Sara Saheb Kashaf
PhD Student
“I didn’t realise just how important the research environment was until I was in the right environment.”
EMBL International PhD Programme
Established in 1983, the programme provides students with the best starting platform for a successful career in science.
Characterised by first-class training, internationality, dedicated mentoring and early independence in research, the EMBL International PhD Programme is among the world’s most competitive PhD training schemes.
EMBL-EBI provides a highly collaborative, interdisciplinary environment in which research and data service provision are closely allied.
We are a world leader in bioinformatics, at the centre of global efforts to collect and disseminate biological information. We share a campus with the Wellcome Sanger Institute, 20 km (11 miles) south of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.
EMBL-EBI’s PhD students are all part of the EMBL International PhD Programme, and also are registered with the University of Cambridge and enjoy all the benefits of university membership.
How it works
- Once accepted in to the EMBL International PhD Programme, students register with the University of Cambridge and apply to a college
- Students participate fully in college life
- The Programme is coordinated at EMBL Heidelberg, with local support at EMBL-EBI
- EMBL-EBI PhD students receive theoretical and practical training
- Students conduct a research project under the supervision of an EMBL faculty member, monitored by a Thesis Advisory Committee
- EMBL PhD students at EMBL-EBI receive their degree from the University of Cambridge
When to apply
Application opens: 25 January 2024
Application submission deadline: 11 March 2024, 23:59 CEST
Reference deadline: 13 March 2024, 23:59 CEST
Interview dates:
Screening interviews (online): between 25 March – 11 April 2024
Virtual panel assessment (online): 30 April
In-person interviews (onsite):
10– 14 June 2024 (at EMBL-EBI and EMBL Barcelona, Grenoble, Hamburg and Rome)
17 – 20 June 2024 (at EMBL Heidelberg)
Expected start date: Flexible; by October 2024 at the latest
Registration for the next PhD recruitment round is now open.
Interviews will be conducted in a virtual format. Full details regarding the interview process will be sent to invited candidates.
Information for applicants: EMBL does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interviews, processing, training or any other fees). EMBL will not ask for any bank details.
Research topics
When you apply for the EMBL International PhD Programme, you are asked to:
- Select two EMBL research units
- Indicate up to four research areas that interest you
PhD project timeline
The duration of PhD studies is normally 3.5 to 4 years.
Year 1
- All new PhD students will attend the EMBL Predoctoral Core Course in Molecular Biology in Heidelberg
- Primers for predocs for EMBL-EBI PhD students only
- Nomination of a Thesis Advisory Committee to monitor student progress
- Submit and defend a Project Proposal (Qualifying Assessment)
Year 2
Second annual report to the Thesis Advisory Committee
Year 3
Third annual report to the Thesis Advisory Committee
Year 3/4
Write and submit thesis; PhD awarded following committee approval and successful completion of an oral examination
Related links
Meet our PhD students
Ioannis Riziotis
PhD Student
“Open Access is the essence of my work; having free access to protein data is crucial for me.”
Hillary Elrick
PhD Student
“When it came time for me to apply for PhD positions, EMBL-EBI was top of my list because I knew in terms of bioinformatics, I would learn a lot here.”