luftbahnfahrer

In general, are there any major drawbacks when applying to PhD programs to start in the spring? Is chance of admission much less likely? After my undergrad, I won a scholarship to do research in Germany for a year, and after my year I want to start a PhD program in Physics back in the US. The academic year in Germany goes from October to September, so I can't apply for admission for Fall 2011, unless I cut my studies in Germany short. Additionally, I only just arrived a few weeks ago, and I barely know my professors and research advisor here. I feel like I could get far better letters of recommendation from my research advisors here if I waited a year to apply. Would it be recommendable to wait and try to apply for admission for Spring 2012 to programs, instead of applying now for Fall 2011? The deadlines would be right around the time that I'd be done here next year, then I'd probably have a few months off before I start a program in Janurary 2012 (if I got accepted!). __ Also: Does having this extra year of research after my undergrad make my application look better than someone who is fresh out of undergrad?

I am incredibly excited about going to Freiburg! I studied abroad there for a whole year, so I know it pretty well myself. Which, of course, is why I wanted to go back. What are you still doing in Freiburg? Email notification. It didn't say much except that I would get more details in the mail from Germany in April.

I found out last week that I got a Study Scholarship to go to Freiburg im Breisgau. I'm in the sciences, though.

I will certainly do that. Thanks for the tip! The masters program I want to do doesn't start until 2011, but I also have already worked out with the Fakultät that I will be enrolled in the Diplomstudiengang for one year and start taking classes and researching. I will still be able to earn the Masters in one year after that. I will be in Freiburg im Breisgau. I studied abroad there as an undergrad, and ever since I stepped foot there, I knew I wanted to come back. How about you?

I got it! I got it!!!! It looks I will officially be heading to Germany this fall with a DAAD scholarship I just recieved an email from the nice people at DAAD saying that I have won a Study Scholarship award. The official letter will be mailed from Bonn in April, it says. Oh, man this is soooo exciting. I wish everybody else success as well! Has anybody else heard from DAAD yet?