IMPRS-HD Summer School
Informations & Directions
Background:
The International Max Planck Research School for Astronomy and Cosmic Physics at the University of Heidelberg (IMPRS-HD) has been established in 2005 as a graduate school for doctoral studies.
In addition to the yearly course program for graduate studies in astronomy and astrophysics, IMPRS-HD is organizing an annual summer school on up-to-date scientific topics. Internationally renowned scientists are invited as lecturers.
Graduate students and early postdocs are particularly welcome to participate.
When and where:
The 21st Heidelberg Summer School will take place September 14 - 18, 2026 at the "Mathematikon" in the "Center for Scientific Computing" (IWR) in Heidelberg, Germany.
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| Please use exactly this adress: "INF 205" = "Im Neuenheimer Feld 205", which is the very south entrance to the Mathematikon complex. | |
Deadlines:
June 30: ........ Registration/application deadline for participation
July 5: ........ Final selection of participants
July 28: ........ End of hostel / hotel block reservation
How to apply:
There is no registration fee.
The number of participants is limited. We will most probably not be able to accept all applicantions for participation. Preference will be given to students or postdocs working in the field.
1) The first step to register is to fill out the application form. Download the form, print it, sign it, and send it to us as scanned pdf by email.
The DEADLINE for handing in applications is JUNE 30, 2026. We cannot accept late registrations / applications.
2) The second step is that we evaluate the incoming applications (as we are usually oversubscribed). By July 5 at the latest you will be informed whether you may attend the IMPRS Summer School 2026.
3) You may then go ahead and take care of your accommodation (see below) by contacting the hotels mentioned below.
We urge you to apply/register and eventuelly book your hotel as early as possible.
Please understand that for student and postdoc applications we request for the signature of the supervising staff scientist on the application form.
Accomodations:
A number of rooms have been block reserved from Sunday, September 13 - Saturday, September 19, 2026, at Hotel IBIS and at Steffis Hostel. We ask you to take care of your accommodation as early as possible. Note that we have only reserved the accommodation, while booking and payment is up to you.
Reduced booking prices are only available if you do the booking under the code given for summer school participants. The code will be told to you after the deadline for re-confirmation, Wednesday, July 9, 2026.
Note: The reduced booking prices cannot be offered, if you book via (any) reservation platform, such as e.g. booking.com. Please, book your room directly with the hotel.
(1) The following options exist in double, 4-, 5-, and 6-bed rooms
Steffis Hostel, Alte Eppelheimer Str. 50, 69115 Heidelberg
Tel : +49-(0)6221-7782772
Email: info@hostelheidelberg.de
Prices: 30-42 Euro /night/person:
2-bedroom: 44 Euro /person/night
4-bedroom: 34 Euro /person/night
5-bedroom: 34 Euro /person/night
6-bedroom: 33 Euro /person/night
The hostel is located 100m north of main station. Enter the big shopping mall (outdoor equipment) north of the train station. Pass it to the north, leave it and go 50m to a big brick stone building (old factory). The hostel is located there. Reception is open 08:00- 22:00; checkin 14:00-22:00. Breakfast is available for 8 Euro.
For booking you need to provide the following information:
- gender
- home address
- phone number
- credit card number with expiry date
Contact them as early as possible, tell that you are attending the IMPRS summer school, and they will try to put you in the same room with other school participants.
(2) We have made a block reservation (deadline July 28, code required) for single and double rooms at
Ibis Heidelberg Hauptbahnhof, Willy-Brandt-Platz 3, 69115 Heidelberg
Tel : +49-(0)6221-913-0 / +49-(0)6221 913-392, Email : h1447@accor.com
Prices: 100 Euro /single room /night, incl. breakfast. 117 Euro / "twin" room /night, incl. breakfast
Please book by email, which allows you to provide the code for the summer school.
If you book after the deadline, the hotel will not offer you the reduced price anymore.
Note that hotel bookings are under your own responsibility and you will have to cover all costs which may incur if you do a late cancellation of your hotel booking.
See also our map for the area between the train station / Hotel IBIS / Steffi's Hostel, the Mathematikon and the downtown area, provided as pdf file.
Travel and Arrival:
For your travel bookings: The school will start on Monday morning (September 14) and end on Friday afternoon (September 18).
PLANE arrivals: Frankfurt/Main (FRA)
From Frankfurt airport to Heidelberg main station, you can either take the airport shuttle or the train. Taxis are very expensive in Germany (over 100 euro one way), so we don’t recommend it.
Airport shuttle:
The airport shuttle runs about every 2-3 hours and goes directly to Heidelberg (unlike most of the trains).
