Guidelines and Application Form
ICGEB offers Short-term fellowships for Pre-doctoral studies in ICGEB Component laboratories to fund ongoing collaborative research between scientists from ICGEB Member States and research groups at ICGEB laboratories in Trieste, Italy, New Delhi, India and Cape Town, South Africa, to facilitate access to the latest research techniques and to strengthen capacity building.
Closing Date for Applications:
31 MARCH 2026, 23:59 CET
To Apply
Applicants should contact the ICGEB Group Leader/PI of their choice with a motivation letter to determine availability of laboratory space and to define the research project proposal that will form an integral part of the application.
Please note that the written statement from the ICGEB Group Leader you have contacted and who is willing to support your project, is mandatory to apply.
Eligibility
Applicants must be nationals of an ICGEB Member State and may not apply for fellowships to be undertaken in their country of origin, unless working abroad at the time of application.
Degree requirements: applicants for ICGEB Trieste and Cape Town should hold a BSc (Honours) degree; applicants for ICGEB New Delhi should hold an MSc degree.
Candidates must have a good working knowledge of the English language, supported by a proficiency certificate (TOEFL, Cambridge Certificate, or equivalent). This document is not required when English was the medium of instruction; however, the university must provide an official certificate attesting to this.
Financial support
Duration: 1-12 months
Monthly stipend: Trieste (Italy): Euro 1,500, New Delhi (India): US$1,122, Cape Town (South Africa): ZAR 16,500.
Travel: the fellowship includes provision for travel expenses from the participant’s home country to the ICGEB lab at the beginning of the fellowship and a return travel provision upon completion of the fellowship.
Medical health insurance coverage is provided for the duration of the fellowship.
Visa/permit of stay application and renewal costs are reimbursed.
ICGEB makes no financial provision, nor can it provide administrative support for family members of participants in the programme.
Submission
Please complete this application online.
Only one application per call is accepted for each candidate.
Documents to be uploaded
Please note that you will be requested to upload the following documents (PDF files):
(i) Your full CV
(ii) Written Statement from the ICGEB Group Leader
(iii) A valid identification document (passport or identity card). Recommended passport validity should be at least 12 months.
(iv) English Certificate (TOEFL, Cambridge or similar). This document is not required when English was the medium of instruction; however, the university must provide an official certificate attesting to this.
Selection
The ICGEB Fellowships Selection Committee will evaluate complete applications received by the closing date. Both successful and unsuccessful candidates will be notified of the outcome by e-mail only. Please note that the selection might take several weeks, depending on the number of applications received. Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unable to provide individual feedback to all applicants at the end of the selection process.
The main criteria for selection include the scientific excellence of the project, the qualities of the candidate’s CV and the potential benefit for the home country.
Accommodation
ICGEB Trieste: There is no housing service or accommodation facility. Fellows are provided with a list of possible contacts that offer housing options in Trieste.
ICGEB New Delhi: A Guest House is run on campus, on a twin-share basis, for a nominal rate.
ICGEB Cape Town: Accommodation support is provided to fellows. Arrangements are agreed upon before arrival.