Study Neurosciences in Germany

The field of neurosciences is a young and interdisciplinary research area. You will deal with subject matter from the natural sciences, mainly biology, chemistry, and physics, which will help you understand how our nervous systems function. In addition, you will also study basic computer science, medicine, and psychology.

The following two approaches have led to two different focal areas in the neurosciences:

• This field of study can be approached from a natural sciences perspective on a molecular and cellular level.
• Or it can be approached from a behavioural and cognitive perspective.

Different degree programmes in the field of nanosciences place varying emphasis on these two approaches. For this reason, when choosing your higher education institution, it is important to check what the individual courses of study focus on and whether their focus matches your interests.

Depending on your area of specialisation, internships of varying duration are also often integrated in your curriculum.

Important to know: At many higher education institutions, some scientific work is (still) done on animals. You should therefore be prepared for this kind of work.

You will need a general higher education qualification or an equivalent to be eligible to apply. A Bachelor’s degree programme in neurosciences is rare in Germany. However, there are a number of Master’s programmes in the neurosciences which usually require an undergraduate degree in biology, chemistry, psychology, or pharmacy. However, depending on the specialisation of the Master’s programme, Bachelor’s degrees in the fields of social sciences, linguistics and cultural studies are also accepted in some cases. Please be aware that courses of study in neurosciences are very popular and subject to high grade requirements.

Neuroscience is traditionally taught at universities and in most cases has a standard study period of four semesters in the Master’s programme. The corresponding Bachelor’s degree programmes from the partly neighbouring fields are usually scheduled for six semesters.

Some degree programmes are also taught in English; in this case, you must submit proof of your language skills in your application. Incidentally, knowledge of English can also be advantageous or recommended for German-language programmes, as some important specialist literature is only available in English.

Since neurosciences are mostly taught at state universities, there are usually no tuition fees. There are some exceptions, so always check with the respective university: In some cases, tuition fees are charged.

Other than that, you have to pay the semester contributions that are customary at universities. These are paid to the university per semester and range between 100 and 400 euros. This covers administrative costs, the student union and often a ticket for local public transport. Depending on where you study, this may be valid for the city, the region or even for all of Germany. Ask your higher education institution whether such an offer is currently available.

In addition, you will probably have to budget for accommodation and you will find that there are big differences in rental prices between German cities. In large cities, housing is often scarce and expensive, while in smaller cities it is comparatively affordable. In any case, student halls of residence are usually your cheapest option. As soon as you have decided on where you want to study, you should start looking, as halls of residence can fill up quickly. Here, you can find information on local halls of residence and the respective application process for most cities. Meanwhile, however, there are more and more alternatives for low-cost living: For example, you can find out if there are any reputable accommodation options with host families in the city of your choice. Models such as “living for help” are also becoming more common. However, make sure that you feel comfortable with your choice and that you have enough time left over for your studies!

To finance your studies in Germany, you should also find out about scholarships. There are many different scholarship programmes and excellent grades are not the only deciding factor. You can learn more about scholarships here and find suitable programmes directly on My GUIDE.

Many neuroscience graduates go on to work in research, be it at higher education institutions, research institutes, or the private sector. The pharmaceutical industry also frequently offers interesting positions for neuroscience graduates. It is also possible to find employment in clinical departments. Whereas in the clinical field, you tend to deal with the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric diseases, for example in hospitals, in the pharmaceutical industry you tend to deal with the development of medicines. But you can also work in laboratory analysis or as an expert witness.

For the pharmaceutical industry, the clinical field or scientific journalism, a Bachelor’s degree is often sufficient. For management positions, you usually need at least a Master’s degree.

As a neuroscience graduate, you are in great demand and can therefore expect a good salary. With a higher degree, you usually have better salary prospects. By the way, the pharmaceutical sector pays particularly well.

Find out more information on the current labour market in this field by searching job listings on the website of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency). By selecting the subject of your degree programme here, you can use the career perspectives listed to find out what jobs are available and where you can apply (only available in German). Take a look around! Learn more about your opportunities as an international skilled worker in Germany and the requirements on the Make it in Germany website.