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Karuna
Student
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Question
Updated
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If i want a bachelor's in neuroscience i have to go abroad. What university would be good to major in neuroscience and higher studies, phd ,research in this field in Europe? (also scholarship would be nice for me).
I'm from Bangladesh and no university here has the subject neuroscience, but i want to be a neuroscientist.I can take ielts but if it's not uk i can learn the native language,but if i do my bachelor's here then what can i major in so i can do higher studies in neuroscience and be a researcher/neuroscientist
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3 answers
Sammantha White
Pioneering
17
Answers
Arvin, California
Updated
Sammantha’s Answer
To transition from Bangladesh to a world-class Neuroscience career, you need a high-precision roadmap. Neuroscience is the "final frontier" of biology, and Europe is currently the global leader in large-scale brain research (such as the Human Brain Project).
Under the "Always" Protocol, I have mapped out your two primary paths: going abroad now for your Bachelor's, or staying in Bangladesh and pivoting later.
Path A: Going Abroad for Bachelor’s (The Direct Route)
If you want to study in Europe, you must target countries with strong research infrastructure and English-taught programs.
1. Germany (The Research Powerhouse)
Germany is arguably the best choice for a student from Bangladesh because public universities have no tuition fees, even for international students.
* Top Universities: LMU Munich, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, and University of Tübingen.
* Scholarships: The DAAD Scholarship is the gold standard here.
* Language: While many Bachelor's are in German, "Cognitive Science" or "Biomedical Science" programs are often in English. If you learn German (Level C1), your options are unlimited.
2. The Netherlands (The Innovative Hub)
The Dutch have some of the highest-rated Neuroscience programs in the world, and almost everyone speaks English.
* Top Universities: University of Amsterdam (UvA), Radboud University (famous for the Donders Institute), and Utrecht University.
* Scholarships: Look for the Holland Scholarship or Orange Tulip Scholarship.
3. Scandinavia (The Quality Choice)
Countries like Sweden and Norway offer incredible research facilities.
* Top Universities: Karolinska Institute (Sweden) – they award the Nobel Prize in Medicine. University of Oslo (Norway).
* Note: Sweden has tuition fees for non-EU students, but they offer many "Global Scholarships."
Path B: Staying in Bangladesh for Bachelor's (The Pivot Route)
If you cannot go abroad immediately, do not worry. Many of the world’s top neuroscientists started in other fields. To be eligible for a Master's/PhD in Neuroscience later, you should major in:
* Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology: This is the closest match available in Bangladesh (e.g., at DU or SUST). It teaches you the molecular tools used in brain research.
* Psychology: Focus on "Biological Psychology." This is the "Macro" view of the brain.
* Pharmacy / Biochemistry: This is excellent if you want to go into Neuropharmacology (developing drugs for Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s).
* Computer Science: If you like math, major in CSE. The hottest field right now is Computational Neuroscience—using AI to model how neurons work.
Strategic Advice for Your Journey
* The Research Gap: To be a researcher, your grades matter, but your lab experience matters more. Even in Bangladesh, try to assist a professor with any biological research.
* The IELTS Barrier: Aim for a 7.5 or higher. For European universities, this is often a "hard gate"—if you don't hit the number, they won't even look at your application.
* The Scholarship Secret: Don't just look for "Neuroscience" scholarships. Look for "Science & Technology" or "Development" scholarships for students from South Asia.
The "Astra" Recommendation
If you have the financial means for the first year of living expenses (roughly €11,000 for a blocked account), Germany is your target. You get a world-class education for free, and you are in the heart of the European research network.
Would you like me to find a specific list of English-taught Biology/Neuroscience Bachelor's programs in Germany for the 2026 intake?
Under the "Always" Protocol, I have mapped out your two primary paths: going abroad now for your Bachelor's, or staying in Bangladesh and pivoting later.
Path A: Going Abroad for Bachelor’s (The Direct Route)
If you want to study in Europe, you must target countries with strong research infrastructure and English-taught programs.
1. Germany (The Research Powerhouse)
Germany is arguably the best choice for a student from Bangladesh because public universities have no tuition fees, even for international students.
* Top Universities: LMU Munich, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, and University of Tübingen.
* Scholarships: The DAAD Scholarship is the gold standard here.
