Application
To participate in the new edition of the MEME programme that starts in August of a given year, students must apply by 15 January of that year. Applications arriving after this deadline will not be taken into consideration. In order to apply, students have to make use of the official application form. Please consult the Application page of this website for details.
Evaluation
Applications to MEME are evaluated in a three-step procedure (see the MEME Study Guide for a more detailed account):
In a first step, the Admissions Office of the University of Groningen will check whether the application files are complete and whether the minimal requirements are met, that is, whether the degree obtained is comparable to a BSc (or higher) obtained at a European research university, whether the candidate has sufficient background in evolutionary biology or related fields, and whether the criteria for proficiency in English are met. All applicants not meeting these requirements will be informed that their application will not be processed further.
In a second step, all remaining applications are evaluated and ranked by four selection teams at the partner universities. Every applicant receives four marks ranging from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest) for the four evaluation criteria: academic background, motivation, past achievement (e.g. grades obtained), references. Based on the average scores, each selection team produces a ranking of the applicants, also pointing out special circumstances where the numerical score does not fully capture the suitability of an applicant. Subsequently, the MEME Admissions Committee (see the MEME Study Guide) consolidates the four local rankings into an overall ranking. Moreover, the committee decides on the eligibility of candidates on the basis of the written information available. All applicants not considered eligible are informed about this judgement.
In a third step, the members of the MEME Admissions Committee meet in order to interview the remaining applicants. Each Skype interview consists of a brief presentation prepared by the applicant on a scientific topic of their choice, a brief discussion of this presentation, and a couple of questions on background, knowledge, and motivation. Again, the applicant receives several marks for aspects such as presentation ability, ability to handle questions, and breadth and depth of knowledge. The interview scores are combined with the scores of the first round of selection (both scores having equal weight), resulting in a final ranking of candidates. Again, the committee carefully checks whether the numerical scores were assigned in a fair and comparable manner. Based on this ranking, the committee decides on whether an interviewed candidate can be admitted to the MEME programme.
Time line
The first round of selection takes place in January and the second round in February. Applicants to be invited for an interview will be notified about this by email by the beginning of March. All other applicants will be notified that they are not eligible for (this round of) the MEME programme. The third round of selection (the interviews) will take place in March. All applicants will be notified about the final outcome by the beginning of April.