Job Description

The application portal is now open. Follow the link to apply. https://imprs-is-apply.tue.mpg.de/registration/imprs-is-2026

We seek 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.

We seek to increase the number of women in areas where they are underrepresented, so we explicitly encourage women to apply. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our institutions.

Since we seek to increase the number of women in areas where they are underrepresented, we explicitly encourage women to apply. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our 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?

Our 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 our associated faculty must also have a member of our 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; we are 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.
  
   

Online Application

• IMPRS-IS currently accepts applications to its doctoral program once a year.
• Our application portal will open once again in September.
• 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 our 2026 hiring round.
• Accepted applicants are eligible to join our program beginning in February 2026 or later.

When will I receive an answer about my application?

For our 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 we 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 our Interview Symposium will not be expected to travel and will therefore not need any travel visa to participate in the event.

IMPRS-IS offers a structured, interdisciplinary program for graduate students who want to earn a Ph.D. by helping expand what is known about intelligent systems.

Here is a summary of the program, and the details are explained below.

• All aspects of the program are in English.
• You will be mentored by our internationally renowned faculty.
• You will register as a university graduate student and conduct research for approximately three years.
• You can take part in a wide variety of scientific seminars, advanced training workshops, and social activities.
• Your doctoral degree will be conferred when you successfully complete your Ph.D. project.
• Our dedicated coordination team will assist you throughout your time as a doctoral student.

The core focus of participation will be independent research that is guided by one or more of our faculty. This research will take place over approximately three years and culminate in a doctoral dissertation. In addition to ongoing support from the primary advisor, doctoral candidates benefit from regular interaction with their thesis advisory committee (TAC), a cross-institutional panel that includes three or more IMPRS-IS faculty members.

The language of the IMPRS-IS is English because all top research is published in English. We welcome students from all countries and seek to recruit at least 70% of our students from outside Germany.

Our school’s research topics range from computer science to control theory, from mechanical engineering to neuroscience, and from mathematics to materials science. To bridge these disparate academic fields and facilitate creative insights, IMPRS-IS scholars complete an annual training program, taught by our faculty and associated faculty, that provides a broad background across all relevant areas of intelligent systems. Scholars may also take courses at both participating universities and are encouraged to join in a wide array of seminars, conferences, retreats, workshops, career-development courses, and social activities.

Training and Support

IMPRS doctoral candidates also have access to a rich palette of professional training. Core activities help integrate newcomers and allow students and faculty to interact and make cross-connections. Supplementary activities provide special training in particular technical topics, such as deep learning, and useful soft skills, such as how to give effective presentations.
 

Students are supported throughout the program by the dedicated coordination office, as well as by older students, postdocs, and helpful staff at the participating institutions. The Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems International Office, the University of Stuttgart Office of International Affairs, and the University of Tübingen Welcome Center and Academic Advisory Office for International Students work in tandem with the IMPRS-IS coordinator to help students smoothly transition into our program. In particular, we guide our students in obtaining the necessary visas, finding short- and long-term housing, identifying career opportunities for partners, arranging childcare, securing health insurance, setting up a bank account, completing administrative forms, and handling any issues that may arise.

Max Planck Society

Our program is one of over sixty International Max Planck Research Schools run by the Max Planck Society in partnership with various universities and research institutions. IMPRS programs provide an extraordinary framework and working environment for graduate students, and they provide unique opportunities for interdisciplinary research projects and projects that require special equipment.

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