Organismic Biology, Evolutionary Biology and Palaeobiology (OEP-Biology), M.Sc.
The M.Sc. OEP-Biology is a research-oriented, international study programme taught in English, which aims at providing students with a broad understanding of all aspects of Organismic Biology. Evolutionary biology and biodiversity research connect various disciplines such as Systematics, Phylogeny, Palaeobiology, Physiology, Ecology, Molecular Biology, Ethology and many more. Strong emphasis is given to practical research experience in the field and in the laboratories of the participating research groups and in the large collections of the Zoological Museum Alexander Koenig, the Goldfuß-Museum of Palaeontology and the Botanical gardens of the University of Bonn. Teaching in OEP-Biology is theory-oriented aiming at enabling students to think critically, analytically and strategically.
Programme facts
| Degree | Master of Science (M.Sc.) |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 semesters, 120 ECTS |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Required English | B2 |
| Study mode | Full-Time |
| Start | Winter semester |
| Application | Directly to the university, winter semester until 15.05 |
| Admission | Admission restriction (NC): a competition of school grades |
| Tuition fee | €0 per semester for international students |
| Semester contribution | €363.07 per semester |
What the tuition fee consists of
Will I get in
The programme has an admission restriction: the average grade of your certificate, converted to the German scale, decides. The cut-off changes every year — last year's value shows the order of magnitude, not a promise.
How the selection works and how strong the competition is — we go through it against your certificate when we select programmes for you.
Programme selection →What you study
The M.Sc. OEP course program is consequently modularized according to the ECTS. A total of 120 credit points (CP), app. 30 per semester, will be accumulated during 2 years of study. During the first semester, two obligatory module provide basic knowledge in causal and historical Evolutionary Biology, Biodiversity Research (20 CP) and general principles of Scientific Communication (6 CP). During the last time block of the first semester and the whole second and third semester, students additionally have to choose elective modules (between 3 and 12 CP) out of various areas. These modules include practical courses (10:00 – 17:00) as well as lectures and seminars in the morning (08:00 – 10:00) and late afternoon (17:00 – 19:00). In the 4th semester, students work on their Master Thesis in one of the participating laboratories or collaborating institutions.
The full curriculum and the programme's parameters are part of programme selection: we compare them with your profile.
Pick programmesCost of study
| Tuition fee of the federal state (North Rhine-Westphalia), international students | €0 |
|---|---|
| Semester contribution | €363.07 |
Requirements and application
| Previous education | Your Profile: Interested in the evolution of organisms and biodiversity Interested in broad and interdisciplinary research Interested in field and laboratory work Good standard in the English language To apply you must hold a Bachelor's degree in Biology or in Geology with a strong focus on Palaeontology. |
|---|---|
| Language | English B2 — confirmed by a certificate when you apply |
| Application | Directly to the university, winter semester until 15.05 |
The procedure and the set of documents depend on your certificate. We check the university's requirements against your documents and give you a list: what to submit, how to certify and translate it, where and when to apply.
Check the requirementsHow to get into this programme
- 1Check your certificate and its recognitionDirect admission, a year at a university at home, or Studienkolleg first — this decides the whole plan.
- 2Documents and translationsCertified translations of the certificate and transcript, an APS if required. 3–4 weeks.
- 3Application directly to the university until 15.05Send the documents well before the deadline — an incomplete application cannot be completed after it.
- 4Admission, visa, movingPlan 2–3 months for the visa and the blocked account in parallel.
How to apply
You can submit the application yourself or with our help — the university decides on admission in both cases.
Applications go through the university's portal or uni-assist. Typical mistakes:
- ×incorrectly made certified copies and translations
- ×a wrong set of documents
- ×the application submitted the wrong way
- ×errors or gaps in the application form
- ×the application submitted at the wrong time — too early or too late
An incomplete or incorrectly prepared application is excluded from the selection — it can no longer be corrected after the deadline.
StudyInFocus does not represent the university and does not influence the admission decision. We do not sell study places and do not guarantee admission — this is a service for preparing and submitting documents on the applicant's side.
Questions about this programme
How much does the programme cost?
What language level do I need?
When do I need to apply?
Don't postpone the application
The deadline is 15.05.2027 (213 days left). Language, translations and the document check take months, not weeks. In 30 minutes we will build a plan backwards from the deadline and tell you honestly whether you can make it.