
Program - Max Planck School Matter to Life
The Max Plank School Matter (MPS MtL) to Life offers a 5 year combined Master's/PhD program, in which students with a Bachelor of Science begin their studies with a Welcome Course, followed by University courses and lab rotations in order to first complete their Master’s degree in Matter to Life (Years 1-2). In addition, annual scientific gatherings will take place for all members of the MPS MtL that include scientific lectures and student research presentations. Upon successful completion of the Master’s program, students will continue research during their PhD phase (Years 3-5) in the laboratory of any Matter to Life Faculty member (see the Faculty page for a list of labs/locations). Admission into the PhD phase is considered after the Year 2 Checkpoint, whereby candidates must meet University and MPS MtL-specific requirements.
Every PhD candidate of the new cohort will be paired with students in a higher semester as part of our buddy program. Therefore, each newcomer already has contact persons to help them settle in upon arriving in Germany.

Students have the opportunity to complete the Master Phase of the MtL program at one of our three partner universities, depending on the focus topic.
Please click on the links below for each University to learn more:
- University of Göttingen: Complex Systems and Biological Physics
- Heidelberg University: Molecular Systems Chemistry and Engineering
- Technical University of Munich: Bioengineering - visit the TUM MtL website
The program setup is depicted here:
