Application

Application Process

This is a TWO step review.

1 ) Sign up to receive the information to complete the form Application 1. Receipt of this file by the iMOS Office is the 15. June deadline. No further Application 1 files or edits will be accepted after promptly 8:00 AM June 16 / Berlin time. All online-received and online-approved applicants will be contacted by Monday, June 19. If you are online-approved, final applications (step 2) should be submitted as soon as possible.

• Upon receipt of your "Application - 1_Your_Name_Here", an email will be sent to confirm the application is complete or incomplete within one week.
• Please, one file only and DO NOT attach or send supplementary information or other files, they will be deleted.
• Only completed Application - 1 forms will be reviewed by the admission committee. You will be notified by email of your Online approved status if the committee decides that you have fulfilled the essential requirements. You will then be requested to submit supporting and certified documents as detailed in step 2:

2) After online approval, please complete and submit your paper application - 2 with the documents listed below, to the Ruhr-Universität Bochum iMOS Office. Incomplete applications will not be processed.

• You may choose to send a digital PDF of your application to speed up the review process, however, a post-mailed application with your original signature and certified copies of supplementary documents must be received by the iMOS Office before a final letter of admission is issued.
• You will be informed by e-mail when your application is received.
• If the admissions committee has taken the final decision that you are admitted, you will again be immediately notified by e-mail. An admission letter will be issued and sent to you by post and as a scanned copy by email.
• Please understand that in the event you are rejected, we cannot return your application documents, as we do not charge any application fees. In addition, detailed reasons will be not given in the event of a rejection.

Required Documents

Your paper application - 2 must include the following:

1. Application form, completed and signed
2. 1 passport photo
3. Curriculum Vitae
4. Certified* copy of high school certificate or equivalent school leaving certificate
5. Certified* copy of qualifying academic degree
6. Certified* copy of subjects and grades
7. A personal statement describing your motivation to apply for the program, include iMOS specific topics, such as perspective research advisors and/or research topics of interest
8. Students from China, Mongolia, and/or Vietnam: the original APS document (no copy). The foreign educational documents must be evaluated at the home country's German Embassy for authenticity through the Akademische Prüfstelle, APS. Please plan ahead as, unfortunately, some deadlines are as early as February to be ready for an October program start date. Contact the German Embassy for current information on this and other study requirements in Germany. Without this document, you would not be able to enrol at RUB.
9. Any further information that you deem relevant for your application
10. Proof of English language skills from one of the following:
    1. Native English speaker
       
    2. TOEFL: minimum score 600 points paper-based, 250 computer-based or 100 internet-based; the TOEFL score must be mailed to us directly from ETS; Institution Code: 7657; the chemistry code, 62, is optional
       
    3. IELTS: minimum score 6.0; the IELTS score must be mailed to us directly. Note: we do not have access to the British Council / IELTS online verification system, so please have the BC send only hardcopies to the Course Coordinator / Mailing address on the Contact Us page.
       
    4. Confirmation from your university that you have completed your first degree program in English (ALL lectures and examinations must have been held in English) This may be noted on your transcript or as a separate document.
    5. Other: German Abitur or for a RUB student, RUB ZFA placement test. Please contact the iMOS office for more information.

Answers to FAQs

• *A certified copy is a copy of a document that has been affirmed to be a true copy by an authorized person or authority (university, Embassy, Consulate, sworn interpreter etc.).
• We request that certified copies be notarized by a notary or German Embassy. In rare cases, this is not possible, e.g. German University transcripts authenticated online or transcripts mailed directly from the university.
• Upon online acceptance, if you do not have some of the above documents yet, please contact us. For example, if you have not yet completed your studies, please send your current enrolment status and transcript. Upon admittance, you will need the final degree (the conditional document is acceptable) and transcript in order to enrol at RUB in October.
• You do not need to submit a copy of your passport or birth certificate.
• If you study in Germany, it is recommended you bring certified copies and/or original documents with you. This includes your birth certificate, which may be needed for job applications.
• The average time for an admissions decision is 3 weeks, starting with the receipt of the paper/PDF application.
• The average time for an online decision via the online portal, step 1, is one week.
• Funding may be available for top qualified candidates. Please apply early via the regular admissions process outlined above, prior to May 15.
• DAAD Scholarship applicants should contact the iMOS Office over a year ahead of time.
• Documents will be saved (for admitted students) and shredded and deleted (for non-admitted students) in accordance with the German data protection laws / General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). Legally binding information may be found in German. https://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/de/datenschutz , the Imprint / Impress pages, and Art. 89 GDPR.
• Open to German and non-German residents & citizens. All nationalities may apply.
• Proof of English skills: for those who completed their high school / Gymnasium studies at a German institution, we may consider an Abitur as proof of comprable skills. Please inquire with the office, there may be other options, such as a RUB / German university language department placement test.
• Application process at RUB: This is a "Zulassungsfreie Studiengänge" with "Fakultätseingenes Zulassungsverfahren" study program, meaning barrier free admission with the Faculty's own admission procedure. Applicants to iMOS do not use the RUB central admission online portal "Zulassung". If you are applying to other RUB programs in addition to iMOS, please note that admissions procedure may be different.
• Note, however: upon acceptance to IMOS, students will use the RUB central enrolment  "Immatrikulation" / "Einschreibung" online portal along with all other RUB students via the Studierendensekretariat / Registrar's Office. This is typically possible online from July - October.
• Winter Semester enrollment only.