Application Process

Before you apply, please read the information below and on the FAQ page carefully. Check also our example application form to help you preparing your application.

1) Online Registration

Please register via the "Apply here" button below and provide us with:

  • your personal data, including your current university or institute affiliation and contact details
  • Contact details of at least two referees. Your referees should be senior scientists (group leaders or professors) and know you well, preferably having supervised you during a research project.

We cannot consider applications until we have received at least two reference letters. Therefore, please ensure that you contact your referees before registering to inform them of your intention to apply to the ISS. Additionally, please make sure that they will be able to provide a reference in time.

It is not possible to change your referees once you have completed the registration process. Your nominated referees will receive a personalised link to the reference form. You will be notified by email when a reference letter has been submitted.

Importantly, once you have completed the registration form, you will immediately receive a link to your personalised online application form via email. Therefore, please make sure to check your spam folder if you have not received an email within an hour.

2) Online Application Form

The link to your personalized application form is located at the end of the email you receive after completing your registration. The application must be completed in English until 24 April 2024 (12:00 noon CEST)

In the first step, you need to choose a password. It will allow you to access your application again in case you do not finish all steps of the application at once. Please, make sure you don’t forget your password.
Important: Once you have completed your application and submitted it via the online portal, you cannot access it any longer. Therefore, please make sure you have added and checked all important information before submission.

We recommend you to read the annotated application example, to help filling in your application (click here to download an example).

Information required for application:

  • Details of your degrees (BSc, MSc)
  • Details of any other post-graduate degrees, awards, honours or distinctions (description with a maximum of 250 words)
  • Details on any research stay abroad during studies
  • Details of past research experience
  • A list of your publications (PubMed format) and your conference contributions (title of presentation or poster, date and location of the conference), if applicable
  • Which groups you are interested in working with; up to 5 may be selected. For an overview of the groups participating in the ISS 2024, please visit "Participating Groups".
  • Motivational statement describing your interest in the ISS and your chosen groups (maximum of 300 words). 

You will be asked to upload the following documents in PDF format:

  • Curriculum vitae (max size 3 MB), including information on your:
    - education
    - previous research experience
    - internships
    - awards & honours
    - conference contributions
    - list of publications in international peer-reviewed journals (PubMed format)
     
  • A single file (max size 4 MB) containing:
    - University registration certificate that confirms your status as a student (if applicable)
    - University studies as far as completed (mandatory, including certificates of qualification and transcripts of records)
    - High school certificate (if available)
    - Relevant extra-curricular activities or awards
    - English language test certificate (if available)

If degree forms and records from your university or high school certificates are not available in English, we do not require authorised translations for this application. If you encounter any technical problems, please contact the ISS Team (e-mail).

3) Selection of participants

About 10 participants will be invited to the ISS 2024. Your application will be evaluated in a multi-level selection process and we kindly ask for your understanding that it may take about 6 weeks after the application deadline until we inform you of the final outcome.