* Language: While many Bachelor's are in German, "Cognitive Science" or "Biomedical Science" programs are often in English. If you learn German (Level C1), your options are unlimited.
2. The Netherlands (The Innovative Hub)
The Dutch have some of the highest-rated Neuroscience programs in the world, and almost everyone speaks English.
* Top Universities: University of Amsterdam (UvA), Radboud University (famous for the Donders Institute), and Utrecht University.
* Scholarships: Look for the Holland Scholarship or Orange Tulip Scholarship.
3. Scandinavia (The Quality Choice)
Countries like Sweden and Norway offer incredible research facilities.
* Top Universities: Karolinska Institute (Sweden) – they award the Nobel Prize in Medicine. University of Oslo (Norway).
* Note: Sweden has tuition fees for non-EU students, but they offer many "Global Scholarships."
Path B: Staying in Bangladesh for Bachelor's (The Pivot Route)
If you cannot go abroad immediately, do not worry. Many of the world’s top neuroscientists started in other fields. To be eligible for a Master's/PhD in Neuroscience later, you should major in:
* Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology: This is the closest match available in Bangladesh (e.g., at DU or SUST). It teaches you the molecular tools used in brain research.
* Psychology: Focus on "Biological Psychology." This is the "Macro" view of the brain.
* Pharmacy / Biochemistry: This is excellent if you want to go into Neuropharmacology (developing drugs for Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s).
* Computer Science: If you like math, major in CSE. The hottest field right now is Computational Neuroscience—using AI to model how neurons work.
Strategic Advice for Your Journey
* The Research Gap: To be a researcher, your grades matter, but your lab experience matters more. Even in Bangladesh, try to assist a professor with any biological research.
* The IELTS Barrier: Aim for a 7.5 or higher. For European universities, this is often a "hard gate"—if you don't hit the number, they won't even look at your application.
* The Scholarship Secret: Don't just look for "Neuroscience" scholarships. Look for "Science & Technology" or "Development" scholarships for students from South Asia.
The "Astra" Recommendation
If you have the financial means for the first year of living expenses (roughly €11,000 for a blocked account), Germany is your target. You get a world-class education for free, and you are in the heart of the European research network.
Would you like me to find a specific list of English-taught Biology/Neuroscience Bachelor's programs in Germany for the 2026 intake?
Oh my god thank you so much,can you find me a specific list of English-taught Biology/Neuroscience Bachelor's programs in Germany ? But as i didn't do ielts yet and i don't know german yet i think 2027 would be better. Im 19 now and as you can tell I have no idea about this but your answer helped a lot. I also thought about going to Germany so i would love your suggestions.
Karuna
Karin P.
Lecturer, Academic Advisor, Career Coach, Mentor
1209
Answers
Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
Updated
Karin’s Answer
Hi Karunamoyee,
Neuroscience is the multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary study of the brain and the nervous system. Therefore, you can come to it from different directions. Major sub-fields are cognitive neuroscience, behavioral neuroscience and molecular and cellular neuroscience. An undergraduate degree in neuroscience is interdisciplinary in nature and includes biology, psychology, physiology, chemistry, physics and computer science. You learn how neural systems govern behavior, cognition, and physiology. Others come to being a neuroscientist from biology, psychology or a medical background. Careers as a neuroscientist are typically in research and academia, in a clinical/medical role or in industries like biotech or pharma. Some careers might require a PhD, while others might require an MD/DO. So, it would make some sense for you to think about what part of neuroscience fascinates you and where you would like your career to go. That might decide what kind of undergraduate degree you want to pursue.
It's also worth noting, that in the US, you get a bachelors degree before you have to decide if you want to go to medical school or a PhD program. You could e.g. get an undergraduate degree in neuroscience before you go to med school if you want to do a medical career or to a PhD program in neuroscience. In (most of?) Europe, medical training typically starts from year 1. You would have to decide up front if you want a medical degree, a psychology degree or a neuroscience degree.
Samantha gave very good advice about the options in different countries. I would like to add a few things about Germany:
You find information about studying in Germany here:
https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/study-vocational-training
https://www.uni-assist.de/en/
https://anabin.kmk.org/cms/public/startseite
You find DAAD scholarship information for Bangladesh here: https://www.daad-bangladesh.org/en.
