The CRG's flagship annual PhD call — a fully funded 4-year salaried PhD (a work contract, not a stipend) at a top European genomics institute in Barcelona. Around 19 positions across 17 labs spanning genome regulation, single-cell biology, RNA biology, epigenetics, cancer, ageing, neuroscience and biodiversity genomics; you apply to up to two labs.
Why it is notable: a salaried employment contract with full social security at a flagship institute — but recruited through CRG's own call page rather than generic portals; the 2027 call opened September 2026 with the deadline now published (22 Nov 2026); several labs explicitly seek computational candidates and one Irimia position is an MSCA-funded slot.
Funding at a glance
What it covers
Fully funded: annual work contract with competitive salary for 4 years under Spanish regulations
full health + occupational insurance
Spanish Social Security enrolment
flights and accommodation covered for in-person interviews in Barcelona. Up to 5 fellowships funded by MICIU/AEI and FSE+
ALL nationalities (published; "nearly 70% of students come from abroad" on the official page). A university degree qualifying for PhD studies in Spain: Bachelor's + Master's in biomedical sciences within the European Higher Education System (minimum 300 ECTS), or an equivalent university degree that allows PhD entry in Spain — per aggregator of the official call; degree may be expected by September 2027 (mark as aggregator-sourced — re-confirm on the official call page). Candidates must fulfil the eligibility criteria at the time of the call deadline (official page).
Experience
No experience required
Language Certificate
high working knowledge of English (CRG's working language) — per aggregator of the official call
Other Certificates
Degree certificates & transcripts
Age Limit
No Age Limit
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1
Country checker
ALL nationalities (published; "nearly 70% of students come from abroad" on the official page). A university degree qualifying for PhD studies in Spain:…
2
Last degree checker
Choose your highest completed qualification to see which degree level may fit.
3
Course checker
Pick a course to see whether it falls inside this scholarship's scope.
Complete all three checks
Your combined result will appear here.
Based on published eligibility — always confirm on the official page before applying.
Application essentials
Requirements
Review each requirement before you begin the application.
01
Language
high working knowledge of English (CRG's working language) — per aggregator of the official call
02
Qualification
ALL nationalities (published; "nearly 70% of students come from abroad" on the official page)
03
Documents
transcripts (translated if needed), CV details, research experience + scientific interests statements, two reference letters.
Document checklist
01transcripts (translated if needed), CV details, research experience + scientific interests statements, two reference letters.
Application fee
No fee — completely free
No separate scholarship application fee is published; confirm on the official page.
Visa, kept concise: Non-EU nationals: the 4-year work contract supports a Spanish residence/work permit (typically the host institution assists with the researcher permit route).
Application Procedure
4 steps — follow in order. Each stage prepares the next.
01
Explore the 17 participating labs on the
official call page and choose up to two research labs on the application form.
→
02
Prepare: general information
education, academic transcripts (translated if not in Catalan, Spanish or English), scholarships/prizes/awards, research experience, scientific interests, two reference letters (requested automatically through the system
→
03
Submit via the CRG recruitment portal (START
YOUR APPLICATION on the official page → recruitment.crg.eu).
↓
04
Deadline: 22 November 2026. Timeline
pre-selection (late Dec 2026) → online panel interviews 13 Jan 2027 → on-site interviews 23–26 Feb 2027 in Barcelona (travel covered) → offers March 2027 → PhD start by October 2027.
Ready to apply?
Continue on the official Centre for Genomic Regulation platform.
ALL nationalities (published; "nearly 70% of students come from abroad" on the official page). A university degree qualifying for PhD studies in Spain: Bachelor's + Master's in biomedical sciences within the European Higher Education System (minimum 300 ECTS), or an equivalent university degree that allows PhD entry in Spain — per aggregator of the official call; degree may be expected by September 2027 (mark as aggregator-sourced — re-confirm on the official call page). Candidates must fulfil the eligibility criteria at the time of the call deadline (official page).
What does the scholarship cover?
Fully funded: annual work contract with competitive salary for 4 years under Spanish regulations; full health + occupational insurance; Spanish Social Security enrolment; flights and accommodation covered for in-person interviews in Barcelona. Up to 5 fellowships funded by MICIU/AEI and FSE+
Where do I apply?
Through the official application portal linked in the Official links section on this page.
Need document or attestation help?
Detailed attestation guidance stays in Opplore's standalone Guides section, not inside this scholarship page.
Spain · Centre for Genomic Regulation
