Index

Educational grants

What money is available?

Within the MAP budget there is a limited amount of money available to support students who wish to undertake additional educational activities during the course. The exact amount received will depend on the type of planned activity and the available funds. No student is automatically entitled to the money – it will only be granted if a clear need is demonstrated. The MAP speakers and administrators will decide fairly on a case-by-case basis on receiving a written application from the students.

What is the money for?

The grants are provided in order to support academic activities not already supported by MAP. These should be outside of the lecture period of the semester, apart from in exceptional cases. Preferably, such events should involve active participation and development of personal skills and for events meeting these criteria all students will be supported at suitable levels if they wish to attend. On the other hand, for seminars and conferences where the attendees are essentially passive, funds for only a small number of attendees will be granted. This is particularly the case for international research conferences as these have a limited value for a Masters-level student and in terms of the huge travel and registration costs are not efficient uses of the money. There are of course exceptions, for instance when the international conference has a session or workshop for undergraduates or masters students or if the MAP student has submitted an abstract to the conference e.g. from their Masters work.

Who can get it?

All current MAP students will be considered for a grant, based on the type of activity proposed (active or passive involvement) and its academic and professional relevance.

You may apply for a MAP educational grant also as MAP alumni if you:
1) Intend to present the results of your MAP Master’s Thesis
2) If the conference takes place within 6 months after handing in your Master’s Thesis

How to apply for it?

Support can only be granted after formal application to the MAP Office. A full written application is required at least 2 months before the event. The application form (including information on required supporting documents) is available on the StudOn template section: https://www.studon.fau.de/studon/goto.php?target=cat_1511543

What happens next?

The MAP Chairs and administrative team will consider each application fairly and if necessary discuss with the student for clarification. The student will be told how much of the applied-for funds will be granted. Students should be aware that until this written information is received by them, no money is guaranteed. Hence, where international flights are involved, an early application is encouraged.
If support is granted, the student must sign a declaration stating that he/she:

  • will provide pictures and a short report (200-250 words) of the event in return for the financial support
  • agrees that these pictures and the report can be published by MAP for the purpose of promotion
  • will use the MAP logo on power point presentations, posters etc.
  • is aware that it is his/her responsibility to provide all required documents for the refunding within 4 weeks after his/her return at the latest

campo

campo is the virtual counterpart to the Student Records Office and the Examinations Office. You can

  • manage your personal account
  • register for exams
  • get your transcript
  • print out your official documents and certificate of enrolment
  • register for / deregister from exams

Important:

  • Deregistration is not allowed for miniprojects and literature reviews after topic allocation!
  • Registration is needed for exams but not for the participation in the lectures
  • Registration periods (1/semester) are to be met
  • Registration period differs from lecture period!

Support by MAP staff

Academic Support

Chairs:

  • Prof. Nicolas Vogel – Chair
  • Prof. Peter Felfer – Chair
Focal Subject Heads
  • Prof. Marco Haumann- Advanced Processes
  • Prof. Aldo Boccaccini – Biomaterials & Bioprocessing
  • Prof. Michael Engel – Computational Materials Science & Process Simulation
  • Prof. Mathias Göken – Nanomaterials & Nanotechnology
Responsibilities:
  • Responsible for overall strategy & program structure
  • Promotion of academic excellence, quality control
  • Strategic collaborations, networking, external & internal communication
  • Responsible for selection of lectures
  • Selection of students
  • Establish personalized curriculum
  • Student counseling

Support in administration and various personal matters

MAP Office

  • Dorothea Herget – Coordinator
  • Sandra Schindler – Coordinator
  • Anja Baier – Secretary
Responsibilities:
  • Timetabling of lectures, lab courses
  • Soft skills program
  • (Administration of exams)
  • Maintaining StudOn pages
  • Networking Events
  • Public relations & website
  • Organization of application process
  • Support before arrival: information on living in Erlangen, administration, orientation events, health insurance, transport etc.
  • Provision of support in various personal matters
  • Buddy System
Who to turn to for specific advice?
  • Lecturers: questions related to respective lecture and examinations
  • Focal subject heads: overarching questions on focal subject area and career-related advice
  • MAP Office: all questions regarding regulations, procedures and administrative aspects; soft skills program; educational grants
  • Chairs: any issue that cannot be dealt with on other levels, suggestions for program improvement, feedback
  • MAP Executive Board and Student Representatives: MAP student representatives have influence on important issues regarding the MAP program

Specific advice

For general advice on study related matters:

  • Student Records Office: helps you with enrolment, re-registration, de-registration, application for reimbursement of semester fees, leave and regulations on study leave, application to change degree program, studying for two degrees, guest students and mature students, health insurance for students, reporting accidents, issuing confirmation of duration of studies, change of name (e.g. after marriage or change of identity), semester tickets for public transportation
  • Student Advice and Career Service (ZSB): helps you with every step of the way before, during and after studying. They take the time to explore the various options open to you. However, we advise you to first consult the MAP Office with questions concerning your MAP studies, before contacting the ZSB.
  • Student Service Center at Technical Faculty: individual advice around issues pertaining to foreign matters
  • Faculty of Engineering for an overview of MAP’s host faculty
  • Library – Science and Technology Branch (TNZB)
  • Students’ councils of the Materials Science and Engineering and Chemical and Biological Engineering Departments
    Students’ councils (Fachschaften) are student organizations linked to departments or degree programs in which students represent their fellows’ interests, are contact persons for them and organize events. Although MAP students elect two students per year group to represent them, MAP does not (yet) have an own students’ council. MAP students are explicitly encouraged to get involved in the two mentioned students’ councils.
  • FAU Examinations Office: is responsible for examination matters and  recognition of studies and examinations when changing study programs
  • MAP section on StudOn for lecture material. It is encouraged to visit this site to download course material and carry out certain administrative activities relating to your course (registration of miniprojects, signing up for exams etc.)

