FAQ

Application and admission

Is it possible for undergraduate students to apply for the Summer Institute?
The general rule is that the Summer Institute is for predoctoral (=PhD) students, early postdocs and young practitioners. To be eligible you have to be classified as "young researcher", i.e. in your early career stage in academia or an applied field.

Do I have to submit all application documents again if I already applied for one of the last Summer Institutes?
As required by German law regulating confidentiality issues, we are not allowed to keep application documents. Therefore, we have to ask you to submit all the materials again.
I was a participant at one of the previous Summer Institutes. Is it possible to participate again?
We are glad that you liked it, but given the limited number of slots, we will only invite people who have not yet had the opportunity to participate.

Will accommodation and meals be covered?
We will provide accommodation including breakfast. The accommodation will be organized by us and the exact hotel you will be staying at will be announced later. Lunch can be had at canteens of the Institute, the Free University and restaurants nearby for approximately 5-12 EUR. For dinner, Berlin offers a variety of international food at low prices.
What percentage of the travelling costs will be covered by the stipend?
We will cover part of your travelling expenses. Intercontinental flights will be reimbursed up to 400 EUR (~450 USD), European flights up to 200 EUR (~220 USD) and domestic travels up to 100 EUR (~110 USD). Be sure to check out the different possibilities to get to Berlin (via plane to BER Airport, via train (Hauptbahnhof or Südkreuz), via bus to the ZOB or via shared car service (Mitfahrgelegenheit). Furthermore, we cover a ticket for public transport (BVG) during the Summer Institute.
How does the reimbursement procedure work?
To receive the travel reimbursement, participants will need to submit a copy of the travel invoice together with the original travel documents (boarding passes, train tickets). The reimbursement amount will be wired directly to the bank account a maximum of 3 weeks after the documents have been received.

Participants will present a poster of their research project that is relevant to the summer institute. This is a great opportunity to get feedback and suggestions from all attendees. The poster should be printed before the start of the summer institute as there are no print shops nearby. The size of the poster should be no larger than A0 size: 1189 mm x 841 mm, (portrait or landscape).

In a speed talk session participants will describe their research and/or practice within 60 seconds on stage. On-screen, there will only be the participant's name, affiliation and the poster title. The speed talk should provide the gist of the research/practice and attract others to find out more at your poster. Ideally, a speed talk should cover the following points: What is the central issue? Why is it important or why is it novel? How is the issue addressed? (Also: What is the key finding? - in case you are a researcher)

If you have more questions concerning applying, the program, travelling or costs, please feel free to contact us at si2024@mpib-berlin.mpg.de.