Solar System Physics, M.Sc.
Master's in Solar System Physics (M.Sc.) at Technische Universität Braunschweig, Germany — a research-oriented, English-taught program covering planetary interiors, atmospheres, magnetospheres, solar physics, and heliospheric science, with hands-on training in laboratory work, astronomical observation, and computational simulation. The program is embedded in the Institute of Geophysics and Extraterrestrial Physics and operates in close cooperation with the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, DLR, and ESA, giving students direct exposure to active space mission research.
Programme facts
| Degree | Master of Science (M.Sc.) |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 semesters, 120 ECTS |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Required English | C1 |
| Study mode | Full-Time |
| Start | Winter semester, summer semester |
| Application | Directly to the university, winter semester until 15.03, summer semester until 15.09 |
| Admission | Aptitude assessment: the university evaluates how well your previous education fits the programme |
| Tuition fee | €0 per semester for international students |
| Semester contribution | €440 per semester |
| Campus | Campus TU Braunschweig |
What the tuition fee consists of
Will I get in
Admission goes through an aptitude assessment: the university checks how well the subjects, credits and grades of your previous education fit the programme. There is no fixed cut-off — the assessment is comparative.
- ✓Those genuinely captivated by the physics of space — how planets form, how the Sun drives space weather, what shapes the atmospheres and magnetic fields of planetary bodies.
- ✓Those who prefer depth over breadth and want to spend a significant portion of their master's actually doing science rather than purely studying it.
- ✓Those comfortable working within an academic research group, including reading papers, attending seminars, and contributing to ongoing projects.
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- ✓Those with an eye toward a career in the space industry or planetary research — whether in an agency like ESA or DLR, a research institute, or a technical role in the space sector.
- ✓Those who thrive in an English-language scientific environment and are at ease with quantitative, mathematically intensive coursework.
- ✓Those motivated by the prospect of continuing to a doctoral degree — the programme is explicitly designed as a gateway to a PhD in physics.
- —The programme is highly research-focused: students who prefer structured coursework over open-ended independent investigation may find the second half of the programme — dominated by the research internship and thesis — demanding in terms of self-direction.
- —Admission includes a mandatory interview conducted in English; a minimum score of 6 out of 12 points in that interview is required to proceed, meaning strong subject knowledge and communication skills in English need to be demonstrable in a live setting.
- —The programme is offered both in winter and summer semesters, but application windows for non-EU applicants open several months earlier than for EU/German nationals — timing awareness is important.
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- —Braunschweig is a mid-sized German city with a moderate cost of living by German standards, but students should account for accommodation, health insurance, and living expenses in their planning.
- —Graduates who wish to pursue a doctoral degree will need to identify a supervisor and research topic; the connections to MPS, DLR, and ESA are an asset here, but doctoral positions are competitive.
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 →About the programme
The Master's programme in Solar System Physics at Technische Universität Braunschweig is a research-oriented, fully English-taught programme that trains physicists to work at the frontier of planetary science and space exploration. Delivered by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Information Technology, and Physics, it is embedded in the research environment of the Institute of Geophysics and Extraterrestrial Physics (IGeP) and carried out in close cooperation with the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS), the German Aerospace Center (DLR), and the European Space Agency (ESA).
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The programme is structured in two main phases. The first phase — covering roughly the first two semesters — provides systematic disciplinary foundations through three compulsory thematic pillars:
- Planetary Bodies: internal structure and differentiation of planets and small bodies, atmospheres, and magnetospheres.
- Solar System: solar physics, the heliosphere, and the formation and evolution of the Solar System as a whole.
- Hands-On Solar System Physics: practical laboratory work, astronomical observation, data analysis, and computational simulations.
Building on these foundations, students choose at least three elective modules from a broad specialist catalogue that includes topics such as Space Plasma Physics, Planetary Magnetospheres, General Relativity, Stellar Astrophysics, Extrasolar Planetary Systems, Comets and Trans-Neptunian Objects, Asteroids, Solar System Space Missions, and Astroparticle Physics.
The second phase transitions fully into research. Students undertake supervised scientific key qualifications training, independent literature research, and a research internship before completing a 30-credit Master's thesis — an original scientific investigation within one of the institute's active research areas.
Throughout the programme, emphasis is placed on real scientific practice: reading and producing primary literature, working with spacecraft data and simulation tools, and contributing to the research agenda of a department that is directly involved in international space missions.
What you study
Phase 1 — Disciplinary Foundations (Semesters 1–2)
Planetary Bodies (15 ECTS, compulsory) - Interiors and Surfaces of Planetary Bodies: planetary formation, internal structure of rocky and icy bodies, differentiation processes, surface geology. - Atmospheres and Environments of Planetary Bodies: comparative planetology of atmospheres; magnetospheres and their interaction with the solar wind.
The full curriculum and the programme's parameters are part of programme selection: we compare them with your profile.
Pick programmesCareer
Graduates are prepared for roles in the space industry, planetary research institutions, and aerospace agencies. Typical paths include scientific positions at research institutes (such as MPS or DLR), technical and mission-support roles at ESA or comparable agencies, and doctoral research leading to academic or applied science careers. The master's degree also formally qualifies holders for admission to PhD programmes in physics, awarding the Dr. rer. nat. upon completion.
Cost of study
| Tuition fee of the federal state (Lower Saxony), international students | €0 |
|---|---|
| Semester contribution | €440 |
Requirements and application
| Previous education | Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree in physics or a closely related field. |
|---|---|
| Language | English C1 — confirmed by a certificate when you apply |
| Application | Directly to the university, winter semester until 15.03, summer semester until 15.09 |
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 15.03Send 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.
If your level is not enough yet
The two most common stoppers are a language level below the requirement and a certificate without direct admission. Both can be solved, but they take months — plan them now, not after a rejection.
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 15.03.2027 (152 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.