Biochemistry Dresden University of Technology

The courses are predominantly in English. Some elective courses can be in German.

Biochemistry is a two-year full-time international Master’s programme that focuses on the molecular foundations of biological processes as well as the manipulation of biological pathways and biomolecules for technological applications. The programme is organised into two tracks – Chemical Biology and Technical Biochemistry – which cover a wide variety of topic areas including biocatalysis, natural product chemistry, molecular cell biology, genome engineering, and bioanalytics.

The coursework consists of five mandatory classroom and laboratory modules, a mandatory research internship, multiple elective courses, and a final experimental Master's thesis. Graduates earn the degree of Master of Science (MSc) in Biochemistry.

15 July for the following winter semester

No tuition fees

Currently, students pay ~300 EUR per semester (i.e. for six months). This includes a ticket for public transport and regional trains in all of Germany. Additionally, students can use a bike rental service all over the city for free for 30 min. The contribution also assures concessions in the university cafeterias and offers benefits (e.g. price reductions) for many cultural and leisure activities in Dresden.

Dresden offers high quality of living at very moderate costs. Currently, students should expect to pay around 850 EUR per month including rent, food, insurance and basic expenses. This figure is relatively low compared to other big German cities.

To qualify, applicants must have completed their undergraduate degree (three-year Bachelor’s degree programme or comparable) in chemistry, biology, molecular biotechnology or a comparable scientific field and provide an international English proficiency test. The Master’s programme is limited to a maximum of 20 students per year. Admission will be granted based on previous academic performance.

English proficiency test at level B2 or better (preferentially IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 550 PBT or better)

15 July for the following winter semester

Information on scholarships and funding for students is summarised on a dedicated web page of the TU Dresden.

In order to top up their budget, some students may want to look for temporary work in Dresden. If so, different regulations apply for students from EU member states, countries of the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland, and students from outside the European Union and the EEA area. In addition, restrictions on the duration of employment may apply. Professors, lecturers and group leaders involved in the Master's programme may offer students the possibility of working as academic assistants. However, living expenses can be financed only partially through a job as an academic assistant.

It is still relatively easy to find affordable accommodation in Dresden. Accommodation is available either via the "Studentenwerk Dresden" or on the private market. Rent for a single room in a student residence is approx. 250 EUR per month.
Private housing can be found online. We recommend that you move into a hall of residence at the beginning of your stay in Dresden. Subsequently, you can look for a place on the private market or in a shared apartment, which is known as a "Wohngemeinschaft" in German.

TU Dresden offers plenty of counselling and training within its Career Service to help students with finding professional orientation. They offer workshops to equip students with professional skills and help optimise their CV.

Additionally, there are special workshops for international students to get to know the German and Saxon job market and network.