IGFAE announces the 2025 Summer Fellowships for undergraduate students

The Instituto Galego de Física de Altas Enerxías (IGFAE), a joint center of the University of Santiago de Compostela and the Xunta de Galicia, is opening applications for its Summer Fellowship 2025 Program. The aim of this call is to promote early research experiences among undergraduate students by attracting high-level students interested in participating in extracurricular training activities as part of a scientific project.

Selected candidates will become part of the daily activities at the IGFAE, a center recognized as a María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence by the Spanish State Research Agency and a member of the CIGUS network of the Xunta de Galicia, which acknowledges the quality and impact of its research. Applications can be submitted to any of the center’s research areas, including particle physics, astroparticle and nuclear physics, quantum science and technology, as well as to the management unit and science communication or outreach teams.

The application period will open on Friday, June 6, and close on June 12 at 11:59 p.m. (CEST).

Link to the call
Link to the application form

A minimum of 10 fellowships are offered under the following conditions:

1. Applicants must have an average academic grade equal to or greater than 8 out of 10 and have completed at least 55% of their degree credits. For people who have not obtained their degree in Spain, it is necessary to calculate and provide the equivalent qualification using these instructions: https://i.gal/equivalence
2. Applicants must be enrolled in one of the final two years of any undergraduate degree within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) or another university system. Two scholarships are reserved for students not pursuing degrees in Physics, Engineering, Mathematics, Chemistry, or equivalent (PEMC degrees), and eight for students enrolled in PEMC degrees.
3. If the two reserved scholarships are not awarded to students outside the PEMC fields, they may be reassigned to students in PEMC degrees. However, the number of fellowships granted to students outside PEMC degrees may not exceed those awarded to students within PEMC degrees.
4. The selection and award criteria are based on a 10-point scale: 70% for academic record, 20% for CV (including publications, awards, and relevant training), and 10% for a motivation letter.
5. The internships will last for one month, preferably from July 1 to 31, 2025. The weekly workload will be 30 hours, with a schedule to be agreed upon with the supervising researcher.
6. Each fellowship amounts to €800 gross (or a proportional amount if the stay is shorter than one month), subject to applicable tax deductions.
7. If the stay takes place during the preferred period (1-31 July), the fellowship includes accommodation in a single room at a university residence within the University of Santiago de Compostela’s Residence System or an equivalent alternative.
8. Travel assistance is available for participants residing outside Santiago de Compostela: up to €80 for students from Galicia, up to €500 for students from other parts of Spain, and up to €2,000 for international students, in accordance with market rates and subject to budget availability. All expenses must be justified with supporting documents.
9. Costs related to obtaining necessary documents for the stay in Spain, registration with the Social Security system, and opening a valid bank account for receiving the stipend will be covered.
10. Any expense must be communicated in advance and its reimbursement is subject to IGFAE management approval.

About IGFAE

The Instituto Galego de Física de Altas Enerxías (IGFAE) is a research center established in 1999 by the University of Santiago de Compostela and the Xunta de Galicia. Its mission is to coordinate and promote scientific and technical research in High Energy, Particle, and Nuclear Physics, as well as in related fields such as Astrophysics, Medical Physics, and Instrumentation. The institute hosts around 140 members involved in major experimental facilities such as CERN, the Pierre Auger Observatory, LIGO, and GSI/FAIR, among others.

The IGFAE has been accredited as a María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence by the Spanish Government’s State Research Agency. It is also part of the CIGUS network of the Regional Government of Galicia, which accredits the quality and impact of its research. The center is co-financed by the European Union through the Galicia Feder 2021-2027 Program.

IGFAE is an equal opportunity institution committed to increasing staff diversity and particularly welcomes applications from women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities. The IGFAE has an Equality and Diversity Plan and actively works to improve gender, geographic, and minority balance within the institute. Flexible working hours are offered to support work-life balance.

For more information: jobs@igfae.usc.es