ISSP - International Summer Student Programme

Welcome to the HZB International Summer Student Programme 2025, to be held from 7 July to 29 August 2025!

The application deadline has expired.

About the programme
This is us
Application criteria
Working conditions
Application process
FAQs

About the programme

Each summer HZB offers 20 undergraduate students an eight-week summer student programme. International students can get the chance to work on their own research project in close cooperation with HZB scientists in the fields of Photon Science, Photovoltaics, Solar Cells/Catalysis, Electrochemical Energy Storage, Quantum and Functional Materials and Accelerator research. The programme offers students the opportunity to participate in the everyday work of our research teams, e.g, at their laboratories or experimental areas, located at the HZB-campuses in Berlin-Wannsee or Berlin-Adlershof.

Take a look in our Blog Posts 2024 HERE !

The International Summer Student Programme is complemented by a framework programme which includes

visits to research facilities at the two HZB locations (e.g. to the synchrotron radiation source BESSY II, laboratories for solar energy research, accelerator producing proton beams for eye tumour therapy)
excursions to research institutions in and around Berlin
workshops (e.g. on science communication and entrepreneurship) and
a closing event with a scientific poster presentation.

Click here to browse through the blog posts of former summer students to get an impression of their experience with the programme and living in Berlin!

This is us

At HZB we strive to achieve a climate neutral society through science and innovation. This is why we drive materials discovery, create new sustainable technologies and empower the research community in realising this goal. Our scientists develop and optimise efficient and cost-effective materials for solar cells, batteries and catalysts.

We are a very international research institution, with over 1200 employees. Our colleagues come from all over the world: we have people from more than 70 countries working together to make a difference! Our values are the cornerstone of our working culture: diversity, motivation, respect, reliability, openness, and integrity permeate all that we do at HZB. We aim to create a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming working environment that will bring us together to the forefront of science and innovation.

Find out more about our code of conduct and core values, and what will be expected of you during the ISSP, here:
https://www.helmholtz-berlin.de/zentrum/wofuer-wir-stehen/werte_en.html

Application criteria

You can apply for the programme if you meet all of the following criteria:

You are an undergraduate student (Bachelor or Master student, not PhD candidate) in Physics, Chemistry, Material Science, Structural Biology, Mathematics, Engineering, Life or Environmental Sciences or related disciplines.
You have completed at least two years of full-time study in your major discipline at university level.
You will be enrolled as a student at your university during your stay at HZB from 7 July to 29 August, 2025.
You have a good knowledge of English, knowledge of German would be an advantage.
You are able to provide a letter of reference with your application.

We work towards having a very diverse research institution and welcome applications from people with different backgrounds. It is our mission to promote equal opportunities and to improve women’s representation in science and therefore are very interested in receiving applications from women.

Working conditions

Duration of stay: 7 July to 29 August, 2025.
Participation for the entire duration is mandatory
Working time: 40 hours/week
Internship contract of 8 weeks to work on your project
Subsistence allowance for the contract duration of 1.900€ gross for external participants and 1.000€ gross for students of the universities located in Berlin and Potsdam
75% of your travel expenses will be subsidized up to an amount of 200€ for EU-countries (incl. UK) and 800€ for non-EU-countries to help you with the costs of travel between Berlin and your residence.

Application process

The extended deadline for the application is 5 January 2025.

Documents required

In the first application step you will be asked to submit the following documents in English or German.

Your application can only be considered if we have received the entire following documents

Academic CV

Your CV should be in tabular form and chronological sequence and reflect the most important stages in your education and career. Please keep your CV concise and clear and do not exceed 2 pages.

Certificate of Enrolment from your current university

The certificate of enrolment has to be valid until the end of August 2025. If you do not yet have one for summer 2025, this must be submitted later and please submit your current certificate of enrolment during the application process.

Transcripts and academic degree certificate (if applicable)

A copy of your most recent academic transcripts giving an overview of your mark (Please make sure that the document is not protected so that we can open it).

Copy of passport or identity card
Letter of reference

The letter of reference must be written by a person who knows you well as a student and can assess your professional conduct.

Students from Non-EU and Non-EEA countries need a working permission for Germany. Therefore, you will have to provide a Declaration of Certificate of Enrolment.

Students are kindly requested to download the Declaration of Certificate of Enrolment.

Please note the instructions for filling in the form.

FAQs

What are the accommodation arrangements?
Is health insurance provided?
What is the working language of the programme?
Will there be any extracurricular activities?
How does the selection process work?

What are the accommodation arrangements?

Unfortunately, we do not have the capacity to provide accommodation on our campus, so you will need to arrange it yourself. We advise you to start your search as soon as possible, as finding affordable housing in Berlin can be challenging and time-consuming.

We will send you a list of platforms that may be useful.

Is health insurance provided?

No, you will need to provide proof of health insurance yourself.

What is the working language of the programme?

The programme's primary language of communication is English.

Will there be any extracurricular activities?

Yes, the International Summer Student Programme includes a framework programme to help participants explore research in the Berlin area and build connections with fellow researchers.

How does the selection process work?

HZB supervisors submit projects for the programme alongside the student application process. Once projects are submitted, supervisors can access the applicant pool to review and select suitable candidates.