Pursuing an academic career abroad opens up great opportunities, but also presents challenges. PULSE supports selected international talents before, during and after their undergraduate or postgraduate studies at LMU Munich – in three phases.
© Credit: LMU Klinikum - S. Hartmann
After the initial contact, the PULSE team provides selected candidates with individualized support throughout the preparation phase: an initial consultation, career guidance, mentor matching, a stay in Munich if applicable, as well as assistance with applications, visas, travel planning, and finding housing.
Your path to PULSE begins with direct contact or a recommendation through researchers, partner universities, alumni, or LMU’s international networks. Please briefly inform the PULSE team about your current stage of academic development, which of the three degree or doctoral programmes you are interested in, and your main academic interests.
For an initial assessment, you should have your CV, a current transcript of records, information about your completed or expected degree, and details of your language skills and academic interests available. Together with the participating academic departments, the PULSE team assesses your general fit and informs you about the next steps and any additional documents that may be required.
Initial contact does not constitute entitlement to admission to PULSE or to a place in a degree or doctoral programme.
Following an initial quality-based preselection, PULSE matches selected candidates with an academic mentor. The matching process is based on the intended programme, previous academic experience, and individual interests in Public Health, Epidemiology, AI, Data Science, or related health sciences.
The focus is on academic guidance, assessing the candidate’s fit with the intended programme, preparing for the regular application process, and planning the next academic steps. For prospective doctoral candidates, the matching process may also help identify suitable research areas and potential supervisors.
Mentoring supports candidates in their preparation but does not replace the regular admissions process or constitute a formal commitment to doctoral supervision.
Following preselection, particularly highly qualified Master’s and doctoral candidates may be invited to Munich for a four-week stay. The stay provides an opportunity to assess academic and personal fit in greater depth, meet potential supervisors, and gain a realistic impression of the academic, research, and living environment.
The individually tailored programme may include meetings with lecturers and researchers, insights into study and research structures, visits to selected partner organisations, and meetings with students, doctoral candidates, and alumni. The next steps in the application and selection process are subsequently determined together.
If invited, PULSE covers eligible travel and accommodation expenses in accordance with the DAAD regulations applicable to the project. The number of these stays is limited. Invitations are issued by an academic selection committee based on academic quality and fit; there is no entitlement to participate. The stay does not replace the regular application and admission process for the chosen programme.
Whether you require a visa and which type of visa is appropriate depends on your nationality and the purpose of your stay. Different regulations may apply to a short Pre-Arrival stay and to the subsequent start of a Master’s programme or doctorate. You should therefore clarify your individual situation at an early stage using the German Federal Foreign Office’s Visa Navigator and the information provided by the German diplomatic mission responsible for your country or region.
For longer-term study, third-country nationals generally need to apply for a national visa before entering Germany. Nationals of certain countries may enter Germany without a visa and apply for the required residence permit after arrival. The current requirements of the responsible authorities are always decisive.
PULSE supports selected talents with scheduling, checklists, and the compilation of required programme-related information. Decisions on visas are made exclusively by the responsible German authorities; PULSE cannot guarantee either the granting of a visa or a particular processing time.
Further Link:
Visa-Navigator - Federal Foreign Office
Start learning German as early as possible – even if your intended programme is taught predominantly or entirely in English. German language skills make it easier to find accommodation, deal with public authorities, and manage everyday life. They also broaden your opportunities for internships, networking, and starting a career in Germany.
The Master’s programme in Public Health requires formal proof of sufficient German language skills. The Master’s programme in Epidemiology is taught entirely in English, while the Ph.D. programme Medical Research in Epidemiology & Public Health is also designed as an international English-language programme. The current language requirements of the respective programme apply.
LMU offers preparatory and accompanying German courses, as well as digital learning opportunities at various levels through “Deutsch-Uni Online”. After arrival, all PULSE talents complete at least one semester-long German course appropriate to their level, with a focus on university life, careers, and the health sciences.
Further Link:
German Courses for international Students - LMU
Begin looking for accommodation as early as possible and search through several channels simultaneously: Student Services residences, private student residences, shared apartments, sublets, and accommodation outside the immediate city centre. Demand is particularly high before the start of the winter semester.
PULSE develops an individual search strategy with selected talents, assists with understanding housing offers and required documents, and can provide support in organising temporary accommodation where necessary. However, the availability of permanent accommodation cannot be guaranteed.
