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M.Sc. Molecular and Cellular Biology

Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU Munich) Munich

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  • No tuition
    Tuition
  • Winter intake
    Intake
  • English
    Language
  • 4 semesters
    Duration
  • 28 Feb
    Next deadline

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About the programme

Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU Munich) is one of the leading universities in Germany, known for its strong research focus and high academic standards. The Master Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology at LMU Munich is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the molecular and cellular processes that underlie life. The program offers a combination of theoretical knowledge and practical training, allowing students to gain hands-on experience in cutting-edge research techniques. With access to state-of-the-art facilities and a diverse and international faculty, students in this program have the opportunity to engage in groundbreaking research and contribute to the advancement of the field. Graduates of the program are well-equipped for careers in academia, industry, or the public sector, and are prepared to tackle the complex challenges of modern biology.

Fields of study

Biology(Natural Sciences)

How to apply

ChannelDirect to university
Modeonline
APSRequired for Application

APS checks your degree papers. You need it if your degree is from India, China or Vietnam.

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Requirements

What you need to apply for Molecular and Cellular Biology at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU Munich)

English language

IELTS Overall
5.5/ 9.0
View English requirements details
  • University entrance qualification, e.g. German Abitur, with explicit proof of at least B2 English proficiency (i.e. the certificate that you will upload in the online application form needs to explicitly state the CEFR level)
  • Official school statement that your program for university entrance qualification was exclusively taught in English
  • Official university statement that your undergraduate program was exclusively taught in English
  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with an overall band score of at least 5.5
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), including the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition, with a total score of at least 72
  • B2 First Cambridge Certificate in English with an overall scale of at least 160
  • Duolingo English Test with a total score of at least 100
  • Michigan English Test (MET), Examination for the Certificate of Competency in English (ECCE) or Examination for the Certificate of Profiency in English (ECPE)
  • Telc English certificate with proof of at least B2 CEFR English proficiency

Academic requirements

Completed Bachelor's degree
no
Minimum ECTS credits
180

ECTS are study credits. One year of full-time study is about 60 ECTS.

0
View academic requirements details

To be eligible for the master’s program, you need to have successfully completed a bachelor's degree with a total of at least 180 ECTS credits (1 ECTS credit corresponds to 30 working hours) in biology or a related subject, e.g. bioinformatics, (bio)chemistry, (bio)physics, or biotechnology.

If you have not yet finished your bachelor´s degree, you are still eligible to apply for the master´s program when you submit a recent transcript of records showing an overview of finished courses.

Please note that the transcript of records of your bachelor’s program (in progress) must indicate a total grade point average.

If the following is not already mentioned in your transcript, you should also add:

  • An official explanation of the grading system of your university, that shows the best possible grade and minimum passing grade in this system, and
  • An official explanation of the crediting system of your university (i.e. to how many working hours does 1 credit correspond).

Please note that if the grading or crediting system of your university differs from the German system, we will convert your grade point average and number of credits (you do NOT have to do this yourself).

To be eligible for the master’s program, you need to have successfully completed a bachelor's degree with a total of at least 180 ECTS credits (1 ECTS credit corresponds to 30 working hours) in biology or a related subject, e.g. bioinformatics, (bio)chemistry, (bio)physics, or biotechnology.

Thesis (equivalent)

To be eligible for the master’s program, your bachelor’s curriculum must include a final research project with a written thesis credited with at least 10 ECTS credits (1 ECTS credit corresponds to 30 working hours). If your bachelor’s program does not require a thesis, you are still eligible to apply if you have completed or will complete an equivalent research course or internship.

APS verification

APS certificate
Required for Application

APS checks your degree papers. You need it if your degree is from India, China or Vietnam.

Prerequisites

https://www.mcb.bio.lmu.de/admission1/requirements/index.... (opens in a new tab)

To be eligible for the master’s program, you need to have successfully completed a bachelor's degree with a total of at least 180 ECTS credits (1 ECTS credit corresponds to 30 working hours) in biology or a related subject, e.g. bioinformatics, (bio)chemistry, (bio)physics, or biotechnology.

If you have not yet finished your bachelor´s degree, you are still eligible to apply for the master´s program when you submit a recent transcript of records showing an overview of finished courses.

Please note that the transcript of records of your bachelor’s program (in progress) must indicate a total grade point average.

After you have taken the entrance exam, a combined score is assigned according to your exam grade (70%) and your grade point average from your bachelor’s degree (30%). You will be invited to an interview (step 4) if your combined score is less than or equal to 2.3 (according to the German grading system with 1 being the best and 4 being the minimum pass grade)

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), including the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition, with a total score of at least 72

B.Sc. Degree obtained outside of Germany AND non-German university entrance qualification-Application to the Faculty of Biology by the end of February 2025 AND to the International Office (opens in a new tab) by July 15, 2025

Documents checklist

What to prepare for your application to Molecular and Cellular Biology

Programme-specific documents

https://www.bio.lmu.de/en/study/for-students/master-progr... (opens in a new tab)

If the applicant has completed the bachelor's degree in a non-EU member country the Entrance Exam has to be taken, regardless of the average grade of the bachelors’s degree (GPA) or the Letter of Motivation.After the Entrance Exam (step 3), a combined score is assigned according to the exam grade (70%) and the grade point average from the bachelor’s degree (30%).

There are two possible paths (according to the German grading system with 1 being the best and 4 being the minimum pass grade):

a) The applicant will be accepted directly to the master’s program if the combined score is less than or equal to 1.9.

b) The applicant will be invited to an interview (step 4) if the combined score is higher than 1.9 or less than 2.4.

