IMT ‐ Institute for Advanced Studies Lucca - IMT PhD program

What you get

You will be offered a fully funded PhD place at the IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, a state-funded research university in Lucca, Italy. The scholarship amounts to 1,354 EUR per month (16,243 EUR gross per year) and is paid monthly over the duration of the 3-year programme. You will not pay any tuition fees, but only a regional education tax of 140 EUR per year. For the entire duration of your studies, you will be provided with free accommodation in a twin room on campus, as well as free lunch and dinner in the campus canteen. If you undertake research abroad, your scholarship will be increased by 50% for up to 12 months (up to 18 months under a joint supervision agreement). Teaching is conducted in English.

Who can apply

• Degree: You hold a Master’s degree (or a degree under the old system with a duration of four or five years) or a foreign qualification that entitles you to undertake doctoral studies in the country in which you obtained it. You may also apply if you are due to complete your degree by 31 October of the year of admission.
• Field of study: Your background is relevant to one of the following degree programmes: Neuroscience, Cultural Systems and Cultural Heritage, Economics and Decision Sciences, or Systems Sciences (including Computer Science and Control Engineering).
• English: You will need a good command of English, as all lessons are taught in English. A certificate is not required. You will declare your own language level, and this will be assessed during the interview.
• Nationality: Applicants of any nationality are welcome to apply. The selection process is international, and all applicants are treated equally.

How to apply

Applications are made online via the university’s application portal. The call for applications opens in around March or April and closes on 17 July. You must also submit a research proposal and two letters of recommendation. If your application is shortlisted, you will be invited to a selection interview, which will take place on campus, via video conference or at an Italian embassy. To be admitted, you must achieve at least 70 out of 100 marks.

How realistic are your chances?

The university awards around 32 scholarships annually for its various degree programmes, and selection takes place through a genuinely competitive process based on your academic achievements, your research proposal and your interview. As the places are spread across several specific departments, you’ll have the best chance of success if your background is a clear fit for a particular degree programme and you can demonstrate a clearly focused research idea. Make sure to apply well in advance of the deadline, as the portal experiences heavy traffic shortly before the deadline.