The Doctoral Student Programme lets you complete the research for your PhD thesis at CERN, the world’s largest particle-physics laboratory, on the French-Swiss border near Geneva. You stay enrolled at your home university, which must approve the CERN work as counting toward your doctorate, while working alongside CERN teams in one of the lab’s fields — physics, engineering, computing, mathematics and related technical areas. It is a paid, hands-on placement rather than a taught degree: CERN hosts and pays you; your university awards the PhD.
Benefits & funding
- Monthly net allowance of 3,907 Swiss francs (CHF).
- Coverage under CERN’s comprehensive health insurance scheme (a contribution is deducted from the allowance).
- Family supplement depending on personal circumstances.
- Reimbursement of travel to Geneva on taking up the contract, subject to conditions.
- 30 days of paid leave per year plus a two-week annual closure.
Eligibility
- Be a national of a CERN Member State or Associate Member State (see the structured nationality list; ceiling limits can temporarily exclude some nationalities in a given intake).
- Have started, or be about to start, a doctoral programme at a university.
- Pursue thesis research in one of CERN’s fields of work (science, technology, engineering, mathematics and related areas), approved by your university as part of your PhD.
- Have a good knowledge of English or French.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Eligible nationalities
Austria · Belgium · Bulgaria · Czechia · Denmark · Estonia · Finland · France · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Israel
+ 24 more
Italy · Netherlands · Norway · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Serbia · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain · Sweden · Switzerland · UK · Brazil · Chile · Croatia · Cyprus · India · Ireland · Latvia · Lithuania · Pakistan · Türkiye · Ukraine
Education required
Master · PhD Enrolled
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Application process
- 1Prepare a CV and, optionally, an academic reference letter.
- 2Complete the online application on the CERN careers site when the programme is open (reopening 6 August 2026).
- 3Take part in a phone or video interview with the hiring manager(s).
- 4Receive an offer and complete onboarding if selected.
Program timeline
Applications reopen on the CERN careers site.
6 August 2026
Contract
initial 6 months, renewable up to 3 years, spread over a maximum of 4 consecutive years.