The online application tool for the
The online application portal will be open from 1 September until 19 October 2026.
Key Deadlines:
- Application submission: 19 October 2026, 12:00 noon CET
- Letters of reference submission: 26 October 2026, 12:00 noon CET
Please read the application guidelines carefully before submitting your application. For general information about the Graduate School, our faculty members, and how to apply, please visit our website.
Please make sure you have read all information on the above links before contacting the LSMoffice.
Registration: To apply, you must first register and agree to the terms and conditions. You will receive a confirmation email with an activation link to set your password. You must activate your registration before your details are saved.
- No account yet? → Create an account and then apply
- Have an account but not started? → Log in and then apply
- Already started your application? → Log in and click "My Application Form" to continue
Programme choice:
When completing your application, you must select one of the following:
- Internal candidate — you are already conducting doctoral studies with an LSM group member and are applying to join the Graduate School only
- External candidate — you are applying both to the Graduate School and for a doctoral position or with a research proposal
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Doctoral Positions (External Candidates)
This year, two pathways are available for external candidates:
1. Independent Research Proposals
This pathway is for highly motivated candidates who have a genuine research idea aligned with a specific lab's work. Rather than applying to a pre-defined project, you develop your own original proposal inspired by the research interests of a participating faculty member.
To guide you, each participating faculty member has provided a short abstract describing their research focus and areas of interest. We encourage you to read these carefully before formulating your proposal.
Should your proposal be of interest to the potential supervisor, they would be willing to support you in identifying and applying for appropriate funding — such as a fellowship, scholarship, or third-party funding.
How to write your Independent Research Proposal
Your proposal should be a maximum of 2 pages and include the following sections:
- Proposed Project Title
A working title for your research idea. - Background & Motivation (5–8 lines)
Brief context — what is already known and why this research is relevant. - Research Question & Aim (3–5 lines)
What do you want to investigate? What is the novel aspect of your idea? - Proposed Approach (5–8 lines)
How do you plan to address the research question? Which methods or strategies do you have in mind? - Why This Lab & Why You (5–8 lines)
Explain specifically why you chose this lab and how the supervisor's research connects with your own academic background, previous research experience, and scientific interests. What makes you the right candidate to pursue this idea in this group? - References (optional, ½ page)
Key publications that informed your proposal.
Please note: your proposal should be original and targeted — use the faculty member's research abstract as inspiration, not as a template to copy. It will be read directly by the potential supervisor.
2. Funded Doctoral Positions
These are positions where the supervisor has already secured or in the process of securing funding and a project description is provided. You may select up to two positions — one primary (Priority 1) and one alternative (Priority 2). Please make sure you have researched the topic thoroughly before applying.
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Please note: Regardless of which pathway you apply through, all applications must be submitted through the LSM online application portal and go through our standard selection process.
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Letters of Reference
In your application form, enter your referees' contact details and follow the instructions to authorise the LSM coordination office to invite them to submit their letter electronically on your behalf.
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Application Timeline 2026/27
- Application portal opens: 1 September 2026, 12:00 noon CET
- Application submission deadline: 19 October 2026, 12:00 noon CET
- Letters of reference deadline: 26 October 2026, 12:00 noon CET
- Interview invitations: Until mid December 2026
- Online interview days: Early January 2027
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Chinese Applicants — CSC Scholarship
Chinese doctoral candidates may be eligible for the LMU-CSC Scholarship (China Scholarship Council). To be considered, you must first submit your application — including a research idea/proposal to identify a matching LSM lab — through the LSM online application portal. The LSM will then nominate the top candidates who secured a matching LSM lab to the LMU-CSC programme. Nominated candidates will subsequently be asked to submit a separate application through the LMU-CSC portal.
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Please visit our FAQ page before contacting us. If you need further assistance, please contact us.