Call for Applications

Are you a student who dreams of earning a PhD in physics or mathematics, but who lives in a country lacking such opportunities? ICTP could be your first step on the path to attaining a PhD possible.

The Centre's one-year Postgraduate Diploma Programme helps students from disadvantaged countries gain the knowledge and study skills they need to pursue PhD degrees anywhere in the world. Over the years, more than 1000 students from 78 developing countries have benefitted from the Programme, and have gone on to do PhDs at prestigious universities, including in Europe and North America.  Diploma alumni continue to maintain an active collaboration with ICTP throughout their careers.

Applications for the 2023-2024 Diploma Programme are now being accepted; the deadline is 28 February 2023. Applicants must apply online at https://e-applications.ictp.it/applicant/login/3822.

The Postgraduate Diploma Programme is open to young, qualified graduates with a degree equivalent to an MSc in physics, mathematics, or a related field, and fluency in English. The Programme comprises two semesters of classes, followed by a research project and dissertation. Students can apply to study in one of five subject areas:

• High Energy, Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
• Condensed Matter Physics
• Earth System Physics
• Mathematics
• Quantitative Life Sciences

ICTP awards a limited number of scholarships (around 10 per field) to successful candidates from developing countries (with particular emphasis on students from the least developed regions of the world) to cover travel and living expenses during their stay at the Centre. The selection of the candidates is based on their university performance as well as on academic recommendations.

Find out more about the application and admissions process for the Postgraduate Diploma Programme.

Read about the experience of former Diploma students.