IMPRS-HD Summer School
Application, 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 astronomy 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.
Mathematikon | |
| Use exactly this adress: "INF 205" = "Im Neuenheimer Feld 205", which is the very south entrance to the large Mathematikon buildings. | |
Deadlines:
June 30: ........ Registration/application deadline for participation
July 5: ........ Final selection of participants
Aug 01: ........ End of 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) Register is to fill out the application form. Download the form and send us the signed form by email.
Deadline for handing in applications is June 30, 2026. We cannot accept late registrations / applications.
2) 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 by contacting the hotels mentioned below.
We urge you to apply/register and eventually 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:
Please take care of your accommodation as early as possible. Due to high demand, rooms are booked up quicky. We have special offers for IBIS hotel, alternatively there is the option to stay at Steffis Hostel, potentially with other participants of the summer school.
Note: 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.
(1) We have made a block reservation (deadline Aug 01, code required) for single 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: 105 Euro /night, incl. breakfast.
A number of rooms have been block reserved from Saturday, September 12 - Saturday, September 19, 2026, at Hotel IBIS.
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.
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 booking.com. Please book your room directly with the hotel.
(2) 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
Estimated price: ~35 Euro/night/person (incl. 3,50 euro tax fee)
Please book at their website: https://steffisheidelberg.bookworldhostels.com/?agent=homepage&lang=de#angebot
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.
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.
The shuttle 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 connections:
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: Cheap Train Tickets | Timetables for Germany & Europe - Deutsche Bahn
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).
Note: Please keep in mind that German trains are often delayed so please plan accordingly.
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 the mall to the north, 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 in Heidelberg:
Heidelberg has a fairly good public transportation system.
A regular one way ticket for adults ("Einzel-Ticket Erwachsene") costs 3.50 Euro (May 2026).
A one way ticket for short distances (for 4 bus or tram stops) costs 2.30 Euro (May 2026). 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 3.16 Euro per ride (May 2026) - 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/en/tickets/
For more info about the tickets (in German only), please go to: https://www.vrn.de/tickets/ticketuebersicht/index.html
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/).
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/).
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
See also our map for the area between the train station / Hotel IBIS / Steffi's Hostel, the Mathematikon and the downtown area.
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".
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").
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".
Contact information:
For further information regarding the meeting, please contact:
Summerschool office (IMPRS coordination): E-mail: imprs-hd-summerschool@mpia.de