 He started studying chemistry in Manchester with William Henry.The young Schunck was sent to further his chemical studies to Berlin where he studied under Heinrich Rose (1795–1864) who discovered niobium, diligently analysed minerals and other inorganic substances and studied the chemistry of titanium, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, sulphur, selenium and tellurium.Schunck also studied at Berlin under Heinrich Gustav Magnus (1802–1870) who published over 80 papers on many diverse topics in chemistry and physics.