Meeting Point: Terminal 1, Hall B, inside, next to the ACS canteen near exit 3.
It arrives at 3 different stops in Heidelberg, please check which stop is closest to your accomondation.
We highly recommend you to book the tickets in advance since they have limited seats.
Link to book the tickets: https://frankfurt-airport-shuttles.palisis.com/?locale=en Link to the detailed time schedule, meeting points and general information (in German only): https://frankfurt-airport-shuttles.de/index.php
Train:
There are many different train connections from Frankfurt airport (Frankfurt (Main) Flughafen) to Heidelberg main station (Heidelberg Hauptbahnhof). Check the official website for more detailed information: https://int.bahn.de/en/
TRAIN arrivals: Trains will arrive at Heidelberg main station ("Hauptbahnhof"), about 1.5 km away from either downtown Heidelberg or the Mathematikon (the location of the Summer School).
HOTEL locations:
Hotel IBIS is located just besides the main station. If you arrive by the Lufthansa bus, take a tram or a bus to the main station. The trams leave 100m from the Lufthansa bus stop.
Steffis Hostel is located 100m north of main station. Enter the big shopping mall (selling outdoor equipment) north of the train station. Exit to the north and walk 150m to a large brick stone building (old factory). The hostel is located in there.
SCHOOL location:
To go to the Mathematikon conference center, take the tram 5 or from the main station direction "Handschuhsheim" to stop "Bunsengymnasium", or bus 31 from the main station direction "Universitaetsplatz" to stop "Bunsengymnasium, or bus 31 from the main bus stop at "Bismarckplatz" direction "Hauptbahnhof" and continue to stop "Bunsengymnasium".
TRANSPORTATION maps:
This schematic map shows the public transport system in Heidelberg. (map provided by the Heidelberg area public transportation system RNV, http://www.rnv-online.de/).
Please, check the google map to find your way from main station to the conference center at "INF 205".
Or download the following maps we have prepared:
map main station to Mathematikon
satellite view main station to Mathematikon
satellite view main station to Mathematikon - zoomed
Here are time tables of the major bus and tram stops: Tram 24 Stop Bunsengymnasium. Bus 31 Stop Bunsengymnasium. Bus 37 Bunsengymnasium. The Mathematikon is just above the "Klaus-Tschira-Platz".
Transportation in Heidelberg:
Heidelberg has a fairly good public transportation system.
A regular one way ticket for adults ("Einzel-Ticket Erwachsene") costs 3.40 Euro
A one way ticket for short distances (for 4 bus or tram stops) costs 2.20 Euro. You could use this ticket e.g. if your accommodation is at the main station (stop: "Heidelberg Hauptbahnhof") and you want to go the Summer School location (stop: Bunsengymnasium)
A five-day ticket ("5-Tage-Ticket") costs 35.60 Euro
A five trip ticket ("5-Fahrten-Ticket Erwachsene") cost about 3.06 Euro per ride - therefore, it’s cheaper than the regular one way ticket but more expensive than the one way ticket for short distances
For general information, please go to https://www.rnv-online.de/english/
For more info about the tickets (in German only), please go to: https://www.vrn.de/tickets/ticketuebersicht/index.html
The following schematic map shows the public transport system in Heidelberg, also considering construction work going on, while this schematic map shows the regular public transport system in Heidelberg, (provided by the Heidelberg area public transportation system RNV, http://www.rnv-online.de/).
To reach the Mathematikon conference center, take the tram 24 or 25 or from the main station direction "Handschuhsheim"/"Schriesheim" to stop "Bunsengymnasium", or bus 31 from "Bismarkplatz" (Steig F = platform F) direction "Universitaetsklinikum" to stop "Bunsengymnasium, or bus 39A from "Bismarckplatz" (Steig F = platform F) direction "Neuenheim, Technologiepark" to stop "Bunsengymnasium".
Please, check the google map to find your way from main station to the conference center at "INF 205".
Or download the following maps we have prepared:
map main station to Mathematikon
satellite view main station to Mathematikon
satellite view main station to Mathematikon - zoomed
Here are maps of the major bus and tram stops: Stop Bunsengymnasium. The Mathematikon is just above the writing "Klaus-Tschira-Platz". Bus 31 arrives and departs EAST of the conjunction. Trams 24 and 25 arrive at "Steig B" and departs at "Steig A" ("Steig" means "platform").
See also our map for the area between the train station / Hotel IBIS / Steffi's Hostel, the Mathematikon and the downtown area, provided as pdf file.
Contact information:
For further information regarding the content and scientific objectives of the meeting, please contact:
Summerschool office (IMPRS coordination): E-mail: imprs-hd-summerschool@mpia.de