Do not transfer a deposit or rent until you have reliably verified the offer. Be particularly cautious if a viewing is refused, you are put under time pressure, or payment through unusual channels is requested.
Further Link:
Housing search for international students - LMU
The PULSE team supports selected talents with a personalised Pre-Arrival plan. This brings together the relevant steps and deadlines for each individual case – from the regular application and admission process to visas, proof of financial resources, health insurance, travel planning, accommodation, and enrolment.
PULSE works closely with the responsible degree programmes and LMU’s central services, particularly the International Office and LMU Gateway. You will always have an overview of which tasks have already been completed, which documents are still outstanding, and who is responsible for each step.
Personalised support makes the process easier but does not replace your responsibility to submit applications independently and on time to the university, diplomatic mission, insurance provider, or public authority.
Upon arrival, PULSE provides support for settling in Munich and at LMU: practical steps such as finding an apartment, health insurance, opening a bank account, and obtaining a residence permit, as well as social and academic integration through mentor meetings, welcome dinners, German language courses, and a boot camp.
Based on individual arrangements, PULSE provides support upon arrival and when moving into permanent or temporary accommodation. When taking over the accommodation, inspect the condition of the premises together with the landlord, document any existing damage, and make sure that you receive both the rental agreement and the landlord’s confirmation of residence (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung).
After moving in, you are generally required to register your place of residence with the Munich Citizens Office within two weeks. Among other documents, you will need a valid passport or identity card and the landlord’s confirmation of residence. The registration certificate is subsequently often required for further steps, such as opening a bank account or applying for a residence permit.
Further Link:
Register your residence - Landeshauptstadt München
Clarify your health insurance coverage before enrolment whenever possible. Students must arrange for a German statutory health insurance provider to electronically report their insurance status to LMU; LMU’s sender number is H0001279. This also applies if you are privately insured or insured in an EU or EEA country and need confirmation of an exemption.
Doctoral candidates are not always subject to the same electronic documentation requirements as Master’s students for enrolment. Regardless of this, adequate health insurance coverage is required for residing in Germany. PULSE provides guidance and refers individual insurance questions to the relevant health insurance providers and LMU offices.
Further Link:
Proof of Health Insurance - LMU
A current account in Germany is often useful for regular payments such as rent, security deposits, health insurance, or mobile phone contracts. Depending on the bank, opening an account generally requires a valid passport or identity card, proof of your local address or rental agreement, and an admission letter or proof of student status.
If you already have a suitable account within the SEPA area, you may not necessarily need to open an additional German bank account. However, you should check any applicable fees, the availability of a German IBAN, and the requirements of your contractual partners.
A current account used for everyday payments is not the same as a blocked account used to demonstrate sufficient financial resources for studying. If you require a blocked account for your visa or residence permit, it should already be set up before entering Germany.
Further Link:
Open a Bank Account - LMU International Student Guide
At the beginning of your study or doctoral phase, you will meet your academic mentor and – depending on your individual goals – an additional mentor from professional practice. Together, you will discuss expectations, academic interests, support needs, and an appropriate schedule for future meetings.
Academic mentoring supports you with academic orientation and networking. Career mentoring focuses on professional fields, internships, and your later transition into the German labour market. Both forms of mentoring complement regular academic advising or doctoral supervision but do not replace them.
The PULSE Welcome Dinner welcomes newly admitted talents and connects them at an early stage with one another as well as with lecturers, researchers, alumni, and other members of the PULSE network. Where possible, accompanying family members may also be included.
In addition to getting to know one another personally, participants receive an overview of important contacts, upcoming programme activities, and support services at LMU. The informal setting facilitates the transition into the new environment, strengthens the PULSE cohort, and helps identify possible support needs at an early stage.
During their study or doctoral phase, all PULSE talents complete at least one semester-long German language course appropriate to their individual proficiency level. The courses combine general language practice with academic and professional communication in the context of the health sciences.
They support not only everyday life and communication at the university, but also internships, networking, and the subsequent transition into professional life in Germany. Where additional support is needed and funding is available, further learning opportunities may be arranged.
At the beginning of the academic phase, a multi-day bootcamp brings PULSE talents to a shared academic and organisational starting point. It focuses on the fundamentals and applications of AI and Data Science in Public Health, Epidemiology, and Medicine, academic research skills, and the responsible use of health-related data.
Sessions with experts from LMU and its network, interactive exercises, and team assignments combine skills development with early peer learning. At the same time, talents become familiar with important research structures and contacts in Munich and begin building a strong cohort.
