Fully Funded Open PhD Positions In Europe: Are you looking for open positions in Europe to enroll for a PhD degree in fields such as Biology, Computer Science, or any other professional fields? Then, explore our diverse selection of fully funded open PhD positions in Europe across these disciplines!
There are thousands of PhD positions available in Europe; however, our selection is based on criteria such as credibility, benefits, locations, and more. These programs offer various opportunities, including job offers, scholarships, access to modern research facilities, well-known supervisors, and a chance to study in a top-ranked European Institute.
Below is our top pick of fully funded open PhD positions in Europe:
Fully Funded Open PhD Positions In Europe
1. Biozentrum PhD Fellowships
The Biozentrum PhD Fellowships program was established in 2007 by Professor Joachim Seelig and Professor Jeff Schatz with the support of the Werner Siemens Foundation and the University of Basel. The program was designed to support professionals across the various fields in life sciences.
It aims to provide skilled and really driven young scientists from across the world the opportunity to expand their horizons in a wide variety of research issues. The unique aspect of the fellowship is that as a fellow, you have the rare chance to do research in different Biozentrum labs before making a decision.
- Host: University of Basel
- Location: Switzerland
- Eligible Country: Global opportunity
- Application Status: Ongoing
- Application Deadline: October 12, 2025
2. Life Science Zurich Graduate School
The graduate program in life sciences in Zurich is one of the biggest graduate schools offering fully funded open PhD positions in Europe. It is jointly administered by the University of Zurich and the ETH Zurich, and it offers 16 very competitive PhD programs and one MD/PhD program.
The purpose of the graduate program is to bring the brightest young scientists from all over the world to Zurich. Each year, it provides two enrollment deadlines – one in May and the other in November. The program offers more than 100 funded doctoral positions to motivated students seeking a PhD in the country. Selected candidates are provided with research and education possibilities, advanced teaching and training, and a well-organised mentoring system.
- Host: The University of Zurich and the ETH Zurich
- Location: Switzerland
- Eligible Country: Global opportunity
- Application Status: Ongoing
- Application Deadline:
- November 1, 2025
3. IMPRS for Living Matter
The International Max Planck Research School for Living Matter (IMPRS-LM) is a fully funded graduate program designed for PhD candidates of any nationality. The program focuses on the molecular, chemical, and physical properties that define biomolecular interactions.
The IMPRS-LM program is a collaborative research initiative that spans various eligible fields such as molecular and cellular biology, chemistry, physics, and other related disciplines. This initiative joins researchers across other fields with biologists to collaborate and cover a wide range of scientific and complicated topics.
- Host: Max Planck Society
- Location: Germany
- Eligible Country: Global opportunity
- Application Status: Ongoing
- Application Deadline: October 8, 2025
4. Pasteur–Paris University International Doctoral Program
The Pasteur Paris-University (PPU) international doctoral program is another leading fully funded open PhD program in Europe. It’s a competitive program in the Institute of Pasteur, Paris—the foremost biomedical research institution in the world.
The program is designed for highly qualified students from around the world to conduct research in one of the Institut Pasteur’s labs. Students carry out their research across a wide range of subjects, including Molecular and Cellular Biology, Microbiology, Genomics, Structural Biology, Biological Chemistry, Parasitology, Medical Mycology, Epidemiology, Imaging, and many others.
- Host: Institute of Pasteur
- Location: France
- Eligible Country: Global opportunity
- Application Status: Ongoing
- Application Deadline: October 20, 2025
5. Graduate School Life Science Munich (LSM)
The Graduate School Life Science Munich (LSM) is one of the graduate initiatives offering international students the opportunity to study in one of Europe’s top-ranked institutions-Ludwig-Maximilans-Universität München.
The LSM program brings together researchers across various fields in Life Sciences, which include Biochemistry, Biology, Ecology, Evolution, Microbiology, and Zoology, among others, to master and learn a variety of methods, either within their own research team or in partnership with a specific research team on campus.
- Host: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU)
- Location: Germany
- Eligible Country: Global opportunity
- Application Status: Ongoing
- Application Deadline: September 24, 2025
6. University of Geneva PhD School of Life Sciences
The University of Geneva PhD School of Life Sciences is another fully funded opportunity offered to students with a Master’s degree or its equivalent. The program is designed to provide an exceptional learning and research environment in various fields of Life Sciences.
