Application
The IECL programme is primarily aimed at advanced, highly-qualified students who desire to deepen and expand their knowledge, skills and abilities.
Applications are welcome even if the required degree has not been awarded by the time of application as long as it will be conferred before the semester starts. In this case, acceptance to the programme will be conditional.
The IECL offers two different ways of entering the programme, depending on your academic degree and grade:
Admission requirements for the initial M.Sc. segment of the programme:
- minimal prerequisite is at least a seven-semester Bachelor’s degree (or the equivalent of 210 cp) in psycho-, patho- or neurolinguistics or another related field. Applicants holding a Bachelors degree completed with 180 cp can be admitted with additional requirements.
- Grade: A or B
- lab courses and participation in the programme require extensive independent study
Admission requirements for the immediate entry into the Ph.D. segment of the programme:
- University degree: Diploma, Master, Magister after at least 4.5 years of study (or 270 cp) in a relevant field
- Grade: A or B
or:
- Bachelors degree after a minimum of 3.5 years (with a minimum of 210 cp) in an experimental neurocognitive area
- Outstanding grade (A)
- Excellent references
Applicants who are not native speakers of English should demonstrate an adequate competence of the English language with acceptable results from an internationally recognised test (e.g. TOEFL-CBT >213, IELTS >7; cf. study regulations). Higher education study completed in English is also acceptable. In this case, applicants need to attach an official statement (signed by an official of the college or university, e.g. the dean's or registrar's office) indicating that English was the medium of instruction in the programme of study.
The application period for the M.Sc. starts on November 1 and ends on December 1 of the year of enrolment. The courses begin in April.
The deadline for direct application to the Ph.D. segment is June 1 or December 1, depending on the intended starting term (The courses begin in October or April).
Please send your application early enough to ensure its timely arrival. Applications received after the deadline will be disqualified from consideration (receipt of application documents, not postmark date).
The application is administered by the online application portal uni-assist. To find the application form click on DOWNLOADS in the in the upper left corner next to the uni-assist logo.
In order to complete your application, the following documents are needed:
• Application Form: 1 hard copy completely filled out and signed.
• 2 Letters of Recommendation: Signed letters from professors of institutions of higher education who are able to evaluate your personality, academic experience, and intellectual merit. Please note that we will only accept letters of recommendation that conform to common standards: they should be written on the official letterhead of the respective institution and should reach us in a sealed and signed (again, by your referee) envelope. Enclose the letters as you receive them from your referees and do not open the envelopes.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV).
• Recent Photograph, included in the application form.
• Diplomas: Certificates of relevant examinations (e.g. Bachelors degree, Masters degree, no (high) school diplomas): 1 copy.
• Official Transcript / Record of Study: Detailed documentation of your academic work (list of courses attended; grades if applicable): 1 copy.
• Proof of proficiency in English (if applicable, see above): 1 copy. For candidates applying directly to the Ph.D. segment, it is further highly recommended to submit:
• Proof of scholarship received / applied for (if applicable): 1 copy.
• a letter of motivation: 1-2 pages (optional)
Additionally for Ph.D. applications:
• Research Proposal (max. 5 pages): 1 copy
If your final degree certificate and final year transcripts are not yet available, you are kindly requested to submit an official provisional degree certificate, provisional transcript or an official letter of your registrar, dean, or academic supervisor, listing the remaining subjects and the prospective grades as well as the prospective final grade average.
All submitted documents must be in English or German. In all other cases, officially certified translations must be supplied. Please do not staple the documents (unless they are already stapled, which is sometimes the case with official transcripts, etc.) or copy them double-sided. Certified copies of documents are required for the application (i.e. regular copies are not sufficient). This can be done, for example, by the dean's or registrar's office of your university, a German embassy or consulate, or a public notary. Please mail the complete application package to the following address:
University of Potsdam
c/o uni-assist e.V.
Helmholtzstraße 2-9
10587 Berlin
After pre-selection, the best-qualified applicants are invited to take part in a selection interview. The interview takes place at the end of February for all applicants applying to the initial segment and Ph.D. applicants wishing to start in the summer term, or, alternatively, at the end of August for applicants to the Ph.D. segment wishing to start in the winter term at the University of Potsdam. The exact date and place of the interview will be communicated well in advance.
Further information regarding your application and other issues is summarised in the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section. The programme receives many inquiries regarding the application package. Please have a look at this site before contacting the coordination office. Thank you!