Once the applications have been evaluated, the candidates receive an e-mail from the coordination office about the outcome.

If the evaluation has been positive, we'll organize an online interview. In this interview, the IMPRS-PL scientific coordinator will take part, along with the interested PI(s) who would like to learn more about the respective applicant. Usually the interview consists of a 10-minute presentation with slides about your MSc project and related questions plus discussion. There might also be general questions, e.g. why you decided to apply for IMPRS-PL. In total, the interview will take about 45-60 minutes.

If the interview went well and both PI and applicant are interested in doing a joint PhD project, more online meetings might follow. Those can be virtual lab tours, scientific discussions or another, more detailed, interview, depending on the PI's preference.

If everything goes well, you will receive an offer to do a PhD project in the group of one, or several, PI(s). If more advisors are interested in working with you, the final selection of your most favourite research project is up to you. If you accept this offer, you will also get admitted into our IMPRS Physics of Light.

Together with your new advisor, you will then have to decide on a co-advisor for your PhD project to form your individual Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC) that contains your advisor, co-advisor and the IMPRS scientific coordinator. You will also have to sign the "Supervision Agreement" that enlists, amongst others, the obligatory parts of your IMPRS curriculum (for more information see "Curriculum").

Once the applications have been evaluated, the candidates receive an e-mail from the coordination office about the outcome.

If the evaluation has been positive, you get invited to participate in an IMPRS entrance exam. This will be held online via zoom. You'll have to answer different questions about quantum mechanics with your camera turned on. After 90 minutes we expect you to send your answers via e-mail to imprs@mpl.mpg.de. Those answers will then be forwarded to the scientific evaluation committee.

If the evaluation of your exam has been positive, we'll organize an online interview. In this interview, the IMPRS-PL scientific coordinator will take part, along with several voluntary PIs. Usually the interview consists of a scientific discussion about the exam and additional scientific questions. Also, general questions might be asked, e.g. why you decided to apply for IMPRS-PL. In total, the interview will take about 30-45 minutes.

If the interview goes well, you will be admitted into our IMPRS Physics of Light provided that you also got accepted into the "Master of Sciences in Physics" or the "Master of Advanced Optical Technologies (MAOT)" at the Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU). This acceptance at FAU is a pre-condition for an admission into IMPRS-PL.

After your admission you will have to sign an "Agreement of Fellowship" that enlists, amongst others, the obligatory parts of your IMPRS curriculum (for more information see "Curriculum") and the monthly stipend you will receive as IMPRS MSc student.