Life Science Informatics

Application & Entrance Requirements

Online Application

Deadline for application is March 1st, 2026 of the graduate program starting on October 1 of the same year. Results of the evaluation of applications will be announced soon after the deadline. Applications are therefore welcome to reach us earlier than March 1st, 2026. b-it has become part of the DAAD International Degree Program. Applicants of Life Science Informatics can apply for funding there (cf. also Funding below). 
Once you have submitted your application, the review committee will meet after the deadline and decide on the applications that have reached us so far. If the committee requests further information about you, you will be contacted through e-mail and all further steps will also be explained through e-mail.

Application Deadline

Important notes: Please fill in the electronic form of the online-application completely and upload all requested documents. You will receive all further information by e-mail, therefore a valid e-mail address is crucial.

The application deadline for the intake in October 2026 is 1st March 2026.

How to apply?

The application process involves several steps. In order to apply please proceed as follows: 

Apply through our Online-Application and uplod the following documents as PDF or JPG.

Transcripts, also intermediate and preliminary transcripts

GRE test (not mandatory but helpful for the application)

Secondary school leaving certificate (with grades)

TOEFL or IELTS test result (mandatory document)**

Entrance exam to university (only if applicable)

At least one Letter of Recommendation by a University Professor

Statement of purpose

Diploma

Copy of your passport

Apply now

It is possible and welcomed if the above-mentioned documents are merged into one PDF.

Additional information: FAQs for Applicants

Applications for the intake in October 2026 are welcome.

**NOTE: Minimum requirements for the English tests:

  • TOEFL Test | TOEFL paper-based: 550 | TOEFL computer-based: 213 | iBT TOEFL: 80
  • IELTS Test | 6.0 in the overall band, and no single result below 6.0

Funding

The following opportunities for funding are offered: 

  • DAAD stipend (application to DAAD) 
  • Erasmus-stipend for students from countries of the European Union participating in the Erasmus program
  • b-it work study program, currently only awarded, based on performance after the first semester 

Erasmus Program

Students of the Erasmus Program or students who would like to apply as future students within the Erasmus Program, please contact Dr. Alexandra Reitelmann via e-mail. 

More Funding Options

Students who perform well in this program will be very much sought after and will therefore be invited into the research groups participating in this program or to other groups at the Universities of Bonn, RWTH Aachen, Fraunhofer or Max-Planck institutes.

Entrance Requirements

Formal Entrance Requirements

A candidate should have a first degree (Bachelor of Science or Engineering) in Biology, Medicine, Pharmaceutics or Computer Science, or another closely related discipline, awarded by an internationally recognised university-level institution. Candidates should have performed well above average in their undergraduate studies. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is strongly recommended. Candidates must be able to fluently speak and write English (TOEFL 550 paper-based, 213 computer-based, 80 iBT or IELTS 6.0 with no single result lower than 6.0). German courses for foreign students are offered within b-it and additionally at the University of Bonn.

Special Entrance Requirements

The applicant should have a substantial background in the life sciences, computer science and mathematics. Typically this would include previous courses in the following areas: Calculus, Linear Algebra, Statistics, Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Theoretical Biology, Fundamentals of Computer Programming, Data Structures and Algorithms, Fundamentals of Theoretical Computer Science.

Additional information:

FAQs for Applicants

After Admission

Once you are admitted, the Life Science Informatics Co-ordination Team will assist you with the next steps.

These will include:

  • Assistance with room bookings in of the student dormitories
  • Visa assistance
  • Orientation on the documents required for your registration
  • Relevant information needed to smoothly get settled in Bonn and in Germany
  • Contact to your Life Science Informatics (LSI) Study-Buddies

Our support is aimed at getting you settled in Bonn as soon as possible so that you can focus on your studies as early as possible. 

The Master Program of Life Science Informatics emphasizes that no new incoming student should arrive alone. Nothing is worse than arriving in a new place with heavy luggage without any idea where to go next. It is the culture of this Master Program that we care for each other. 

Life Science Informatics Co-ordination Team will therefore pass -if you choose- your arrival dates to the Life Science Informatics Study-Buddies, senior students of the program, who will await you on your arrival in Bonn. They will help you to get your room keys, to get registered at the university and at the City of Bonn and will show you everything you will need to know for the beginning of your studies. 

Once you are accepted, you will first be notified by e-mail and will then receive the original Letter of Admission by registered mail. Moreover, Life Science Informatics Co-ordination team will be happy to assist you in the visa application process as well as in the application for a room within one of the student dorms.

Tips for getting accomodation in Bonn

Studierendenwerk Bonn

One major provider of dorms is Studierendenwerk Bonn. It is state-run, but does not belong to (also the state-run) University of Bonn. We suggest it as the first choice for international students.

 The monthly rate for a single room ranges from 250 to 400 euros per month (including additional costs).

Studierendenwerk also offers a very limited number of apartments with monthly rates ranging from 250-600 euros, depending on the size and location of the apartment.

Private Dorms

The rents of the private dorms are usually a higher than in the state-run Studierendenwerk. They depend on the size and the location of the room. Private dorms are offered by religious denominations or by private agencies. Speaking German may be a plus.

 

Dorms offered by various denominations:

Dorms offered by private agencies (notice: not all Websites are in English). Speaking German may be a plus:

 

Platform to find accommodation (e. g. shared apartments). Speaking German and being in Bonn is a huge plus, if you choose this option: