Molecular Systems Science and EngineeringFrequently Asked Questions
General issues
What are the requirements for admission?
You require a Bachelor or equivalent degree in fields related to Molecular Systems Science and Engineering. Your degree must contain at least 180 ECTS credit points. At least 96 ECTS credit points must have been completed in subjects relevant to MSSE. You require an English Language proficiency certificate (TOEFL with at least 90/120; IELTS with at least 6,5; others see admissions regulations).
Find out more on our Target Ground and Application Procedure webpages.
Target Group Application procedure
I studied outside of Germany and my certificates are not in German. Do I need to submit a translation?
In the case of certificates from foreign educational institutions, officially certified translations in German or English must be enclosed. If the university entrance qualification and academic achievements were acquired in the People's Republic of China, India or Vietnam, a certificate from the Academic Evaluation Center (Akademische Prüfstelle (APS)) must also be submitted.
How many ECTS Credit Points should I have?
Your bachelor’s degree program must contain at least 180 ECTS Credit Points. 96 of the ECTS Credit Points must have been completed in subjects relevant to MSSE.
I have not yet completed my bachelor’s degree at the time of application. Can I still apply for a Master program?
Yes, you can apply to the MSSE Master program. For that, you will have to provide a provisional transcript of records from your studies office. This document must be an official record of the courses you have taken and the grades you received for each course. The bachelor’s degree needs to be presented at enrolment at the latest.
Which subjects should I have studied to apply to MSSE? Do I need specific courses or a certain number of ECTS credit points in specific subjects?
MSSE is a highly interdisciplinary Master program which is why we do not require any specific courses to be completed. The subjects you have studied during your bachelor’s degree program must overlap with subjects relevant to MSSE and at least 96 ECTS Credit Points must have been completed in relevant subjects. These include but are not limited to:
- Physics, Chemistry, (Molecular) Biosciences
- Molecular Biotechnology
- Materials Sciences
- (Chemical) Engineering
- Nanoscience
Examples: You have studied Biosciences, a very broad subject, which we generally consider to be compatible with MSSE. However, you have little to no experience in a molecular biology lab because you have focused on animal taxonomy first and foremost. You’d therefore be an unlikely candidate. If your focus was molecular biology, organoids, and cell-cell interactions in addition to your basic bioscience education, you’d be much more likely to be invited to attend the interviews with our professors. They will then determine whether you are a suitable candidate or not from your conversations with them.
How do I know whether my previous studies are sufficient for the Master program application?
After you have submitted your application, the documents will be checked by the central studies administration of Heidelberg University for completeness and correctness. After that, they will be forwarded to the applications committee which will evaluate your transcript of records and make a decision on whether you will be invited to the interviews.
We cannot pre-check your documents for you before you submit them via the heiCO system.
What do you mean by “failed in a required examination”?
This means, that if you have already irrevocably failed a course required for the completion of MSSE at another University and are now prohibited from taking part in this course again, you are not eligible to apply for Molecular Systems Science and Engineering (MSc). If you have passed all your courses in your previous studies, then there is nothing to worry about. This is a legal requirement.
Are good English language skills enough to study MSSE or do I also need German language skills?
The program is taught completely in English, therefore, solid English skills are required.
However, while it’s possible to live in Germany without knowing German as most people in the general public speaks at least rudimentary English and the university population typically speaks English quite well, knowing German or learning German will most likely benefit you a lot.
There are German courses accessible to university students through the University Language Center (Zentrales Sprachlabor). There may also be special courses offered to students associated with the Cluster of Excellence 3D Matter Made to Order (as you would be as a student of MSSE). These would be communicated to you by the program coordinator.
What are the English language requirements?
Students of MSSE require decent English language skills, as this program will be entirely in English.
There are multiple ways to prove English language proficiency:
- You are a native speaker (select this option during the application process).
- The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) paper-based with at least 570 out of 677, or with at least 90 out of 120 points internet-based.
- The International English Language Test System (IELTS) with a score of 6.5 or better.
- A Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE)
- UNIcert®: At least a UNIcert® II certificate with a minimum grade of 2.3.
- NULTE certificates: at least level B2+.
- At least two years of relevant study or professional experience in an English-speaking country within the last three years before receipt of the application for admission or the successful completion of a degree program that is taught in English.
What is the average grade (Durchschnittsnote) I should hold from my Bachelor’s degree in order to apply?
Students must prove an above-average bachelor’s degree with a minimum grade of 2.3 (good). The final grade is calculated according to the modified Bavarian formula for a degree obtained from a foreign educational institution.
What if I do not meet the requirements listed above?
Unfortunately, students that do not meet all of the requirements listed in the admissions regulations, cannot be admitted and will not be invited for interviews.
What’s the point of the application interviews? Who will I be talking to?
During the interviews, you will talk to two of the main course professors of the MSSE program or deputies who have been appointed by the course professors (usually personnel from the professors’ working groups). You will have two separate interviews with one interviewer each. The interviews will take place via a videoconference-tool (Zoom, heiCONF). Exceptions may be made for students that are already in Heidelberg and want to come by for an in-person interview.
These interviews allow the professors to gain more insight into who is applying to the program, their prior experience, motivations, spoken English and more. Treat these as seriously as a job interview as they will determine whether you will be accepted to the program or not. Professors are able to reject you during the interview if they deem you incompatible with the program.
I’m told I’m part of the waiting list. What does that mean?
Each student will be assessed with a point grade (0-60 points) based on the grade of their bachelor’s degree (0-10 points), their letter of motivation (0-10 points), and the two interviews (each 0-20 points). Students are ranked according to the number of points they have achieved. The first twenty are admitted to the program, the rest are placed on a waiting list and move up if a student who is ranked higher than them declines the place offered on the program.