IGFAE announces the 2026 Summer Fellowships for undergraduate students

The Instituto Galego de Física de Altas Enerxías (IGFAE), a joint center of the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela and the Xunta de Galicia, announces once again in 2026 its Summer Fellowship program.

The objective of these fellowships is to bring research closer to undergraduate students from all over the world, attracting high‑level students who are interested in carrying out extracurricular internships within the framework of a scientific project.

The selected people will join the daily activity of the IGFAE, accredited as a María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence by the State Research Agency, and a member of the CIGUS network of the Xunta de Galicia, which recognizes the quality and impact of its research.

Applications may be addressed to any of the center’s research areas, such as particle physics, astroparticle and nuclear physics, or quantum science and technology. Fellowships are also reserved for profiles from other areas of knowledge, who will join the management unit, and communication or outreach tasks.

The application period will begin on June 10, 2026, and will remain open until June 16 at 23:59 (CEST).

Links:

• Text of the call
• Application form

A minimum of 6 positions are offered, under the following conditions:

1. To be studying one of the last two years of any degree in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) or any other university system (at least 55% of the degree credits passed).
2. The average grade of the academic transcript must be equal to or higher than 8 points on a 10‑point scale, having passed at least 55% of the degree credits.
3. The selection and awarding criteria are established on a maximum score of 10 points: 70% of the evaluation will be the academic record; 20% the curriculum (publications, awards, and training related to the fellowship); and 10% the expression of interest stated in the cover letter.
4. The internships will take place over one month, preferably from July 1 to July 31, 2026. The working day will be 30 hours per week, and the schedule will be agreed upon with the researcher responsible for each project.

1. Five fellowships are reserved for students enrolled in degrees in Physics, Engineering, Mathematics, Chemistry, or equivalent degrees (FQEM degrees), and one for students from other disciplines.

1. If the fellowship reserved in the previous point is not awarded to people who are not studying FQEM degrees, it may be awarded to students who are studying FQEM degrees.
2. The number of fellowships awarded to people who are not studying FQEM degrees may not exceed the number of fellowships awarded to people who are studying FQEM degrees.
3. The fellowship has an amount of 800 € gross, to which the corresponding legal withholdings will be applied.
4. The fellowship includes accommodation in a single room in a residence of the University Residence System of the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, or an equivalent alternative.
5. Ofrécense axudas de desprazamento para as persoas que residan fóra de Santiago de Compostela: ata 80 € para alumnado de Galicia; ata 500 € para alumnado de fóra de Galicia; e ata 2000 € para alumnado doutros países, de acordo cos prezos de mercado das viaxes e sempre que as posibilidades orzamentarias o permitan. As axudas deberán xustificarse con documentos que acrediten os gastos.
6. Travel grants are offered for people residing outside Santiago de Compostela: up to 80 € for students from Galicia; up to 500 € for students from outside Galicia; and up to 2000 € for students from other countries, according to market travel prices and if budget availability allows it. The grants must be justified with documents proving the expenses.
7. Costs arising from any procedure related to obtaining the documents authorizing the stay in Spain, registration in Social Security, and obtaining a valid bank account for receiving the grant may be covered.

For more information: jobs@igfae.gal

About IGFAE

The Instituto Galego de Física de Altas Enerxías (IGFAE) is a research center created in 1999 by the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela and the Xunta de Galicia (regional government). It was founded with the objective of coordinating and promoting scientific and technical research in the fields of High Energy Physics, Astroparticles, Nuclear Physics, and Quantum Science and Technology. It hosts around 140 people who participate in experimental facilities such as CERN, the Pierre Auger Observatory, LIGO, GSI/FAIR, GANIL or Hyper Kamiokande, among others.

The center has been accredited twice (2017 and 2023) as a María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence by the State Research Agency of the Government of Spain. It is also part of the CIGUS network of the Xunta de Galicia, which recognises the quality and impact of its research. It is co‑funded by the European Union through the Galicia Feder 2021‑2027 Program.

In the educational field, IGFAE staff, as part of the teaching and research team of the USC Faculty of Physics, currently supervise undergraduate and master’s theses. In addition, the center promotes every year a Summer Fellowship program for undergraduate students and also offers a line of initiation‑to‑research contracts, which provides the opportunity to get closer to the daily life of a reference center in particle physics. At the doctoral stage, the Institute currently hosts more than 60 students who are developing their thesis.

The IGFAE is an institution that offers equal opportunities and is committed to increasing the diversity of its staff, and therefore especially welcomes applications from women, minorities, and people with disabilities. The center offers flexible working hours to support work‑life balance.