Funded PhD Positions at the International Max Planck Research School for Intelligent Systems (IMPRS-IS)

 

IMPRS-IS seeks students who want to earn a doctorate while contributing to world-leading research in areas such as:

• Artificial Intelligence
• Biomedical Technology
• Computational Cognitive Science
• Computer Graphics
• Computer Vision
• Control Systems
• Data Science & Visualization
• Haptics
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Machine Learning
• Micro- and Nano-Robotics
• Natural Language Processing
• Neuroscience
• Perceptual Inference
• Robotics
• Soft Robotics and Materials

 

Who is eligible to apply? 

People with a strong academic background and a master’s degree (conferred or expected soon) in Engineering, Computer Science, Cognitive Science, Mathematics, Control Theory, Neuroscience, Materials Science, Physics, or related fields should apply.

Existing PhD students can apply to IMRPS-IS only within the first year of their doctoral studies.

IMPRS-IS seeks to increase the number of women in areas where they are underrepresented, so they explicitly encourage women to apply. They are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at their institutions.

 

Do I get financial support?

Admission will be competitive. If selected, you will receive funding via an employment contract, subject to the rules of the Max Planck Society and the two participating universities.

 

How does the selection procedure work?

IMPRS-IS faculty and staff will carefully review the materials you submit. A selected group of applicants will be invited to personal interviews that will take place in Stuttgart and Tübingen. Interview travel costs will be paid by the IMPRS-IS, so interested students should apply regardless of their financial resources.

 

Can I indicate my research and supervision preferences when applying?

Yes, interested applicants are encouraged to identify their preferred research areas and supervisors when applying through the online application portal. 

• IMPRS-IS faculty may serve as full or co-supervisors to IMPRS-IS scholars.
• IMPRS-IS associated faculty are only eligible to serve as co-supervisors within IMPRS-IS. Applicants interested in working with a member of the associated faculty must also have a member of the full faculty as a co-supervisor. 

 

How do I apply?

To apply to the IMPRS-IS, please submit the following materials online:

• Your personal contact information.
• A list of the IMPRS-IS faculty you are interested in working with.
• Your current résumé or CV, which should include your educational background, work experience, full citations for any publications you may have, details of research presentations you have given, and any awards you have received.
• Unofficial transcripts from all of your university studies.
• A two-page motivational letter, which: 1) explains why you want to earn a doctorate with IMPRS-IS and 2) describes research areas and/or particular projects that interest you.
• The names and email addresses for three individuals who can provide reference letters; IMPRS-IS is particularly eager to hear from your past and current research advisors. Please ask your referees to submit their reference letters within the application deadline.
• TOEFL scores or other evidence of English proficiency for individuals who are not native speakers (such as having studied/worked in an English speaking environment, having written a thesis/paper in English etc.)
• Optionally, GRE scores.
• Optionally, additional documents such as a thesis, published paper, or project portfolio.

 

When will I receive an answer about my application?

For the next hiring round, the review process starts on November 17, 2025. All applicants will be contacted by email no later than February 1, 2026, with a decision about their application, indicating whether on not IMPRS-IS would like to proceed further with the interview process. Applicants who are being considered for acceptance will be invited to the IMPRS-IS Interview Symposium, which will take place online from February 5 to 13, 2026.

Applicants participating in the Interview Symposium will not be expected to travel and will therefore not need any travel visa to participate in the event.

 

Online Application

• IMPRS-IS currently accepts applications to its doctoral program once a year.
• The next deadline for doctoral applications will be November 16, 2025 (End of Day, AoE).
• Applications submitted by the next deadline will be considered for the 2026 hiring round.
• Accepted applicants are eligible to join the program beginning in February 2026 or later.

 

If you are interested in applying to IMPRS-IS, please do so via the application portal. Check out the IMPRS-IS website for more information.