Notification For EMBL International PhD Programme – 2017
The EMBL International PhD Programme, originally established in 1983, represents the flagship of EMBL’s commitment to first class training and education. Internationality, dedicated mentoring and early independence in research characterise our programme. Considered to be one of the most competitive PhD training schemes to enter, we are committed to providing EMBL PhD students with the best starting platform for a successful career in science.
The EMBL International PhD Programme is directed by Helke Hillebrand – Academic Coordinator, EICAT and Dean of Graduate Studies.
The EMBL International PhD Programme is Europe’s ‘best in class’ PhD programme for the life sciences. 240 students from over 40 countries are carrying out PhD research at EMBL at any time. Every year we admit an average of 60 new students, who belong to the top science graduates in their countries. They are carefully selected from a large multi-national pool of applicants that reached over 1700 applications in 2012.
Research Units :
EMBL Heidelberg
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit
- Developmental Biology Unit
- Directors’ Research
- Genome Biology Unit
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit
EMBL Grenoble
EMBL Hamburg
EMBL-EBI Hinxton
EMBL Monterotondo
ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS AND APPLICATION PROCEDURE
We welcome applications from highly qualified students of all nationalities. Applicants must hold, or anticipate receiving before enrolment, a university degree that would formally qualify them to enter a PhD or equivalent programme in the country where the degree was obtained. All applications need to be supported by a minimum of two academic reference letters and are evaluated solely on the basis of qualification and scientific potential.
Selection advantage rules for PhD candidates who previously worked at EMBL
Please note that association with the EMBL during any time of the predoctoral recruitment procedure (from the application deadline until the date of the initial admission assessment) and/or an extended association with EMBL of more than 3 months duration during the year before application are considered to imply a selection advantage. Among the applicants with a ‘selection advantage’ only high potential applicants are eligible to be invited for interviews. They should preferably have a “rare background” (e.g. mathematics, physics, chemistry, engineering) and should come from one of EMBL’s Member States. In addition, the total number of invited candidates with a ‘selection advantage’ within a given round of recruitment should not exceed more than 10%. In order not to limit invitations of eligible external candidates, applications from candidates with a ‘selection advantage’ will be reviewed by the Graduate Committee at the application stage. At the interview stage applicants with a ‘selection advantage’ must clear their Initial Admission Assessment (IAA) with a panel not representing the research unit where the ‘selection advantage’ was acquired.
Please do not hesitate to contact the EMBL International PhD Programme for any further questions.
Read About Interview Week
REFERENCE REQUIREMENTS
You can submit your application irrespective of the fact if your referees have completed the online reference form or not, as the submission does not impede referees access to the application. As stated within the online application form we only accept references provided through institutional email accounts.
Only in cases where the referee does not have an institutional email address, i.e. only holds a ‘hotmail’, ‘gmail’ etc. account, we ask you to:
1. Complete the form with the available email address.
2. Inform your referee NOT to complete the online form.
3. Ask your referee to send a reference letter on institutional headed paper, signed and stamped as a PDF document to [email protected]
4. Ask your referee to include your application ID number (7 digits) in the reference letter.
Referees must submit their online references by latest 26 October 2016, 23:59 CEST (GMT+2). We strongly suggest that you complete the ‘general info’ and ‘references’ part of the online application first in order to give your referees enough time to complete the reference online. Furthermore please make sure to contact your referees before completing this part in order to find out if they are available and willing to provide a reference. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that references reach us on time.
FELLOWSHIPS
Duration of PhD thesis and financial support
The typical duration of a PhD thesis at EMBL is 3.5 to 4 years. EMBL predoctoral fellowships are initially awarded for 3.5 years, with the possibility of a half-year extension. The stipend is competitive by international standards and includes broad health care benefits and pension.
Thesis Supervision
In addition to the day-to-day supervision by the group leader, each EMBL PhD student has a thesis advisory committee, consisting of the group leader and ordinarily 3 other advisors (typically one additional EMBL group leader from the same and one from a different unit, and a non-EMBL scientist- where possible from a university of one of the member states), who guide the student during thesis work. After the first 6 months, students prepare a written outline of their thesis project and discuss it with their thesis committee. At the end of the first, second and third year of the thesis, students write an annual report on their work, give a seminar, and discuss the report and seminar with their thesis advisory committee.
Predoctoral Courses
At the beginning of the first year (i.e. in October/November), a special PhD student course (‘Core Course in Molecular Biology’) is taught by the EMBL faculty. The course is organized by the Graduate Committee, covers all scientific areas represented at the EMBL and includes lectures, practicals and student seminars.
PhD degree
In December 1997, in recognition of the high quality of its EMBL International PhD Programme, EMBL was granted the right to award its own PhD, becoming the first international institution providing training in molecular biology in Europe that may do so. Currently, EMBL’s students obtain their degree from a national university or jointly with EMBL. EMBL is also interested in promoting research at the interface between Molecular Biology and Medicine. We will offer the possibility to pursue an MD/PhD degree to medically qualified candidates on a case by case basis.
How to Apply :
Application for Spring Recruitment 2017 is now open. Please apply here.
| Application opens | 01 August 2016 | ||||||||
| Registration Deadline | 17 October 2016, 23:59 CEST (GMT+2), via the online application form | ||||||||
| Application Deadline | 24 October 2016, 23:59 CEST (GMT+2) | ||||||||
| Reference Deadline | 26 October 2016, 23:59 CEST (GMT+2) | ||||||||
| Interview dates | EMBL-EBI Hinxton
EMBL Grenoble EMBL Hamburg EMBL Monterotondo EMBL Heidelberg |
25 to 27 January 2017
27 January 2017 25 to 26 January 2017 25 to 27 January 2017 30 January to 03 February 2017 |
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Application results will be sent at the end of November 2016. Full details about the interview procedure will additionally be sent to invited candidates.
Information to applicants: The EMBL does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training or any other fees). The EMBL does not concern itself with information on bank accounts.
