86 PhD Positions at Scuola Normale Superiore

Scuola Normale Superiore has built a reputation as one of the most successful universities not only in Italy, but in an international level in terms of offering to its students ideal conditions to train and develop skills in the field of scientific research. Scuola Normale Superiore (SNS), with headquarters in Pisa and Florence, Italy, is one of the most internationally successful universities offering ideal living conditions to students and academic excellence in the field of scientific research. Currently one of the top five universities according to the Academic Ranking of World Universities, the SNS mission is to select the best students and provide them with optimal research conditions.

By joining SNS students will work closely with the acadenic staff, exchange ideas, skills and expertise through an open dialogue.

This year the University is offering 86 PhD scholarships in the following areas:

Pisa

• Philosophy;
• Modern Literature and Philology;
• Classics;
• History of Art;
• Modern and Contemporary History;
• Physics;
• Condensed Matter Physics;
• Mathematics;
• Financial Mathematics;
• Methods and Models for Molecular Sciences;
• Neursciences;
• Biophysical Sciences.

Florence

• Renaissance Studies (joint degree with the Istituto Nazionale di Studi sul Rinascimento);
• Political Science and Sociology (joint degree with the University of Bologna).

Eligibility

The call for scholarships is open to Italian and international students fulfilling the following main criteria:

• Having completed an Italian laurea magistrale or equivalent degree from outside Italy within 31 October 2015;
• Born after 31 October 1985;
• Have not been sentenced to prison for more than three years in final judgment;
• Have not been subject to the disciplinary measure of “expulsion” as specified in article 20 of the didactic and internal regulations of the SNS;
• Are not in possession of a research doctorate issued by an Italian university, and in any case have never  benefitted from a scholarship to attend a research doctorate course in Italy.

Scholarships

All students admitted to the PhD program will receive full financial support (tuition, fees, and a cost of living stipend EUR 14,187  per year, plus free meals). Students can keep the support provided they are making satisfactory progress during their PhD programme. The University will assign further funding for their research activity and travel.

Application

Deadline for application is 31 August 2015.

Students interested in applying for the PhD programme at SNS should prepare the following documents in PDF format:

1. Copy of a valid identification document, passport for non-European Union (EU) citizens;
2. Recent Europass CV;
3. Copy of the laurea magistrale (master) degree thesis, possibly with an English abstract. Candidates who have not yet completed their thesis, or whose thesis was in a language other than English or Italian, must present an extended abstract in English;
4. Diploma supplement or similar documentation indicating the courses completed and marks and the final degree results obtained;
5. Copies of any publications;
6. Candidate’s research proposal.

These documents must be in English or Italian or accompanied by a translation into one of these languages.

Candidates will also have to provide the name and email address of at least two experts working in the candidate’s field(s) from whom the SNS may request a reference letter.

In order to submit the required documents, students will have to register online and fill in the online application form after the successful registration.

Remember, the deadline for applications is 31 August 2015 for the autumn session.

For more information please visit the official website.