What academic qualification and grades are required to be accepted into Phase I (Master's)?
Generally, a 3-year Bachelor's degree is necessary to qualify for Phase I of our program.
In some countries, a 3-year Bachelor's degree is not equivalent to a German Bachelor's degree and an additional 1-year postgraduate diploma or 2-year master's degree is required.
The BMS does not consider applications with a grade average lower than a 3.0 (German grading scale) which is a C or 2.0 on a US grading scale.
All applications are evaluated as a whole and strong recommendation letters can often make up for a lower grade average.
What academic qualification and grades are required to be accepted into Phase II (Doctoral research)?
Generally, a 3-year Bachelor's degree plus a 2-year Master's degree which was completed with a Master's thesis qualifies for PhD studies in Germany.
In some countries, a 2-year Master's degree is not equivalent to a German Master's degree and an additional 1-year postgraduate diploma or second master's degree is required.
The BMS does not consider applications with a grade average lower than a 3.0 (German grading scale) which is a C or 2.0 on a US grading scale.
All applications are evaluated as a whole and strong recommendation letters can often make up for a lower grade average.
Which Phase should I apply for?
Please find details about the BMS PhD program and the two phases here: https://www.math-berlin.de/students/program-information
We check all applications and degrees thoroughly before the Admissions Committee begins their evaluation. In certain cases, the Admissions Committee decides to move applications from Phase I to Phase II, if the candidate was qualified for Phase II as well. If this happens, we will inform you accordingly after the deadline.
If you apply for Phase I with a master's degree, please keep in mind the following:
You need to upload your master's degree and transcripts as well as your bachelor's degree and transcripts.
It is recommended that you also upload a research statement as an additional document. In case your application is moved to Phase II, the BMS will request a research statement.
If you have applied for Phase II, but your master’s degree is not recognized in Germany for PhD studies, the Admissions Committee will consider your application for Phase I. If this happens, we will inform you accordingly after the deadline.
You cannot submit two applications in the same application period, so you cannot apply for both phases.
My bachelor's degree is not in Mathematics. Can I still apply to the BMS?
Applicants with undergraduate degrees in Engineering, Physics and Computer Science can apply for Phase I, but are required to have a strong knowledge of mathematical subjects and prove this with (possibly additional) academic certificates.
The letters of recommendation should reference the acquired knowledge in mathematical subjects.
What level of English is required?
If you are a native German speaker, you can upload your "Abiturzeugnis" and need at least a "sufficient" in English.
If you have completed your studies (i.e. your Bachelor's or Master's degree) in English, you can simply upload proof of the medium of instruction in your studies/ at your university.
If you have not completed your studies in English and your native language is neither German or English, you must upload a standard test. We accept the following:
-> TOEFL iBT with a minimum score of 79
-> IELTS with a minimum score of 6.5
-> Cambridge English Test with a CEFR level of at least C1
What level of German is required?
The BMS PhD Program is taught entirely in English, therefore German language skills are not necessary.
