Master of Science in Chemistry

The master's program in chemistry at LMU Munich builds on a bachelor's degree in "chemistry and biochemistry", in chemistry or in a related subject and promotes the scientific deepening and specialization of the students.

The master's program serves as a basis for further scientific training. Prerequisites for achieving the study goals are open-mindedness for the complexity of chemistry, the ability to think analytically in a logical, unprejudiced manner, to observe and experiment in a planned, exact manner, to develop and understand theoretical concepts, and to evaluate results critically.

Students can enter the master's program in chemistry either in the summer or the winter semester. The standard length of study is four semesters during which 120 ECTS (credits) must be earned. Courses are held predominantly in German.

General Description of the study program on the central LMU websites

The program’s design and its components

The basic draft of the master study in chemistry intends two options/variations:

  • a) Choice of three majors (electoral duty areas) from inorganic, organic, physical and theoretical chemistry - with 30 ECTS points each, or
  • b) Choice of two majors from chemistry (see on top) with 30 ECTS points each and a minor and a specialisation area each with 15 ECTS points, either from chemistry or from fields close to chemistry.

More information at the Curriculm Website.

Prerequisites for acceptance into the master's program in chemistry are: a bachelor's degree in "chemistry and biochemistry", biochemistry or chemistry with a cumulative grade of "good" (2,5) or better. Applicants with a grade of more than 2,5 are required to participate in a qualifying interview or suitability test (see suitability test below).

Before you begin your studies in the master program, you first have to apply for acceptance to that course of study, that is, you have to register or re-register. If you want to enter the program in chemistry at the LMU, you must complete two consecutive steps:

  • 1. Application for admission - the suitability test - at the Department of Chemistry at the Faculty for Chemistry and Pharmacy of the LMU.
  • 2. Matriculation (registration) at the Registrar's Office (Studentenkanzlei) of the LMU.

Steps one and two explained

1. Step one: Application for admission (placement process)
The first step toward admission takes place at the Faculty for Chemistry and Pharmacy at the Chemistry Department.
When you have received a letter of acceptance from the Department, you can proceed to step two (see below).

  • For new students entering the first semester of the program or transfer students: You can apply to the master's program in chemistry for either the winter or summer semester. The application deadlines are:
    • For admission to the winter semester, July 15.
    • For admission to the summer semester, January 15.
You can find all further information about the application documents and the postal address under Application & Documents (below) or at Transfer students.


  • For international students:
    Non-German citizens, who aquired the Bachelor degree not in Germany, must also apply for admission at the Office of International Affairs (Referat für Internationale Angelegenheiten) and submit to them an application for admission (Antrag auf Zulassung) , German-language proficiency test results, officially notarized documents, etc. (more infos can be found on the LMU Web site). This applies to both new students entering the first semester of the program and transfer students.
    • For admission to the winter semester, the deadline is July 15.
    • For admission to the summer semester, the deadline is January 15.

      When you have received a letter of acceptance from the Referat für Internationale Angelegenheiten AND a letter of acceptance from the Department of Chemistry, you can proceed to step two.

Please read the application guidelines carefully.

Information which documents are obligatory for the application may be found below.

2. Step two: Matriculation (enrollment) at the LMU
You can register at the LMU after you have received your letter of acceptance from the Chemistry or Biochemistry Department (and, for foreign students, your letter of acceptance from the Office of International Affairs). Registration (matriculation) must be done after you have filled out the Online-Form. Filling out the online form does not mean you have registered!

  • For German citizens and students with a German Abitur or a german Bachelor:
    Matriculation, or registration, takes place only twice a year at the Registrar's Office (Studentenkanzlei). Please take note of the deadlines!
    You must submit all necessary documents via postal mail: the completed online registration form, your university entrance qualification document, your passport or identity card, your health-insurance identification, and the letter of acceptance from the Department of Chemistry. For more information, including the address of the Registrar's Office, click central LMU-Website.
  • For international students:
    To register via postal mail at the Registrar's Office (Studentenkanzlei), you need to submit the following documents: the completed online registration form, letters of acceptance from the Department of Chemistry, a university entrance qualification document, passport or identity card, health-insurance identification and the results of your German-language proficiency test. For more information, including the address of the Registrar's Office, click central LMU-Websites.

The application process (Bewerbung) applies to all students wishing to enter the master program in chemistry. There is no limitation (NC) at the LMU on the number of students who may be admitted to the chemistry master program. The students' aptitude for the study program, however, must be ascertained by a placement process (see 3. under Placement-Process-Bylaws below). Based on this, applicants must have a cumulative bachelor's grade (in chemistry or related sciences) better than 2.5 to apply. The grade 2.5 is based on the German grading system where 1.0 is best and 5.0 is failed.

