Guidelines for a successful application to the IMPRS-ESM PhD program
Registration deadline: 8 September 2010 (end of day at 24:00h GMT)
Application deadline: 15 September 2010
Interview invitations: Early November 2010
Interview days: 25 and 26 November 2010
WE DO NOT ACCEPT ANY HARDCOPIES / PAPER COPIES SENT BY ORDINARY POST OR FAX.
pdf-Version "how to apply" >>>
Please note that all required application documents *** must be sent to us by 15 September 2010 in electronic format *** via e-mail (e.g., files of scanned documents) using the prescribed file naming scheme. This system is exemplified at the end of this document.
(1) Online Registration (possible from 1 July - 8 September 2010)
To start your application, please access our online registration and answer all prompted questions.
(Link is found at the bottom of this page.)
It’s best to allow some time for the completion as detailed information is requested. We suggest that you have a look at the questionnaire and study all solicited entries before starting to fill it in. Most answers are straight forward and short. However, some points need further elaboration. It might be a good idea to take your time and to prepare more detailed answers off-line using a word processor. Text blocks can usually be copied directly into the on-line text boxes from your prepared documents. Be aware that once you exit the questionnaire, every entry is lost!
After successful registration an automated e-mail will be sent to you containing your registration number (please state this for any correspondence!). Attached to the mail you will receive four files:
(1) the Application Form
(2) a Form for the Identification of Potential Supervisors (list of research staff)
(3) a letter from the IMPRS-ESM to referees explaining our reference request
(4) a Reference Sheet, which must be submitted to us directly by your referee.
(2) Preparation of required documents and certificates
For your complete application, we require the following documents from you:
- Signed Application Form (sent to you after registration) – to be returned to us via e-mail as scanned document or fax
- The Form for the Identification of Potential Supervisors showing at least one nomination (list of research staff)
NOTE: At this stage it is sufficient for us to know your general research interests. Topics will be discussed in more detail after a successful interview, therefore there is no need to contact individual research staff. - Letter of Motivation and Research Interests in English (see advice in box below)
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) / Resume
- Documents relating to your Master’s degree (or German ‘Diplom’)
- title page of your thesis, abstract, index page / list of contents
- copy of MSc certificate
- copy of MSc transcript (a list of all courses/lectures you took) - Documents relating to your Bachelor’s degree (redundant with ‘Diplom’)
- copy of BSc certificate
- copy of BSc transcript (a list of all courses/lectures you took) - 2 Reference Letters (from e.g. former advisors) sent to us directly via e-mail from the official work account of your chosen referees. Please note that we will consider those references only that are submitted using our standardized reference sheet
- Proof of English skills, if possible
Plus any additional documents which you consider important for your application (e.g. Publications, Job References, Certificates of Workshops or Awards etc.). Please note that all forwarded documents must be named according to our prescribed file naming scheme described below.
Regarding translations: Application documents that are neither in German nor English, must be translated into one of these two languages. In the first stage of application to the IMPRS-ESM, unofficial translations serve well. However, upon admission to our program and to register as a PhD student at the University of Hamburg officially certified translations are required.
Advice for your ‘Letter of Motivation and Research Interests’:
We recommend that you prepare this document very carefully as this is a crucial criterion in the selection process! Apart from a general introduction of yourself and your interests you should elaborate on:
a) your motivation for aiming to do PhD research
b) your reasons for choosing the IMPRS-ESM in Hamburg for your advanced studies
c) which research field(s) you are interested in and what kind of topics within this field you find appealing.
IMPORTANT:
All of the above documents must be sent to us by 15 September 2010 in electronic format via e-mail – WE DO NOT ACCEPT ANY HARDCOPIES / PAPER COPIES SENT BY ORDINARY POST OR FAX (with exception of ‘Signed Application Form’).
To avoid unnecessary confusion we prescribe a file naming scheme for any document that you send us. This facilitates the selection process and leaves no ambiguities. Any application and/or correspondence not following this scheme will not be considered.
Please name the files that you will forward to us according to the following scheme, replacing ‘Name’ by your surname:
| File name | Description |
| 1_ApplicForm_Name | Application Form |
| 2_Supervision_Name | Form to identify (at least) one potential supervisor |
| 3_LetterofMotiv_Name | Letter of Motivation |
| 4_CV_Name | Curriculum Vitae / Resume |
| 5_MScThesis_Name | MSc thesis title, abstract, list of content |
| 6_MScCert_Name | MSc certificate |
| 7_MScTrans_Name | MSc transcript |
| 8_BScCert_Name | BSc certificate |
| 9_BScTrans_Name | BSc transcript |
| 10_Publ_name | Publications |
| 11_Workshop_Name | Workshops attended |
| 12_Awards_Name | Awards received |
| 13_EnglSkills_Name | Proof of English skills |
| 14_JobRef_Name | Job References |
| 15_Misc_Name | Miscellaneous Information |
If any of the above contributions consists of several files (e.g. job references or publications), split the denominations down to ‘a’, ‘b’, ‘c’.
Example: if you have participated in several workshops for which you would like to include the certificates, name the files as follows
11a_Workshop_Name
11b_Workshop_Name
11c_Workshop_Name
… and so forth.
To complete your application send these files as e-mail attachments to office.imprs@zmaw.de
The IMPRS-ESM office will send notice upon receipt of your complete application package.
