Funding

Fully Funded

Program dates

TBA

PhD Scholarship•Italy · Pisa

Scuola Normale Superiore PhD Scholarships

Scuola Normale Superiore

Application Deadline

August 3, 2026

Official Page

Scuola Normale Superiore (SNS) is a selective public higher-education and research institution in Italy, with sites in Pisa and Florence. Its annual doctoral admission competition recruits candidates into four-year PhD programmes spanning the Faculty of Sciences (chemistry, quantum technology and nanoscience, neuroscience and more), the Faculty of Humanities (philosophy, modern literature, classics, history, history of art), and the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences (political science and sociology). All PhD courses are open to Italian and non-Italian students, and every admitted student is funded.

Benefits & funding

  • A full scholarship for the four years of the programme.
  • Financial support for accommodation (or on-campus housing) in Pisa or Florence.
  • Free meals at the School’s canteen.
  • No registration fees; the School refunds the regional student tax.
  • Additional funding for research activities in Italy and abroad.

Eligibility

  • Open to students of any nationality.
  • A master’s degree, or an equivalent non-Italian qualification, obtained within five years before the application deadline.
  • Candidates may not already hold an Italian PhD or have received an Italian PhD scholarship.

Can you apply?

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  • Education required

    Master

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Application process

  1. 1
    Choose the PhD course and faculty session that matches your field.
  2. 2
    Prepare your research project, CV, degree documents, and reference details as required by the call.
  3. 3
    Submit the online application through the SNS ESSE3 portal (sns.esse3.cineca.it) before the session deadline.
  4. 4
    Shortlisted candidates are interviewed on the scheduled dates; final rankings determine admission.

Program timeline

  1. Humanities session application deadline (single session; closed).

    Apr 13, 2026

  2. Sciences faculty second-session application deadline (closed).

    Jun 22, 2026

  3. Political and Social Sciences second-session application deadline.

    Aug 3, 2026

  4. Political and Social Sciences interviews and final ranking.

    Sep 8, 2026 to Sep 18, 2026

  5. 42nd-cycle programmes begin.

    Autumn 2026