Another source of funding is the EU: https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities/opportunities-for-individuals/students/erasmus-mundus-joint-masters
It can be difficult to find scholarships for undergraduate degrees. Scholarships for graduate degrees or research stays are much more common. So, getting your undergraduate degree at home (or in another country) and coming to Germany for your graduate degree does make sense.
Relatively few undergraduate programs in Germany are purely in English, and not speaking the language in the country can be isolating. I would recommend that you learn German and attend a German-taught program so you are not limited in your choices. Graduate programs on the other hand are totally doable in English.
Stay away from private universities in Germany. In most cases they are just money-making machines, and a degree from there will be worth nothing. Attend a public university.
Tuition at public universities in Germany is free in most cases, but there are some semester fees to pay. Those are administrative fees and typically include a semester ticket for public transport. How much it is depends on the university, but it can be a few hundred €.
You also need a locked account with around €12000 to secure a student visa. The money is to make sure you can fund your studies for at least the first year. You will be allowed to work a part-time job while you study, but those can also be hard to find, especially if you don't speak much German. There are just too many people looking for jobs. So, don't plan to self-fund your studies from work.
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/germany/neuroscience-behavior
https://www.mygermanuniversity.com/subjects/neuroscience/bachelor
Neuroscience is the multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary study of the brain and the nervous system. Therefore, you can come to it from different directions. Major sub-fields are cognitive neuroscience, behavioral neuroscience and molecular and cellular neuroscience. An undergraduate degree in neuroscience is interdisciplinary in nature and includes biology, psychology, physiology, chemistry, physics and computer science. You learn how neural systems govern behavior, cognition, and physiology. Others come to being a neuroscientist from biology, psychology or a medical background. Careers as a neuroscientist are typically in research and academia, in a clinical/medical role or in industries like biotech or pharma. Some careers might require a PhD, while others might require an MD/DO. So, it would make some sense for you to think about what part of neuroscience fascinates you and where you would like your career to go. That might decide what kind of undergraduate degree you want to pursue.
It's also worth noting, that in the US, you get a bachelors degree before you have to decide if you want to go to medical school or a PhD program. You could e.g. get an undergraduate degree in neuroscience before you go to med school if you want to do a medical career or to a PhD program in neuroscience. In (most of?) Europe, medical training typically starts from year 1. You would have to decide up front if you want a medical degree, a psychology degree or a neuroscience degree.
Samantha gave very good advice about the options in different countries. I would like to add a few things about Germany:
You find information about studying in Germany here:
https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/study-vocational-training
https://www.uni-assist.de/en/
https://anabin.kmk.org/cms/public/startseite
You find DAAD scholarship information for Bangladesh here: https://www.daad-bangladesh.org/en.
Another source of funding is the EU: https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities/opportunities-for-individuals/students/erasmus-mundus-joint-masters
It can be difficult to find scholarships for undergraduate degrees. Scholarships for graduate degrees or research stays are much more common. So, getting your undergraduate degree at home (or in another country) and coming to Germany for your graduate degree does make sense.
Relatively few undergraduate programs in Germany are purely in English, and not speaking the language in the country can be isolating. I would recommend that you learn German and attend a German-taught program so you are not limited in your choices. Graduate programs on the other hand are totally doable in English.
Stay away from private universities in Germany. In most cases they are just money-making machines, and a degree from there will be worth nothing. Attend a public university.
Tuition at public universities in Germany is free in most cases, but there are some semester fees to pay. Those are administrative fees and typically include a semester ticket for public transport. How much it is depends on the university, but it can be a few hundred €.
You also need a locked account with around €12000 to secure a student visa. The money is to make sure you can fund your studies for at least the first year. You will be allowed to work a part-time job while you study, but those can also be hard to find, especially if you don't speak much German. There are just too many people looking for jobs. So, don't plan to self-fund your studies from work.
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
Karin recommends the following next steps:
Sammantha White
Pioneering
17
Answers
Arvin, California
Updated
Sammantha’s Answer
Hi ___. I've joined the Astra Foundation Inc group on CareerVillage.org. I think you should join me! Here's a link: https://www.careervillage.org/groups/todolists/6585/