Students from countries outside the EU, EEA, and Switzerland generally require a residence permit for a longer-term stay. First register your place of residence in Munich and then submit your application online to the Service Centre for Immigration and Naturalisation well before your visa or current residence permit expires. Individuals who are permitted to enter Germany without a visa for study purposes must generally submit their application within 90 days of entering the country.
Documents commonly required include a valid passport, proof of admission or enrolment, adequate health insurance coverage, proof of financial resources, and a current biometric passport photo. The authority may request additional documents depending on the individual case.
PULSE supports participants with scheduling, checklists, and the compilation of programme-related documentation. The responsible authority alone decides on the granting and duration of residence permits. Due to potentially long processing times, applications should be submitted as early as possible.
Further Link:
Residence Permit to Study - Landeshauptstadt München
During your undergraduate or doctoral studies, PULSE supports your professional development, networking, and career planning: master’s programs or Ph.D. programs, AI and data science courses, peer events, networking events, career mentoring, services offered by the LMU Career Center, and connections to research, industry, healthcare, and public policy.
PULSE supports international talents pursuing one of three selected academic pathways at LMU:
PULSE complements the respective curriculum through mentoring, AI and Data Science opportunities, networking, and career development. It is not a degree programme in its own right. Applications, deadlines, and admission are governed exclusively by the current requirements of the selected Master’s or Ph.D. programme.
Further Links:
Public Health (M.Sc.)
Epidemiology (M.Sc.)
Ph.D.-EPH
The bootcamp is followed by regular refresher courses and Data-thons within the Digital Public Health SkillsLab environment. These formats address current methods and applications in AI, Data Science, Epidemiology, and Public Health and deepen participants’ knowledge through concrete questions and datasets.
Working in interdisciplinary teams, participants develop solutions, receive methodological feedback, and present their results, for example in the form of a poster or pitch. These formats promote continuous learning, practical data skills, and collaboration with other students, doctoral candidates, and experts in Munich.
PULSE Peer Events provide opportunities for regular exchange within the cohort and with other students and doctoral candidates. Topics may range from settling into life in Munich and everyday university life to study groups, methodological exchange, and shared social activities.
Talents actively contribute to shaping these formats and are encouraged to bring their own ideas. This helps establish strong connections, mutual support, and a network spanning different degree programmes and career stages from an early stage.
PULSE provides talents with various opportunities to strategically expand their academic and professional networks. Together with at least one other PULSE talent or fellow student, they can, for example, initiate guest lectures, small workshops, or methodological exchange formats. A centrally managed budget is available for this purpose, subject to prior review and approval.
In addition, selected conferences, summer schools, and networking formats may be supported. An annual career networking event also connects talents with potential employers and practice partners from research, industry, healthcare, and other relevant sectors.
Depending on their individual goals, PULSE connects talents with mentors from academia, industry, healthcare, public administration, or other relevant professional fields outside LMU. The focus is on personal career paths, insights into the German labour market, strategic network development, and questions relating to internships, applications, and starting a career.
The goals and frequency of mentoring meetings are agreed jointly. Subject to prior approval, a centrally managed budget may be used for selected in-person meetings. Career mentoring complements academic supervision and provides a confidential perspective beyond the immediate academic or research environment.
LMU Career Services are LMU’s central point of contact for the transition from university studies or doctoral research into professional life. Services include a job and internship portal, individual career and application advice, CV checks, workshops, career events, company fairs, and a dedicated mentoring programme. Additional English-language services are available for international students and doctoral candidates.
PULSE helps talents integrate suitable services into their individual career planning at an early stage and combine them with PULSE’s subject-specific activities. Access to the Career Services portal generally requires an LMU ID after enrolment.
Further Link:
LMU Career Services
PULSE views university studies or doctoral research and subsequent career development as part of a continuous development pathway. Together with mentors and the PULSE team, talents regularly reflect on their academic goals, skills still to be developed, and appropriate next steps.
These may include strategically selecting courses and methodological training, research projects, internships included in the curriculum, conference participation, publications, networking activities, and application preparation. Potential career paths range from university and non-university research to industry, healthcare, public health services, policy advice, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
The aim is to develop an individual and realistic career plan that connects personal strengths with opportunities within the German research, healthcare, and innovation landscape.
Participation in PULSE does not replace the application and admission process for the respective undergraduate or doctoral program. Program-funded recruitment and pre-arrival activities are awarded based on quality, in a structured manner, and according to academic fit.