The placement process is part of the in due time application procedure (application deadlines - see below). You will be informed of the outcome of your application approximately three weeks after the application deadline in accordance with the Placement-Process-Bylaws (966-eign-master-chemie.pdf (PDF, 33 KB) with modified regulations of 12/2019 (PDF, 22 KB)). If you are not accepted, you only may apply a second time before a following deadline.

Please carefully read the information on these and linked pages. In case you still have questions contact us at (pruefchem@cup.uni-muenchen.de).

1) Application deadlines

Before you read this section, please read the section called Application Process (above).

The master program in Chemistry at the LMU has no limitations on the number of students that may be accepted. Each applicant, however, must take the placement process (see above).

Application periods are April 01 to July 15 of the year for the winter semester and November 15 to January 15 of the year for the summer semester. The application portal (see below) is open during these periods only.

2) Your application must include the following:

  • a brief résumé (including email and phone number)
  • all certificates from the universities you attended (bachelor's certificate and transcript of records), if applicable, with official translation
  • if you do not have a bachelor's certificate yet, your current university must fill out the following confirmation:Bescheinigung Intranet Bewerbung_dt.pdf (PDF, 22 KB)
  • if applying for admission into advanced semesters, certification of previous course work (transfer credits).

Click here for the online application.

After we have evaluated your application, in accordance with the Placement-Process Bylaws (PDF, 33 KB), we will either:

  • confirm, in writing, that you qualify to enter the master program in Chemistry at the LMU München or
  • send you a letter of rejection, should you be considered unqualified. In that case, you may re-apply for placement before the next deadline (see below).

3) Enrollment/Registration

After you have received a letter of confirmation from the Department of Chemistry AND the confirmation of the International Office you should take the following steps:

Flyer der Zentralen Studienberatung zum Thema Immatrikulation (PDF, 516 KB) (in German)

If you are rejected:
You may still apply for admission to other universities which do not have admission restrictions or universities that have different placement criteria.

If you have any questions, please get in touch with the Examination Office in Chemistry.

If there are no exam dates at the corresponding lecture below, please consult the lecturer to arrange the date and place.
The dates are without guarantee! Please follow the announcement of the lectuerer!
If there questions or notes please consult the study program coordination.

The registration for the Modul Exams is possible via E-mail as well as in person at the examination office F5.020!

Admission requirements: The registration for the selected lectures is done online in LSF. The lectures on the registration form must correspond to those in LSF/Transcript and must be entered!
There must be 5 colloquia listed on the form.

Forms for the module exams in the Master program:

Please fill in the following forms with your name and the attended lectures/seminars - including name of the lecturer. Submit these forms when you register for the oral exmans at the Examination Office.

Module examination dates for the Masters in Chemistry or in Biochemistry

  • Date in January 2025

    Registration: Monday, 09.12.2024 until Friday, 13.12.2024
    Required documents: Registration form for the examination (the achievements listed here must be entered in the transcript)

    Master module exams: 13.01.2025 - 31.01.2025

    Grade determination on 06.02.2025

  • Date in April 2025

    Registration: Monday, 17.03.2025 until Friday, 21.03.2025
    Required documents: Registration form for the examination (the achievements listed here must be entered in the transcript)

    Master module exams: 22.04.2025 - 09.05.2025

    Grade determination on 21.05.2025

  • Date in July 2024

    Registration: Tuesday, 21.05.2024 until Friday, 24.05.2024
    Required documents: Registration form for the examination (the achievements listed here must be entered in the transcript)

    Master module exams: 24.06.2025 - 12.07.2024

    Grade determination on 18.07.2024

  • Date in October 2024

    Registration: Monday, 16.09.2024 until Friday, 20.09.2024
    Required documents: Registration form for the examination (the achievements listed here must be entered in the transcript)

    Master module exams: 21.10.2024 - 08.11.2024

    Grade determination on 21.11.2024

Lab courses in the Master program

There are no online-registrations for lab courses in the master program of Chemistry (exceptions below). Any student has to care and to apply independently for a place in a research group. The arrangements (e.g. beginning) will be fixed directly with the supervisor. At the end, a report has to be submitted to the supervisor at least 4 months after the beginning (possibly including a presentation).
Due to the decision of the examination committee it is not allowed to do the lab courses (F-Praktika) in the same research group where the Bachelor thesis was done.
Before starting any of the advanced lab courses (F-Praktikum) in the chemistry master program, you have to fill in a registration form (PDF, 199 KB)and to sign it by the supervisor - as well doing external lab courses (see below)! Then, you have to submitt this registration form in the Examination Office in room F5.020. Please fill in the questionary which is also avaiable in F5.020 tp give us your feedback.

