European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) Doctoral Student Programme in Switzerland

Applications for the 2027 Switzerland CERN Doctoral Student Programme is now open for all interested and qualified international students.

At CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, physicists and engineers are probing the fundamental structure of the universe.

Using the world’s largest and most complex scientific instruments, they study the basic constituents of matter – fundamental particles that are made to collide together at close to the speed of light.

The process gives physicists clues about how particles interact, and provides insights into the fundamental laws of nature. 

To be considered for the CERN Doctoral Student Programme, you will need to meet the following requirements:

• You are a national of a CERN Member State or Associate Member State. Currently, we cannot consider applications from Pakistani, Lithuanian, Latvian, Cypriot and Croatian nationals, as the ceiling defined under Article II.5 of the Associate Membership Agreement has been reached.

• You have a good knowledge of English or French.

• Your university must support your participation in the programme. This means that your university should agree that the research you conduct at CERN will contribute to your PhD thesis. Additionally, your field of study should align with CERN’s research areas, including, but not limited to, physics, engineering, computing, and related applied sciences.

• You must be enrolled in a doctoral program in a relevant field such as physics, engineering, computer science, or a related discipline. You should have begun your doctoral studies at the time of application.

Your responsibilities:

• Carry out your doctoral research in collaboration with CERN and your home university.

• Contribute to ongoing projects in domains such as applied physics, computing, engineering or related technical fields.

• Present and document your work as part of your academic and research objectives.

• Learn from and work alongside world-class scientists, engineers and technicians within an international and multidisciplinary team.

Your profile:

• Your field of study is in Applied Physics, Engineering, Computing, or a related area.

• You are motivated to develop your research in a hands-on, collaborative, and innovative environment.

• You enjoy teamwork and learning from others in a collaborative setting.

Your skills:

• Solid theoretical foundation in your research area, combined with an interest in practical applications.

• Curiosity, precision, and a proactive attitude towards learning.

• Good communication skills and ability to work effectively in a multicultural team.

During your studies, CERN will provide you with:

• A monthly allowance of 3907 Swiss Francs (tax free).

• 30 days of paid leave per year plus 2 weeks annual closure.

• Coverage by CERN’s comprehensive Health Insurance scheme (the contribution will be automatically deducted from your allowance).

• Family supplement to subsistence allowance, depending on your individual circumstances.

• Travel expenses to Geneva upon joining CERN, depending on your individual circumstances.

• A contract duration for 12 months, renewable up to 3 years, with possibility to spread over a maximum duration of 4 consecutive years to allow you to spend time at the university.

You will need these documents to complete your application

• Your CV (English or French)

• Any document you consider relevant to your application

• An academic reference letter (optional)

• An academic transcript (optional)

To apply for the 2027 Switzerland CERN Student Programme, interested and qualified applicants should;

• 1

  Click the button below to visit the scholarship page.

• 2

  Your application, along with all supporting documents, should be submitted no later than October 16th, 2026 (at 23:59 CET).

• 3

  You will need the following documents, in English or in French, clearly labelled (e.g. “CV”, “Motivation letter”, “Academic transcript”, etc.) and in PDF format to complete your application

• 4

  You may upload the reference letter yourself, whilst submitting your application, or through your referee via the link you will receive shortly after submitting your application.