Open PhD and Postdoc Positions

ASP is permanently offering open PhD and postdoctoral positions. In addition, you can spontaneously apply at every single research group at any time.

Working on problems together.

Image: Anna Schroll

Abbe School of Photonics

Image: ASP
Master's degree programs Explore our master's degree programs, scopes, course schedules, application process and scholarship offerings. Enrolled ASP students will find important information for each semester.
Image: Jens Meyer (University of Jena)
Scholarships available! Our master's scholarships are based on criteria of academic excellence and are granted for 12 and sometimes even 24 months, thus covering either one year or the entire two-year master's degree adapted to the living expenses in Jena.
Image: Jan-Peter Kasper (University of Jena)
Doctoral/PhD program The Abbe School of Photonics doctoral program offers complementary educational modules during your doctoral studies, including additional skills training, guest lectures and specialization courses.
Image: MPSP/FSU Jena
At a Glance The Abbe School of Photonics (ASP) offers a full-scale academic education in optics and photonics at one of the oldest and most reputable universities in Germany.
Image: Jenoptik AG
Events ASP and their partners are organizing a thrilling and inspiring program throughout the whole year, including international conferences and workshops, keynote lectures, and research group seminars.
Image: Jan Bernert (IAP Jena)
MSc Photonics Alumni Since 2009, more than 500 students successfully graduated in the Photonics Master's programme at ASP.

Upcoming events at ASP and partners

Picture: Jan-Peter Kasper (University of Jena)
Hot and dense plasma generation by relativistic interaction of ultra-short laser pulses with solid targets
28 Aug 2025
16:30 ·
- Conference
Doctoral thesis defense by M. Sc. Ehsan Eftekhari Zadeh
- presence
- public
- barrier-free
Image: Green Office Uni Jena
city cycling 2025
29 Aug—19 Sept 2025
- Excursion
- Festive event
Friedrich Schiller University will participate in City Cycling from August 29 to September 18, 2025.
- presence
- public
- Subject to registration
Image: AI-generated
Real-Time Coherent Control for Scalable Photonic Quantum Systems
1 Sept 2025
8:30 ·
- Lecture
Invited Talk within the CZS Center QPhoton Symposium by Jonas JUNKER (Technical University of Denmark)
- presence
- online
- public
- barrier-free
Image: AI-generated
Integrated Quantum Photonics with 2D Semiconductors
1 Sept 2025
10:00 ·
- Lecture
Invited Talk within the CZS Center QPhoton Symposium by Zlata FEDOROVA (Friedrich Schiller University Jena)
- presence
- online
- public
- barrier-free
Image: AI-generated
Optimal Quantum Tensor Network Representation via Augmented Vectors
1 Sept 2025
13:30 ·
- Lecture
Invited Talk within the CZS Center QPhoton Symposium by Dario CILLUFFO (Ulm University)
- presence
- online
- public
- barrier-free
Image: AI-generated
Quantum Physical Neural Networks as ‘Smart Sensors’
1 Sept 2025
15:00 ·
- Lecture
Invited Talk within the CZS Center QPhoton Symposium by Fan WU (Cornell University)
- presence
- online
- public
- barrier-free

All events

Who we are

Holographic setup in the main physics lecture hall
Picture: MPSP.

The Abbe School of Photonics (ASP) offers internationalized education programs with multidisciplinary coverage in the field of optics, photonics and quantum technology. Topics range from current scientific aspects to engineering with product applications possible in major economic sectors, such as information and communication technology, medicine and health, manufacturing, and energy consumption. Enrolled students are trained for positions in the technical industry or in the world of scientific research in higher academia. Our school is part of the Faculty of Physics and Astronomy at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena. Students enrolled in our Master of Science in Photonics or Master of Science in Quantum Science & Technology programs are offered a distinguished education track culminating in a structured doctoral program (equivalent to Ph.D. level). Attractive scholarships are available for high-performance applicants. Likewise, students who are enrolled in a Master of Science in Physics can specialize in optics and photonics by choosing from among all elective modules offered by ASP.

What we do

Front facet of the ACP research building.
Image: Jan-Peter Kasper (University of Jena)

The Master's degree and doctoral programs are based on the profound experience in optics education which distinguishes the Friedrich Schiller University Jena. The university has established optics and photonics as one of its key profile fields in education and research. ASP's education programs are embedded in the modern research environment of the Abbe Center of Photonics (ACP). This interfaculty center of the FSU Jena maintains strong bonds with local research institutions, such as the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision EngineeringExternal link, the Leibniz Institute of Photonic TechnologyExternal link, and the Helmholtz Institute JenaExternal link, as well as with several prominent industrial partners.