Inorganic Chemistry

  • T1IA: Lab course in major
    The advanced lab course (F-Praktikum) and Seminar in IC (16 SWS; 12 ETCS) can be carried out with the agreement of the group leader (supervisor), i.g. it can start at any time and continues for ca. 6 weeks (full-time).
    Registration for the student presentations of the AC-F-Praktikum
  • T1IB: Lab course in minor
    The lab course in the IC minor (10 SWS; 9 ETCS) can also be carried out with the agreement of the group leader (supervisor), i.g. it can start at any time and continues for ca. 4 weeks (full-time).

Organic Chemistry

  • T1OA: Lab course in major
    The advanced lab course (F-Praktikum) and Seminar in OC (16 SWS; 12 ETCS) can be carried out with the agreement of the group leader (supervisor), i.g. it can start at any time and continues for ca. 6 weeks (full-time).
  • T1OB: Lab course in minor
    The lab course in the OC minor (10 SWS; 9 ETCS) can also be carried out with the agreement of the group leader (supervisor), i.g. it can start at any time and continues for ca. 4 weeks (full-time).
  • T1OX: Lab course in Chemical Biology (only in WiSe) in major
    The lab course in the minor Chemical Biology (10 SWS; 9 ETCS) takes place only at the end of the winter term (in March) for 4 weeks (full-time).
    Please register here.

Physical Chemistry

  • T1PA: Lab course in major
    The advanced lab course (F-Praktikum) and Seminar in PC (16 SWS; 12 ETCS) can be carried out with the agreement of the group leader (supervisor), i.g. it can start at any time and continues for ca. 6 weeks (full-time).
  • T1PB: Lab course in minor
    The lab course in the PC minor (10 SWS; 9 ETCS) can also be carried out with the agreement of the group leader (supervisor), i.g. it can start at any time and continues for ca. 4 weeks (full-time).

Theoretical Chemistry

  • T1TA: Lab course in major
    The advanced lab course (F-Praktikum) and Seminar in TC (16 SWS; 12 ETCS) can be carried out with the agreement of the group leader (supervisor), i.g. it can start at any time and continues for ca. 6 weeks (full-time).
  • T1TB: Lab course in minor
    If you have not visited the TC 1-Praktikum (Computational Chemistry) in the BSc, then it is also possible to take the course for the TC minor.
    The lab course in the TC minor (10 SWS; 9 ETCS) can also be carried out with the agreement of the group leader (supervisor), i.g. it can start at any time and continues for ca. 4 weeks (full-time).

Guidelines for advanced external lab courses in the Master program

Before starting any advanced lab course (F-Praktikum) in the chemistry master program, you have to fill in this registration form (PDF, 199 KB) and to sign it by the supervisor! You can also get this registration form in the Examination Office in room F5.018, where it has to be submitted afterwards.

Advanced lab courses can also be performed external of the LMU Departments of Chemistry or Biochemistry (in Germany and also abroad). In this case you should take care of the equivalence e.g. workload (SWS) or duration of the course. To acknowledge the credits of an external lab course you have to find an official supervisor at our departments (= Prüfungsberechtigter) who is working in a related research field.

According to the regulation of the Examination Committee only one advanced external lab course can be accepted in the Master of Chemistry.

If the official supervisor has accepted, he/she rates the report with a mark and transfers this information to the Examination Office if the lab course has been passed.

Financial help for external lab courses may be found at:

Regulations for the preparation of master theses

Each student must independently look for/apply for a place in a working group. The start of the master thesis will then be arranged directly with the supervisor.

Admission requirements are the passed F-internships according to the two majors.

The master thesis has to be registered before starting by filling in the registration form and signing it by the supervisor. This also applies to external work (see below)! The form has to be collected in person at the examination office F5.020 and returned there. Please also participate in the evaluation of the Master Thesis - your feedback is important for us. The questionnaires are also available in F5.020.

Regulations for the preparation of external master theses

The Master's thesis can also be carried out in an institution outside the Department of Chemistry of LMU Munich (applies to Germany and abroad). In this case, please try to find a supervisor at the department (=authorized examiner) at the beginning of your planning and discuss the project with him/her.

An informal application for the preparation of an external paper must be submitted to the Examination Office, which will be verified and assessed by the Chairman of the Examination Committee. The application must state the following:

  • subject area of the work
  • the external supervisor (with details of the host institution)
  • the official reviewer at the Department of Chemistry who is doing research in this or a related subject area (must be agreed upon in advance)
  • signature of the official supervisor from the department.

Basically, a proposal (project description) of the work must be submitted.

In addition, it must be stated that the external supervisor will prepare a appraisal (with grading according to the ECTS system) after the submission of the thesis and forward it to the official supervisor of the department.

Financial help: Form to apply for individualized advanced study design and retroactive financial aid for costs incurred in the process.i