Cancer and Immunity, Master of Science University of Regensburg

Courses are held in English. Most teachers, lab personnel (during the internships), and other students can speak English and German, but everyone is encouraged to speak English.

The Master's programme lasts four semesters. The third semester focuses on immunology. The fourth semester focuses on cancer research. In the first and second semesters, students acquire the necessary skills for these research internships.

The Master's programme spans four semesters. The first semester starts each year in October. The second, third, and fourth semesters consist mainly of internships in the labs at the university hospital or abroad.

15 June for the following winter semester

The degree programme is still in the process of being established. The provisional starting date is October 2025. We look forward to receiving your application.

The Master's programme is completed over the course of four semesters.

Lectures and method courses are offered in the first semester. These courses will equip students with a thorough understanding of immunology as well as cancer research. Furthermore, the students will acquire a FELASA licence and learn the basics of bioinformatics as currently applied in research labs.

From the second semester onwards, students can take part in individual internships in research groups focused on immunological or cancer-related research. Prior to their first internship, students will conduct thorough literature research on their upcoming project and formulate a hypothesis for their research question, which they can test in the following internship.

In the final semester, students will carry out their Master's projects in research groups focused on immunological or cancer-related research.

Throughout the programme, all studies are consistently accompanied by research-focused seminars and journal clubs.

No tuition fees

Student service fee: approx. 200 EUR per semester (includes a public transport ticket valid for the entire semester)

You will need a minimum of about 1,000 EUR per month (including rent, food, clothing, insurance, books, and study materials).

Please submit your application as one PDF file by 15 June to the following e-mail: master-cai@uni-regensburg.de.

Step 1: Please send the following documents:

1) Diploma (university degree, for example Bachelor of Science) in natural or life sciences with a recognisable focus on immunology and the basics of cell biology, biochemistry, and biology
The final grade has to be at least a 2.0 (scale: 1.0 very good to 4.0 passed).

2) A list of all lectures, seminars, internships, and other parts of the study programme (“transcript of records”)
This list should contain the following areas:

• immunology
• cell biology–biochemistry
• more basic natural sciences, e.g. biology, physics, mathematics
• three-month scientific laboratory internship, for example as part of the Bachelor's thesis

3) Curriculum vitae with a focus on scientific laboratory internships and stays abroad

4) Essay
The topic for the essay will be published two months before the application deadline. In the essay, you should show your scientific and interdisciplinary orientation, in particular based on previous relevant theoretical and/or practical research experience. The research experience can be based, for example, on successfully completed courses in your Bachelor's programme, further training, and internships. The essay should have a maximum of 1,500 words.

e) Language level
Proof of sufficient knowledge of the English language (details below)

After these documents are approved, the application will either be rejected or the candidate will be invited to the next step of the application process: the interview.

Step 2: Interview

The candidates will receive a scientific publication to prepare for the interview. The interview will assess whether the applicant has sufficient skills to successfully complete the Master's degree programme in Cancer and Immunity. This includes:

• Methodological knowledge, in particular basic molecular biological and cell biological methods for laboratory work, as well as mathematical methods for data analysis and statistical evaluation
• Specialist knowledge, in particular a solid basic knowledge of immunology, biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, and physiology in order to be able to work on scientific issues on this basis
• Interdisciplinary thinking, i.e. the ability to bridge several subject areas and to transfer knowledge between them, and thus the ability to grasp the breadth of the subject matter covered in the degree programme

After the interview, the committee will decide on the suitability of the candidate for the Master's programme. The applicants will receive a written acceptance or rejection letter.

The first lecture in the winter semester will be in the middle of October.

English Language level B2
Proof of sufficient knowledge of the English language at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is required.
This level can alternatively be proven by an equivalent TOEFL test (with 80 points) or other equivalent proof (e.g. first degree in an English-language degree programme). Proof of knowledge of the German language is not necessary. There will be a course in the first semester to learn German at level A1.

15 June for the following winter semester

No

Students from EU member states and Switzerland do not need a work permit. Students from non-EU states who are registered at a German university are allowed to work 140 days per year.
Please note that almost all employers require good German language skills.

The International Office will try to assist students in finding a room in a student dormitory or on the private market. The price for a room in a student dormitory ranges from approx. 300 EUR to 450 EUR per month.
For more information about student housing, please contact international.accommodation@ur.de.

The students will have the opportunity for career counselling by their individual professors.