Starting a new program is exciting but also a lot to take in. The GSN makes sure no one navigates it alone. From your first days on campus to the start of your research journey, we provide the guidance, resources, and community connections you need to hit the ground running.
Explore the resources that support research, learning, and collaboration within our community: from study information, forms, and checklists to support services, wellbeing, funding, career guidance, and community initiatives designed to help you navigate academic and everyday life at GSN and LMU Munich.
Munich was ranked by the New York Times as the “World’s Most Liveable City” and Newsweek rated it as one of the “Ten Most Dynamic Cities” in the world. The third largest city in Germany and located within an hour’s travel of the Bavarian Alps, Munich offers an exciting blend of high-tech industry, cosmopolitan city life, and recreation possibilities.
That being said though, the cost of living in Munich can be quite high. Check here for an up-to-date overview:
LMU Munich page on living costs
The LMU International Affairs Office also offers comprehensive information for international students:
LMU International Student Guide: Life in Munich
Here are some other good resources for orienting yourself to life in Germany and what Munich as a city has to offer:
The programs offered by GSN-LMU are tuition-free and no application fees are charged.
In general, Ph.D. students receive funding from their supervising research group, most often in the form of an employment contract (usually TVL-E 13 according to the German Tarifvertrag im Öffentlichen Dienst - the tariff for civil service employees). Another financing option is offered through individual scholarships, which are awarded by institutions or foundations. Additionally, the GSN currently supports a small number of Ph.D. projects, specifically in neurophilosophy.
Especially qualified students admitted to the Ph.D. Fast-Track program may be nominated by the admissions committee to receive a monthly stipend (€800) from the GSN during their first preparatory year. After successful completion of the preparatory year, fast-track students enter the Ph.D. phase of the program and usually receive funding by their supervising research group.
Currently, M.Sc. students do not receive funding. However, various scholarship programs can be accessed, such as those offered by DAAD. In addition, master students have the possibility to take on lab or research assistant positions.
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Your career options: whether it's a career in academia or "out there“ in business or society, LMU offers excellent research conditions. Additionally, you can take advantage of the diverse range of qualification opportunities to build that perfect career.
New international doctoral candidates
LMU Gateway can help you if you are joining a structured doctoral program, completing an individual doctorate or conducting a short-term research stay at LMU Munich.
New academic staff
Assistance for new international academic staff and their families in all matters related to their relocation to Munich is provided through the central services offered by LMU Gateway.
The GraduateCenterLMU is the central coordination, advice and service unit for doctoral studies at LMU Munich. Their services are directed to the following target groups:
Graduates and Doctoral Candidates
In addition to general information and advice concerning doctorates at LMU Munich, it offers a wide range of qualification workshops, as well as funding opportunities like the LMU Travel Grant and LMU Completion Grant.
Supervisors and Coordinators
The GC offers information, advice, and support in the conception, implementation, and further development of structured doctoral programs. Furthermore, it provides funding options for doctoral events.