Physics degree (or an equivalent university degree). The degree certificate can be handed in later.

Applicants who have obtained their university degree (e.g. a bachelor’s degree) in a country other than Germany also need

• officially certified translations of the documents if the original documents were not issued in German or English Language
• the preliminary review documentation (VPD) by uni-assist

A BSc degree (or equivalent) in Physics (or related fields) is required. In particular, we require applicants to have successfully completed the following coursework:

• at least 15 credit points in theoretical physics - note that either a course in quantum mechanics or a course in statistical physics is required.
• at least 15 credit points in mathematics
• at least 15 credit points in advanced experimental physics
• at least 12 credit points in experimental/practical training (e.g. laboratory practicals).

What does that mean?

In theoretical physics, the Master course requires prior knowledge of

• either non-relativistic quantum mechanics (including the axioms of quantum mechanics, the Schroedinger equation and its time-independent solution for the harmonic oscillator and the hydrogen atom, the angular momentum algebra, and time-independent perturbation theory)
• or thermodynamics and statistical physics (incl. thermodynamics and the principle of entropy, the canonical ensembles, equilibrium in systems without interactions, phase transitions)

Applicants are also expected to have studied classical mechanics (comprising the Langrange and Hamilton formalisms) and electrodynamics (Maxwell equations and their solutions).

Advanced experimental physics refers to at least introductory classes in atomic, molecular, solid state and nuclear/particle physics. Note that basic courses like Newton mechanics or optics are not considered as advanced experimental physics.

Regarding the practical training: applicants need experience in performing experiments individually or in small groups and worked out written analyses of these experiments.

Note that the admission committee will carefully inspect the syllabi/contents of the relevant courses students have taken.

English proficiency at the level B2 is mandatory.
This may be proven by either a TOEFL/IELTS test/Cambridge Certificate of B2 or higher.

If your bachelor course is entirely held in English, it is also sufficient to get an official form or certificate from your university stating the language of instruction was English.

You may start the application in KLIPS 2.0 before you receive the VPD. However, the VPD is required for the application. Your documents are therefore not complete without the VPD. Please note that only complete applications that have been uploaded by the deadline can be considered.

It is therefore not possible to submit the VPD after the deadline. However, you are welcome to apply for the following semester.

Please upload the document provided by uni-assist instead of the VPD ("Mitteilung.pdf") for your application in KLIPS 2.0. 

Just to clarify: the VPD certifies that you meet the formal requirements for any Master's program in Germany. Depending on your academic background, however, such a general statement cannot be made. This is the case, for example, with 3-year Bachelor's degree programs in India. However, it may well be that you fulfil the academic requirements for certain degree programmes, e.g. for an MSc in Physics. For this reason, you will be referred to the university that decides.

The BCGS offers a BCGS Honors Certificate for the best students after finishing their MSc in Physics or Astrophysics at the University of Bonn or Cologne. The BCGS Honors Certificate can be earned by any student and is independent of the BCGS Scholarship Program.

For more information, see Honors Certificate

Command of the German language is not a prerequisite for our MSc studies, but of course, speaking German makes life easier and you will be able to apply for more part-time jobs, since many of them require German language.
The International Office of Bonn University offers a variety of courses

German lesson offers

You should select the members of your TAC in such a way that they could be of help you during your doctoral project - be it topically, career-wise or simply on a personal level.

In addition to your supervisor, you should nominate two other scientists who should be at least post-docs. One of these needs to be independent of your supervisor.

You may also choose professors/scientists from other institutions (e.g. a partner university) which is sometimes even required or heavily encouraged (e.g. for a PhD within ML4Q).