The University of Geneva PhD School of Life Sciences offers six cutting-edge doctoral programs available for highly qualified candidates worldwide. This initiative offers interdisciplinary training leading to a PhD degree at the end of the disciplines–Molecular Biosciences, Ecology and Evolution, Genomics and Digital Health, Physics of Biology, Biomedical Sciences, and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
- Host: University of Geneva
- Location: Switzerland
- Eligible Country: Global opportunity
- Application Status: Ongoing
- Application Deadline: November 1, 2025
7. CEITEC PhD School
The CEITEC PhD School is an international program that is built upon a strategic alliance of the region’s top universities and research institutions belonging to the CEITEC research facility. The program is for highly qualified candidates pursuing doctoral degrees in the Czech Republic.
The Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC) PhD program covers a wide range of subjects in the field of life sciences, Advanced materials, Nanotechnologies and Neuroscience. The program is fully funded, and it’s available to all students across the world.
- Host: Masaryk University
- Location: Brno, Czech Republic
- Eligible Country: Global opportunity
- Application Status: Ongoing
- Application Deadline: October 31, 2025
8. PhD in Food Microbiology – Wageningen University & Research
Wageningen University & Research is globally recognised as one of the best research institutes. The institution offers a PhD program that focuses on covering food safety and control by offering graduates the opportunity to study and understand the microorganisms in food systems.
The goal of this study is to create risk assessment and predictive microbiology techniques that will aid in the creation of plant-based meat alternatives that are safe by design, reducing food waste and enhancing the sustainability of the supply chain.
- Host: Wageningen University & Research
- Location: Netherlands
- Eligible Country: Global opportunity
- Application Status: Ongoing
- Application Deadline: September 12, 2025
9. PhD position in Gene Regulation — Utrecht University
Utrecht University offers fully funded open PhD positions in Europe for global scientists pursuing a doctoral degree in the Netherlands. The program focuses on finding out how particular proteins control early transcription termination
Selected candidates will gain information about gene regulation, develop critical thinking abilities, become independent scientists, and have an increase in understanding when it comes to experimenting and analysing data.
- Host: Utrecht University
- Location: Netherlands
- Eligible Country: Global opportunity
- Application Status: Ongoing
- Application Deadline: September 9, 2025
10. EPFL EDIC PhD Opening (Computer & Communication Sciences)
The EDIC (Doctoral Program in Computer and Communication Sciences) at EFL is another fully funded PhD program for students who are passionate about research in computer science, data science and other related fields.
The École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) graduate program offers graduate students a stimulating intellectual atmosphere, plentiful resources, and an amazing network of academic institutions as they work alongside industry professionals.
- Host: École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
- Location: Lausanne, Switzerland
- Eligible Country: Global opportunity
- Application Status: Ongoing
- Application Deadline: December 15, 2025
11. ISTA PhD Program
The ISTA PhD program is one of the fully funded open PhD positions in Europe designed to train intellectually diverse and open-minded scientists who can tackle issues from a variety of perspectives. The program is conducted entirely in English, and it’s available for highly qualified students across the world.
Selected candidates participate in a one-of-a-kind interdisciplinary training curriculum that combines research and classroom instruction, as well as close supervision by renowned faculty members from diverse fields which span biology, physics, neuroscience, and others.
- Host: The Institute of Science and Technology Austria (INSTA)
- Location: Austria
- Eligible Country: Global opportunity
- Application Status: Pending, opens the 2nd half of October 2025
- Application Deadline: January 8, 2026
12. IMPRS for Intelligent Systems
The International Max Planck Research School for Intelligent Systems (IMPRS) is a fully funded PhD program in Germany, Europe. It offers a doctoral training program for exceptional students from all over the world in various fields, which include engineering, computer science, mathematics, neuroscience, physics, and other related disciplines.
The program is jointly run by the University of Stuttgart and the University of Tübingen with the aim of creating a well-known graduate school. The primary purpose of IMPRS is to educate PhD candidates on how to research and understand the organizing principles of artificial intelligence systems that can successfully interact with complex environments.
- Host: The University of Stuttgart and The University of Tübingen
- Location: Germany
- Eligible Country: Global opportunity
- Application Status: Pending, opening soon
Application Deadline: November 16, 2025