In the last step of the application procedure, the interview (step 4), the final decision whether the applicant is eligible for the master’s program or not, is also made by the master’s selection committee.

https://www.mcb.bio.lmu.de/admission1/application/applica... (opens in a new tab)

The following documents (in pdf format) are required for your application to the master’s program:

Bachelor´s degree

Thesis (equivalent) - Proof that your bachelor's curriculum degree includes a final research project with a written thesis credited with at least 10 ECTS credits. If your bachelor's program does not require a thesis, you are still eligible to apply if you have completed or will complete an equivalent course or internship

English proficiency - IELTS - 5.5

Curriculum vitae (CV - 2 page)

Motivation essay (SOP) - 600 words

Bachelor´s degree (in progress)

https://cms-cdn.lmu.de/media/19-biologie/fakultaetswebsit... (opens in a new tab)

International Office requires certified copies of all transcripts and certificates and its own application form to be filled out. Please note that the International Office requires certified copies of all transcripts and certificates and its own application form to be filled out. In the application form for the International Office, you can fill out that you applied for the master’s program in Molecular and Cellular Biology (you do NOT yet have to add a letter of acceptance for the master’s program).

This programme applies directly to the university. Submit your documents through the correct channel before the deadline.

Open application portal (opens in a new tab)

Apostille and notarization

Requirements vary by nationality and issuing country. Many German universities require certified translations and, in some cases, document apostilles. Verify current requirements directly with the admissions office, or use our document services for guided preparation.

Need help preparing your documents?

Our document preparation bundle covers SOP, CV, LOR, and translation coordination, reviewed by our team.

View document bundle

How to apply

Step-by-step guide to applying for Molecular and Cellular Biology at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU Munich)

Application procedure

https://www.lmu.de/en/study/degree-students/applications-... (opens in a new tab)

https://www.mcb.bio.lmu.de/admission1/application/index.html (opens in a new tab)

1. Requirements

2. Application

3. Entrance exam

4. Interview

International students

Applicants who are non-German citizens AND neither obtained their bachelor’s degree in Germany nor received their general university entrance qualification (“Abitur”) in Germany or from a German school abroad are required to submit a second, separate application to the LMU Office of International Affair1

Please note that the International Office requires certified copies of all transcripts and certificates and its own application form to be filled out. In the application form for the International Office, you can fill out that you applied for the master’s program in Molecular and Cellular Biology (you do NOT yet have to add a letter of acceptance for the master’s program).

Where do I Apply?

https://www.lmu.de/en/study/degree-students/applications-... (opens in a new tab)

https://cms-cdn.lmu.de/media/lmu/downloads/workspace/inte... (opens in a new tab)

Application Checklist

https://cms-cdn.lmu.de/media/lmu/downloads/studium/intern... (opens in a new tab)

Selection process

International students

Applicants who are non-German citizens AND neither obtained their bachelor’s degree in Germany nor received their general university entrance qualification (“Abitur”) in Germany or from a German school abroad are required to submit a second, separate application to the LMU Office of International Affairs.

The selection procedure at the Faculty of Biology and the application to the International Office are two independent processes, with different application deadlines. The International Office reviews the qualifications obtained abroad in order to certify whether the applicant is eligible to study at LMU Munich. The Faculty of Biology assesses the aptitude of the student and subsequently decides on the admission to the master’s program.

The application deadline for the master’s program starting in the winter semester 2024/25 is February 28, 2024, whereas the application deadline for general admission to the LMU Munich is July 15, 2024. As an international student, you could in principle wait to submit your application for general admission to the university until you passed the entrance exam, but you can already look into the documents that you will need.

You can find more information about the application for general admission to the LMU Munich on the admission website of the International Office. Please note that the International Office requires certified copies of all transcripts and certificates and its own application form to be filled out. In the application form for the International Office, you can fill out that you applied for the master’s program in Molecular and Cellular Biology (you do NOT yet have to add a letter of acceptance for the master’s program).

Entrance Exam:

https://www.mcb.bio.lmu.de/admission1/entrance_exam/index... (opens in a new tab)

If you fulfil the eligibility requirements (step 1) and you have successfully submitted your online application with the required documents (step 2), you will be invited to take an entrance exam (step 3).

The entrance exam for the master’s program starting in autumn 2024 for applicants from home and abroad will generally take place in spring 2024; exact dates will be announced here.

After you have taken the entrance exam, a combined score is assigned according to your exam grade (70%) and your grade point average from your bachelor’s degree (30%). You will be invited to an interview (step 4) if your combined score is less than or equal to 2.3 (according to the German grading system with 1 being the best and 4 being the minimum pass grade).

Interview

You will be invited to an interview if your combined score, consisting of your exam grade (70%) and grade point average of your bachelor’s degree (30%), is equal to or less than 2.3 (according to the German grading system).

Application quick facts

Apply via

Direct to university

Mode

online

APS

Required for Application

APS checks your degree papers. You need it if your degree is from India, China or Vietnam.

Application fee

0 EUR

Address

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

International Office – Admissions

Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1

80539 Munich

Germany

Open application portal (opens in a new tab)

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Costs

Tuition

FREE

No tuition fees

Semester contribution

124 EUR

per semester

Application fee

0 EUR

per application

Estimated year-1 total cost

12,152 EUR

Includes tuition, semester contribution, and estimated living costs.

This programme has restricted admission (NC). Admission is competitive and based on academic performance.

Plan your total budget for Germany

Use the MS in Germany cost calculator to estimate living expenses, insurance, and your full year-one spend.

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Admission outcomes

Community-reported data from MS in Germany students (2018-2025)

Acceptance rate

20%

1 accepted out of 5 total applications

Grade benchmarksGerman scale (1.0 = best, 4.0 = passing)

1.20

Avg. accepted grade

German scale

1.20

Best admitted grade

German scale

1.90

Avg. rejected grade

German scale

Based on 5 applications from MS in Germany students 2018-2025.

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