The ELLIS PhD program is a key pillar of the ELLIS initiative whose goal is to foster and educate the best talent in machine learning and related research areas by pairing outstanding students with leading academic and industrial researchers in Europe.
As ELSA supports the program, we are excited to share the news that applications for the 2026 programme have started!
Program Details
The program also offers a variety of networking and training activities, including summer schools and workshops. Students conduct an exchange of at least 6 months with the international advisor during their degree and can choose one of three tracks:
- Interdisciplinary Track – Cross-domain collaboration with an academic partner specialised in a field unrelated to AI (e.g., biology, law, finance, etc.)
- Academic Track – Collaboration in AI/Machine Learning with an academic partner in another country
- Industry Track – Collaboration in AI/Machine Learning with an Industry partner
You can find more general information here.
Deadlines:
- October 1, 2025: Application portal opens & Information session
- October 31, 2025, 23:59 AoE: application deadline (firm)
- November/December 2025: review stage
- January/February 2026: interview stage
- Late February/March 2026: decisions
- Program start: there is no common start for the PhD (depends on the advisor/institution)
How to apply
Interested candidates should apply online through the ELLIS application portal by October 31, 2025, 23:59 AoE. Applicants must first register on the portal.
After registering, applicants will receive their login details for the portal and can submit their application via apply.ellis.eu. Please read our FAQs and webpage before applying, as well as the details below.
Only complete applications will be considered.
Official Website
On the ELLIS website, you can find a complete overview of the program, including requirements, research areas, and more.