La Caixa Foundation & The Institute of Mathematical Sciences - ICMAT - Instituto de Ciencias Matemáticas - Severo Ochoa (ICMAT) PhD Fellowhips

Severo Ochoa PhD Fellowships at ICMAT

You will receive a 4-year employment contract for your PhD in Mathematics at the Instituto de Ciencias Matemáticas (ICMAT) in Madrid. This is a paid position, not a scholarship. You will be employed as a PhD student and will therefore receive a salary and social security benefits. The salary starts at around 1,180 EUR per month and increases over the course of the four years. In addition to your salary, you will receive an annual allowance to cover tuition fees, books, software and travel to conferences or research visits to other institutes. The ICMAT is jointly run by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and three universities in Madrid.

Who can apply

• Degree level: You have completed a Master’s degree (or will have completed one before commencing your PhD) and are enrolled on a PhD programme or are eligible for admission to one.
• Field: Mathematics. You can contribute to any of ICMAT’s main areas of research, ranging from partial differential equations and geometry to quantum information theory.
• No doctorate yet: You do not yet hold a doctorate.
• No prior funding: You have not yet held this type of Spanish PhD contract for longer than 12 months.
• Nationality: Any nationality can apply.
• Grades: You have an excellent academic record.
• English: You are able to work in English and present your research findings.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted online via the CSIC’s electronic portal. The deadline for applications is approximately 1 October. A panel assesses applicants on the basis of their academic achievements and research potential. Shortlisted candidates are usually invited to an interview.

How realistic are your chances?

The field is highly competitive: the institute is looking exclusively for mathematicians with a PhD, and only a handful of posts (around five) are advertised each time. Competition amongst qualified applicants is therefore fierce. If you have an outstanding academic record, clearly fit in with one of ICMAT’s key research areas and have the support of a supervisor, your prospects are good. Applying early and focusing on a specific research topic make a decisive difference.