For technical, electronic and IT support: 

  • Where? How? Why?
    background information on the electronic FAU support
  • Regionale Rechenzentrum Erlangen (RRZE): IT support
  • FAU FabLab: Open workshop geared towards computer-controlled production. They offer facilities to lasercut, make stickers, print or embroider textiles, fix a seam or two, make printed circuit boards, populate them and find any mistakes, 3D-Print, and mill, turn and work with wood and metals.

To help you navigate being an international student in Germany:

For personal advice and psychological support:

  • Career Service: advice for your professional life
  • Psychologisch – Psychotherapeutische Beratungsstelle: Ms. Elizabeth Provan-Klotz. Students of the Faculty of Engineering are provided with on-site psychological services at the Counseling and Psychological Center for the Faculty of Engineering. Mental health services are provided to students in need of counseling, consultation and crisis intervention. The Counseling and Psychological Center helps with a wide-range of psychological problems including: exam and speaking anxiety, learning difficulties, procrastination and motivational problems, stress management, anger management, loneliness, low mood, feelings of guilt, anxiety, panic, self harm and suicidal thoughts, coping with a chronic illness or disability, relationship or family problems, identity problems; gender or sexual orientation issues, homesickness and problems in living away from family and friends, addiction and substance abuse, difficulties integrating into German university and society. Counseling is offered in both German and English.
  • FAU’s Office for students with disabilities and chronic illnesses: offers confidential consultations for students with disabilities and chronic diseases in all matters relating to studying at FAU (admission to the degree program, accessibility, examinations)
  • Office for Gender and Diversity: for any issue related to sexual harassment and discrimination
  • The Women’s Representative: supports women at FAU’s Faculty of Engineering and provides a variety of events and support services for women at all stages of their education and careers including ARIADNE techmentoring program, doctoral thesis award, guest lectures, funding for travel etc.
  • and additional video help for those in need of advice (IBZ)
  • Familienservice: The FAU Family Service supports in all questions related to work-family balance. In case of a pregnancy, contact the MAP Office for questions and referral to the responsible University institutions! If pregnant, you should get acquainted with relevant risk assessments (“Anlasslose Gefährdungsbeurteilung von Studiengängen im Rahmen des neuen Mutterschutzgesetzes“), find further information on the FAU Website.
  • Legal Advice for Students: The Studentenwerk Erlangen-Nürnberg provides numerous advice offers. For international students, the advice in legal issues might be very important.
  • StudiCare: Online trainings for students under psychological stress (in German)
  • Caritas Erlangen offers a service for psychiatric support (in German)
  • “Heimwegtelefon” – home phone: For the way home in the dark, there is the “Heimwegtelefon” in Germany, should you feel unsafe. Volunteers work here and take calls nationwide so that you have someone to talk to. Geodata can be used to identify where the caller is at the moment, so that help can be sent quickly in the event of an emergency.
    Number: 030/12074182 (Sunday-Thursday 6pm-0am, Friday-Saturday 6pm-3am)

For advice on leisure matters (culture, religion, sports): 

Program regulations

The MAP program is regulated by the “Allgemeine Prüfungsordnung” (general exam regulations) and the “Fachprüfungsordnung” (subject exam regulations). Only the German version is legally binding.

What is meant by “short cover letter”?

The short cover letter serves as your letter of application and we would like you to state your connection to MAP and your motivation to study our program.

Our search for interdisciplinary-minded students has an impact on our application process. We invite our applicants to explain how the different subjects offered by the MAP program correlate with their personal goals for career and life. Therefore, it should for example include your professional interests and background.

The letter should be around one page but no more than two pages in length.

Please make sure that you write a personal letter of motivation and do not simply use AI.

Which Bachelor degrees are sufficient for an application?

Applicants are required to have an excellent Bachelor’s degree in Chemical and Biological Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering or related subjects. Examples for related subjects are: Mechanical Engineering, Nanotechnology, Life Science Engineering, Medical Technology and Energy Technology and comparable degrees.

Who is required to submit an APS certificate?

All applicants from India, Vietnam and China (not Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan) do need an APS certificate. The APS certificate is essential for the application and enrolment process. Unfortunately, it is not possible to accept someone with a missing APS certificate, where it is required.

Which deadline applies to me?

The application deadline is 31 May. Non-EU citizens are strongly encouraged to submit their applications until 31 March, to have sufficient time for their visa applications.

Who is required to submit an IELTS or TOEFL test?

We do require either a TOEFL or an IELTS test from all applicants whose previous degree was not conducted in English. This test should not be older than three years. In a TOEFL test applicants should at least reach 85 points. In an IELTS test applicants should at least reach an average of 6. These scores are equivalent to the level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.