CERN - Doctoral Student Programme

CERN Doctoral Student Programme

You will receive a monthly net payment of about 3,011 EUR scholarship for your PhD research at CERN, the European particle physics laboratory near Geneva in Switzerland. Your contract will run for 6 months and may be extended for up to 3 years, spread over a maximum of 4 years, so that you can also spend time at your home university. In addition to your salary, you will receive CERN health insurance (the contribution is deducted from your pay), 30 days’ paid annual leave, as well as a two-week annual company holiday period and, depending on your circumstances, a family allowance and reimbursement of your travel expenses to Geneva. CERN does not cover any tuition or enrolment fees at your home university.

Who can apply

• Study status: You have started a PhD programme or are about to do so, and would like to base your thesis on research carried out at CERN.
• University agreement: Your home university recognises your work at CERN as part of your PhD.
• Nationality: You are a national of a CERN Member State or an Associated Member State. Places for certain countries may already have been allocated in a particular round once their quota has been filled.
• Field of study: You are studying physics, mathematics, computer science, data science or an engineering discipline (civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering or materials science, as well as software and IT).
• Language: You speak English or French well.

How to apply

You should apply online, submitting your CV in English or French. You may attach a letter of recommendation and a reference. There are several recruitment rounds each year. If your profile meets the requirements, CERN will invite you to an online interview with the HR manager before making a job offer.

How realistic are your chances?

This is a competitive, internationally recognised programme at one of the world’s leading research laboratories, so competition is fierce. Your chances depend on two key factors: a current PhD topic that is genuinely relevant to the work at CERN, and a home university that supports this arrangement. If these requirements are met and there are still places available under your country’s quota, apply early in the application round, as places for some nationalities are snapped up quickly.