CERN Doctoral Student Program 2027 in Geneva, Switzerland (Fully Funded)

Overview

The CERN Doctoral Student Programme lets research students work at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, in Meyrin near Geneva, Switzerland. Doctoral students spend up to 36 months at CERN while completing their thesis, working on advanced research projects alongside scientists and engineers in applied physics, engineering, computing and related fields. The initial contract is for 12 months and can be extended up to 36 months, and the programme can be spread over a maximum of four years in coordination with the university.

Who can apply

Applicants must be nationals of a CERN Member or Associate Member State and be enrolled in a doctoral programme or about to enrol at a university. The thesis work should be relevant to both CERN and the PhD degree, which must be awarded by the applicant's own university. A good command of English and French is required.

Applications from Pakistani, Lithuanian, Latvian, Cypriot and Croatian nationals cannot currently be considered, because the limit set under the Associate Membership Agreement has been reached.

What you get

Participants receive a tax-free monthly allowance of 3907 Swiss Francs, health insurance, a travel allowance to Geneva and a family supplement where applicable. They also get 30 days of paid leave per year plus two weeks of annual closure.

How to apply

Applicants complete the online application form, entering personal information, education and experience, uploading a resume, adding social media profile links, describing their interest and providing the other details requested. The required document is a CV in English or French, plus any other document considered relevant. An academic reference letter and an academic transcript are optional.

Key dates

The last date to apply is 16 October 2026 at 23:59 Geneva time.