Timeline
Our online portal will accept applications from January 23 until March 11, 2026.
The next recruitment round for the IMPRS-CBP cohort starting in September 2026 will open in January. All applications must be submitted through our Open Campus portal.
Online Application
The online application portal opens on January 23 and closes on March 11. Before applying, please review the eligibility criteria, browse our recruiting faculty, and contact your referees in advance. Once you create your Open Campus account, you will be able to save your progress and return to the form at any time until submission. After submitting, no further changes are possible. In our online platform you can track the status of your application in real-time.
We look forward to reviewing your submission!
Application Timeline 2026
- Application portal opens January 23
- Contact your referees and prepare required documents
- Application deadline March 11
- Referee evaluation deadline March 18
- Shortlisted candidates are notified in early May
- Online interviews take place May 18–22
- Final decisions are communicated in late May - early June
- Accepted candidates confirm their participation
- Administrative preparations and relocation to Frankfurt/Mainz
- Program starts September 16, 2026
Note: All deadlines refer to 23:59 (Germany, local time).
Referees
All applicants can submit the contact details of up to four referees who can assess their skills and experiences. Referees will receive automatic notifications with instructions on how to submit their evaluations. At least two out of four completed evaluations are required by March 18 for the application to be considered. Applicants are required to inform their referees in advance and to remind them to complete the evaluation before the deadline.
Application Interviews
Around 30 shortlisted candidates will be contacted in early May and invited to online interviews. Applicants who are not shortlisted at this stage are not notified, as a small number may still be reconsidered later in the process. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to prepare a brief presentation and will participate in multiple interviews with IMPRS-CBP faculty between May 18 and 22. Final decisions are shared in early June.
Program Start
The PhD program begins on September 16, 2026. We recommend arriving in the Frankfurt/Mainz region at least one week before the start date to complete essential administrative tasks such as municipal registration, opening a bank account, and university enrollment.