CaCTuS Internship 2027 in Germany | Fully Funded

Scholarship Union; Tübingen; Hybrid; EUR 14,000 - 16,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully funded internship

Monthly salary €1,350

Accommodation arranged

Travel costs compensation

Health insurance coverage

Job summary

The CaCTuS Internship is a fully-funded three-month research placement in Tübingen for Bachelor and Master students, focusing on machine learning, neuroscience, and cognition. It is run by the Max Planck Institutes in Tübingen together with the Tübingen AI Center, offering a stipend, travel and accommodation support, and mentorship.

Selected interns will work on research projects with leading scientists, receive health insurance coverage, and benefit from a supportive community and cohort

Qualifications

• Must be a motivated student facing barriers to higher education.
• Must not have started a PhD before the internship.
• Undergraduate students must have completed at least four semesters.
• Applicants must be enrolled or have degree proof by March 2027.
• Strong academic record and coursework related to the fields.
• Academic background in CS, mathematics, physics, engineering, psychology, cognitive science, or neuroscience.
• Strong English and ability to express motivation.
• Available for full 90-day internship July 1–Sept 30, 2027.
• No mandatory course credits needed for eligibility.
• Encouragement for applicants from underrepresented countries; women encouraged.

Skills

Strong academic record

English proficiency

Motivation statement

Education

Bachelor's or Master's student

Enrolled at university Jan–Oct 2027 (or recently graduated)

Job description

CaCTuS Internship 2027 is a fully-funded three-month research internship for Bachelor and Master students focused on machine learning, neuroscience, and cognition. The CaCTuS Internship provides paid summer placements in Tübingen where successful applicants work on research projects with leading scientists.

The program is run by the Max Planck Institutes in Tübingen (Biological Cybernetics and Intelligent Systems) together with the Tübingen AI Center and partners. It aims to support students — especially those from low- and middle-income countries or underrepresented backgrounds — with funding, travel support, and mentorship.

• Fully funded internship.
• Monthly salary of approximately €1,350 to cover living expenses, accommodation, and health insurance.
• Accommodation arranged by the Internship Coordination Office.
• Compensation for travel costs.
• Health insurance coverage.

CaCTuS Internship Eligibility Criteria

• Must be a motivated student facing personal, financial, regional, or societal barriers to accessing high-quality higher education.
• Must not have started a PhD degree before the internship.
• Undergraduate students who have not completed their Bachelor’s degree must have completed at least four semesters (two years) of study before the internship begins.
• Applicants for Projects 1–4 must remain enrolled at an academic institution from January to October 2027. Applicants for other projects must be enrolled or hold at least a Bachelor’s degree and provide proof of qualification by March 2027.
• Must have a strong academic record.
• Must have an academic background relevant to the selected project, such as computer science, mathematics, physics, engineering, psychology, cognitive science, or neuroscience.
• Must have a good command of English and be able to express their motivation.
• Must demonstrate strong reasons why access to high-quality higher education is constrained.
• Must be available for the full 90-day internship between July 1 and September 30, 2027.
• Must undertake the internship voluntarily; applicants who require course credits as a mandatory course requirement are not eligible.
• Applications from students in underrepresented low- and middle-income countries are particularly encouraged.
• Women are explicitly encouraged to apply.
• Prepare a motivational statement explaining your interest in science and the internship, your previous project experience, your motivation for up to two preferred projects, and the personal, financial, regional, or societal factors that limit your access to higher education.
• Prepare the required documents: CV (maximum 2 pages), academic transcripts from all university studies, degree certificates, if available, one reference letter (optional).
• Note: AI tools may be used to improve the clarity, grammar, and style of your writing, but they must not generate your ideas, concepts, or original intellectual contributions. All substantive content must be your own.

Applications close on Monday, 16 November 2026. We’ll email you 7, 3 and 1 days before.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are the most frequently asked questions about the CaCTuS Internship scholarship. These answers cover eligibility, benefits, key dates, and how to apply based on the official program information.

What is the CaCTuS Internship?

The CaCTüS Internship is a fully-funded three-month research internship offered in Tübingen by the Max Planck Institutes and the Tübingen AI Center. It provides paid summer placements where Bachelor and Master students work on projects in machine learning, neuroscience, electrical engineering, behavioral experiments and data analysis with leading scientists.

Who runs the program?

The program is offered by the Max Planck Institutes in Tübingen (Biological Cybernetics and Intelligent Systems) together with the Tübingen AI Center and supported by partners and funders listed on the program site. Multiple Max Planck institutes and partner organisations provide financial and administrative support.

Who is eligible to apply?

CaCTüS is open to students at Bachelor or Master level who are currently enrolled or recently graduated and who have a strong interest in research at the intersection of AI and cognition. The program especially encourages applicants from and living in low- and middle-income countries and those from underrepresented backgrounds.

What does the CaCTuS internship provide?

The program offers a paid internship with a full stipend for three months in Tübingen, travel and accommodation assistance, opportunities to work directly with leading scientists, and community support including cohort events, mentors, and a peer network.

How many positions are available?

The site states there are 12 internship spots per year. It also notes cohorts of 5+ and highlights the program is fully funded for three months for selected participants.

When does the application open and close?

According to the program timeline on the site, the application portal opens on Oct 21, 2026 and the application deadline is Nov 16, 2026. Interviews are held in January 2027 with acceptance notifications in February 2027 and the internship running from Jul 1, 2027 to Sep 30, 2027.

What fields of study does the program prefer?

The program welcomes applicants with backgrounds in machine learning, electrical engineering, theoretical neuroscience, behavioral science, and data analysis. It emphasises research interests at the intersection of biological and artificial intelligence and encourages those passionate about solving challenging research questions.

Is travel support provided?

Yes. The program lists travel support among its offerings, specifying travel and accommodation assistance to support participants during the three-month stipend-funded internship in Tübingen.

How does the program support underrepresented applicants?

The CaCTüS Internship explicitly aims to help young scientists held back by personal, financial, regional, or societal constraints. It promotes diverse viewpoints, equality of opportunity, and access to excellent scientific facilities, and encourages applicants from low- and middle-income countries.

Where can I apply or learn more?

Applications are handled on projects.tuebingen.mpg.de. Scholarship Union never collects applications and never charges a fee.