The Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, known as HZDR, invites senior university students in science, medicine and technology to spend eight weeks doing research in Dresden, Germany. The stay is fixed at eight weeks, and you must be present during the core weeks, calendar weeks 30 to 34, with no exceptions. Applications open on 2 November and close on 24 January, with decisions by the end of March.
Two points catch many applicants out: this programme is for students still enrolled at university, not graduates, and you pay your own travel while HZDR does not organise visas.
What the eight weeks involve
You research a field offered through the form, choosing experimental or theoretical work. Both kinds usually include programming. You rank the fields by preference and may exclude ones that do not interest you, but excluding more fields lowers your chances. Longer availability also improves your chances: you enter the earliest date you could start and the latest you could finish, though the eight-week length cannot be negotiated.
Also see the EPFL Summer Research Program and the LPI Summer Intern Program in Planetary Science.
At a glance
| Organiser | Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) |
| Location | Dresden, Germany |
| Length of stay | Eight weeks, fixed |
| Core presence required | Calendar weeks 30 to 34, no exceptions |
| Eligible fields | Science, medicine, technology and related areas |
| Application window | 2 November to 24 January |
| Decisions sent by | End of March |
| Travel and visa | Paid and arranged by the student, not by HZDR |
The senior-student rule, in plain words
The phrase “senior university student” causes the most confusion. You must remain enrolled until September, or officially continue your studies after the summer break, e.g. by starting a master’s degree. You must also have completed three years of university study by 30 September, meaning your studies started in October three years earlier, or before that.
A bachelor’s degree is not required. A master’s student who is still enrolled can apply, and a bachelor’s graduate with admission to further study keeps student status. What matters is proof of enrolment until September, or admission to further study. If a certificate is not ready, add an explanatory note.
Who should not apply
Some applicants are ruled out no matter how strong their grades are. Do not apply if you:
- Are a PhD student.
- Have already held a contract or stipend at HZDR.
- Study only philology, political sciences, arts, economy or a related subject, without an eligible science or technology topic.
- Have finished your degree and are no longer enrolled, with no admission to further study.
- Cannot be present during calendar weeks 30 to 34, or cannot cover your own travel to and from Dresden.
Students at a German university are welcome, previous lab or theory experience is not required, and very good English is required.
Costs the programme does not cover
The official application page does not state a stipend amount, so this article does not quote one, and you should not plan around any figure on a third-party site. HZDR does not fund trips to and from Dresden, and does not organise visas, so your journey, visa process and living costs sit with you.
How to put your application together
Gather everything first, because once you reach the document-upload page you cannot change the form entries:
- Enter your details and answer the enrolment questions on enrolment until September, continuation after the summer, and three years of study by 30 September.
- State your availability, with the earliest possible start and latest possible end date.
- Rank the research fields by preference and choose experimental or theoretical work.
- Fill in the optional section on your education and research interests.
- Confirm that you will cover your own travel expenses to and from Dresden.
- Upload a CV in English as a PDF, grades and transcripts with an English translation, your student ID, and certificates proving enrolment and your undergraduate start date.
- Press finish to receive the link for your professor’s recommendation letter, and make sure it arrives before the deadline.
You will not receive a confirmation email. The organisers also ask applicants not to ask about application progress or questions already answered on the official pages.
Getting the recommendation letter right
The letter is one of the three things selection is based on, alongside your grades and CV. It must come from a professor or senior scientist who knows you and your work, ideally your current professor. Only if you recently changed university should it come from a former professor, and an employer letter or forwarded email does not replace it.
Plan backwards from the deadline: your professor uploads the letter directly through a link you receive after pressing finish, not by sending it to you. Finish early so your professor can act before 24 January, and ask them to address the letter to your HZDR application with a date, their contact details, and the fields you ranked highest.
What happens after you submit
Selection rests on your CV, grades and recommendation letter, so a rushed, thin application gains nothing from being early. Students who are not prioritised receive rejections during February and March, while prioritised students go through a further round, with interviews only for them. Finally, first-position students receive an invitation and the rest receive rejections, by the end of March.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Can I stay for less or more than eight weeks?
A: No. The length of the stay is fixed at eight weeks.
Q: Do I need previous lab or theory project experience?
A: No. No special expertise is required.
Q: Can I choose a particular research group or supervisor?
A: You rank your preferred fields in the form, but knowing a potential supervisor does not guarantee admission or a place in that group.
Q: I am a master’s student who will graduate soon. Can I still apply?
A: Yes, if your enrolment is valid until September; explain your situation in the research-interest field.
Q: Does HZDR arrange my visa or pay my travel?
A: No to both.
