Live Webinar 
09 July 2026, 04:00 PM (Europe/Berlin)
Mind and Brain - Brain Τraсk
(Starting: Winter Semester)
- Starting
- Winter Semester
- Mode of Admission:
- local admission restriction (local NC)
- Study Mode:
- On campus
Course Description
“Mind and Brain” is an interdisciplinary cognitive neuroscience program that addresses the intersection between cognitive and clinical neuroscience, cognition research, psychology, computer science, and philosophy. Our primary focus is on research questions that benefit considerably from comparing the viewpoints and approaches of different theoretical and empirical fields.
“Mind and Brain” has two study tracks. The Brain Track is targeted towards students with an empirical background in neuroscience, psychology, cognitive science, or medicine who are interested in complementing their empirical work with more theoretical and philosophical approaches to provide a more enriched understanding of the human mind. The Brain Track and Mind Track students will take many classes together.
This interdisciplinary training will provide students from both tracks with deeper insights into several important topics that lie at the heart of cognitive neuroscience: Including the body-mind-problem, consciousness, emotions, decision-making, intelligence, and free will.
As a research-oriented master’s program “Mind and Brain” prepares students both for a career in research/academia and in application fields such as data science. Please note that neither of the two “Mind and Brain” tracks is a classical psychology program. Clinical neuroscience is only a small part of the curriculum and the program does not prepare students who aim to work in psychotherapy.
Requirements
Qualification Requirements
Bachelor's degree.
Required ECTS credits: 180.
It is required to have at least:
- 50 ECTS/25 American credits in psychology, cognitive science, neuroscience, medicine, or theoretical linguistics.
Applicants with a degree with at least 60 ECTS in theoretical linguistics (e.g., pragmatics, psycholinguistics, discourse analysis, etc.) may apply.
Degree programs or courses of study in which the main focus was either learning a language (e.g. English, German) to teach that language or learning how to translate one language into another, are not considered adequate qualifications in linguistics.
Please note: Students with a background in philosophy cannot apply for the Brain Track.
Please also note: students with a background in biology are not accepted anymore.
To be able to apply, the required credit points must have been awarded in one subject only. It is not possible to add up credits from two or more subjects (e.g. 20 ECTS credits in linguistics and 40 ECTS credits in psychology) to reach the required number of points. - 10 ECTS/5 American credits in statistics:
Please note: All Brain Track applicants will have to provide proof of fundamental knowledge in statistics, otherwise they cannot apply.
Basic knowledge in the field of Psychological Research Methods must be demonstrated, equivalent to a minimum of 10 ECTS (5 American credits).
The content includes the imparting of central knowledge in statistical methodology (probability theory, descriptive statistics, inferential statistics), with a particular focus on the psychological research methods in the planning, analysis, and interpretation of complex experimental research designs (e.g., multifactorial experimental designs, repeated measures designs, test power analysis).
ECTS credits obtained in courses that are predominantly or exclusively practical, emphasizing practical execution and/or the accumulation of practical experiences, will not be considered. This especially applies to internships such as observational internships, experimental internships, data collection internships, orientation internships, and professional internships (also as a qualification for entry into the practice of psychology), as well as comparable coursеs.
Although there is no minimum passing grade (numerus clausus) for an application, previous application rounds have shown that successful applicants for the Brain Track needed at least a GPA of 1.3 (German grade) or better. Equivalent grades to 1.3 in other grading systems are First class (British grading system) or 3.8 (American or any other grading system with 4.0 as best and 2.0 as lowest passing grade).
The cut-offs for a successful application vary slightly from year to year. But for applicants with a GPA of less than 1.6 (German grade), the chances of getting accepted are close to zero. Equivalent grades to 1.6 in other grading systems are First class (British grading system) or 3.6 (American or any other grading system with 4.0 as best and 2.0 as lowest passing grade).
Brain Track applicants can improve their GPA by providing additional documents:
- Grade improvement I:
Applicants can improve their GPA by 10 % when they publish a first-author paper in an international peer-reviewed journal in the fields of psychology or neuroscience. - Grade improvement II:
Applicants can improve their GPA by 10 % when they have work experience or on-the-job training in a neuro-cognitive or psychological research lab of at least 900 hοurs.
Language Requirements
The following certificates are recognized as proof of your language proficiency.
EnglishSpecification: 1.3
Specification: 3.0
Specification: At least A.
Application & Admission
Application Deadlines
German Students 
Other EU Students 
Non-EU Students Non-EU Students| Intake | Winter Semester |
| Application deadline | 14 Junein > 11 months |
| Application mode | Uni-assist (VPD) |
| Application fee | uni-assist Fees: €75 for the first application, €30 for each additional application (in the given semester). |
Application Procedure & Selection
Application Documents
Foreign applicants, i.e. applicants holding a bachelor's degree from a university outside of Germany, must upload the documents listed under (2)–(8) as PDF files to the Uni-Assist application portal.
Please note: International applicants with a German bachelor's degree apply via the online application portal of Humboldt-Universität.
- Application form, to be filled out online in the application portal of Uni-Assist.
- Please upload the following documents as PDF files* in the Uni-Assist application portal:
- University entrance examination documentation (if applicable),
- Evidence of study areas and grades obtained in previous studies (i.e. Transcript of Records),
- Graduation certificate,
- Self-assessment forms regarding specific knowledge (mandatory for Brain Track applicants regarding statistics knowledge, voluntary for Mind Track and Brain Track applicants regarding grade improvement),
- Secondary school-leaving certificate: The secondary school-leaving certificate is a requirement for applicants from European Union (EU) countries only. Applicants from countries outside of the EU do not have to turn in a secondary school leaving certificate.
- Enrollment certificate (if at the time of application, you are a student at a German or European higher education institution) or proof of withdrawal from the register specifying the areas of study (if you have studied at a German or European higher education institution).
- Proof of proficiency in German: Applicants do not have to provide proof of proficiency in German.
- Proof of proficiency in English (see language requirements). The following don’t have to submit one of the aforementioned English certificates:
- Native speakers,
- Applicants with a school-leaving qualification from an English-language secondary school,
- Applicants who have completed assignments totaling at least 20 ECTS credits in an English-language university program; This fact – English-language program – must be made clear in the transcript, otherwise, an informal but official letter from the university is required, in which it is stated that the relevant subjects were taught in English,
- Applicants who attained a minimum of 13 points (Grundkurs) or 11 points (Leistungskurs) in English courses in each of the last four terms of the German Abitur,
- Applicants who can demonstrate they completed their entire university education, or a large part thereof, in English. This fact must be made clear in the transcript; otherwise, an informal but official letter from the university is required, in which it is stated that the relevant subjects were taught in English.
- Complete CV in table form with signature.
There are no specific requirements regarding the table form. Any table format is acceptable.
The CV has to provide information about the applicant's secondary school and university education (names of institutions and dates). - A current passport-sized photograph.
- A scan of your passport.
*The PDF files that applicants upload have to be scans of the official documents (certificates, transcripts), with seals and signatures, or documents that can be verified digitally.
Unofficial documents, which students may be able to download from their student online accounts, are not valid.
Please note: If the original certificates were not drawn up in German or English, applicants must provide:
- Officially certified translations into English or German of applicants' certificates.
- The certificates are in the original language.
If the language of instruction in your program was neither English nor German the transcript in the original language is required - even if your university provides you with an additional English-language transcript.
Applicants must check if there is country-specific information on their home country available on the Uni-Assist websitе.
Location
