The Arturo Falaschi Fellowship Programme — named for ICGEB's founding Director-General — funds PhD and postdoctoral research in the life sciences at ICGEB's three component laboratories in Trieste, New Delhi and Cape Town. Fellows join an ICGEB research group, get a monthly stipend, travel, health insurance and (for PhD) full tuition coverage, and work under an ICGEB Group Leader.
Why it is notable: a genuinely multilateral (UN-system) science fellowship with labs on three continents — including New Delhi and Cape Town, where competition is thinner than the famous Trieste lab; and the application starts with a PI's written statement, which most applicants miss.
Return travel: home country → ICGEB lab at the start, and return on completion
Medical health insurance for the full fellowship duration
University tuition fees covered for the entire PhD registration period
Visa / permit-of-stay application and renewal costs reimbursed
Research costs covered by the host lab; support for meetings/courses generally via the Group Leader/PI
Accommodation support: guest house on campus at New Delhi (twin-share, nominal rate); accommodation support arranged before arrival at Cape Town; housing contacts list at Trieste (no ICGEB housing service)
Eligibility criteria
Qualification Required
Masters/MPhilfor PhDPhDfor Postdoc
This scholarship is offered for PhD and Postdoc programs.
Who can apply
nationals of ICGEB Member States (60+ member countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Europe — check the official Member States list on icgeb.org)
Experience
postdoctoral track — recent PhD or 3+ years research experience; PhD track — no experience required beyond the degree
Language Certificate
English proficiency certificate required (TOEFL, Cambridge Certificate or equivalent); waived if English was the medium of instruction, with an official university certificate attesting to that
Other Certificates
full CV; academic records (diploma certificates and transcripts with official seals and signatures, in the original language plus official English translation); valid ID (passport recommended, validity 12+ months); written statement from the ICGEB Group Leader
Age Limit
No Age Limit
Tools that may help
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Run all three quick checks before reviewing your chosen course's full entry requirements.
1
Country checker
must be a national of an ICGEB Member State (official list on icgeb.org); the fellowship cannot be taken in your country of origin (mobility rule — the…
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
Qualification
BSc (Hons) for Trieste PhD; MSc for Cape Town/New Delhi PhD; recent Life Sciences PhD or 3+ years research experience for postdoc
02
Nationality & mobility
ICGEB Member State national; fellowship not in your country of origin (3-years-abroad exception)
03
Language
English proficiency certificate (TOEFL/Cambridge/equivalent) unless English was the medium of instruction (official university attestation)
04
Documents
CV, sealed transcripts (+ English translations), passport/ID, English certificate, and the mandatory PI written statement — all as PDFs
05
Endorsement
application must be endorsed by your country's ICGEB Liaison Officer — without it, no award
06
Fee
no application fee
Document checklist
01Full CV (PDF)
02Academic records — diploma certificates and transcripts with official seals/signatures, original language + official English translation (PDF)
03Written statement from the ICGEB Group Leader (mandatory)
04Valid ID — passport (12+ months validity recommended) or identity card (PDF)
05English certificate (TOEFL, Cambridge or equivalent) — or official university certificate that English was the medium of instruction (PDF)
Application fee
No fee — completely free
Visa, kept concise: Visa type: depends on the lab — Italy: study/research national visa via the Italian consulate; India: Research/Student visa via the Indian mission; South Africa: study visa via the South African mission.
Application Procedure
10 steps — follow in order. Each stage prepares the next.
01
When the call opens (January 2027)
browse ICGEB research groups at the three labs and pick a Group Leader/PI whose work matches your project.
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02
Email the Group Leader a motivation letter
ask about lab space availability and define the research project proposal together — their written statement supporting your project is MANDATORY to apply.
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03
Submit the Fellowship Expression of Interest through
the ICGEB Service Gateway (isg.icgeb.org), selecting the lab and prospective supervisor (new two-stage procedure: EOI first).
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06
The ICGEB Fellowships Selection Committee evaluates complete
endorsed applications (criteria: scientific excellence of the project, CV quality, potential benefit for the home country); all candidates are notified by email only.
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05
Your application is transmitted to the ICGEB
Liaison Officer of your country for endorsement — endorsement is a fundamental requirement for the award.
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04
If the PI selects you after the EOI review
you are invited to submit the full application through the Service Gateway by the final deadline.
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07
Full CV (PDF)
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08
Academic records —
diploma certificates and transcripts with official seals/signatures, original language + official English translation (PDF)
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09
Written statement from the ICGEB Group Leader
(mandatory)
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10
Valid ID —
passport (12+ months validity recommended) or identity card (PDF)
Can I apply to do the fellowship in my own country? A: No — unless you have been working abroad for at least the last 3 years at the time of application.Do I need to contact a supervisor before applying? A: Yes — you must contact the ICGEB Group Leader/PI of your choice with a motivation letter, and their written statement supporting your project is mIs there an age limit? A: No age limit for the PhD fellowships; for postdoctoral fellowships, preference is given to candidates below 35.Can I submit more than one application? A: No — only one application per call is accepted for each candidate.Does ICGEB cover my family? A: No — ICGEB makes no financial provision and cannot provide administrative support for family members of fellows.What does the Selection Committee look at? A: Scientific excellence of the project, the qualities of your CV, and the potential benefit for your home country.Is the PhD tuition really covered? A: Yes — university tuition fees are covered for the entire PhD registration period, plus the monthly stipend, travel, insurance and visa/permit reimbursement.How will I know the outcome? A: Both successful and unsuccessful candidates are notified by email only; no individual feedback is given due to application volume.
Need document or attestation help?
Detailed attestation guidance stays in Opplore's standalone Guides section, not inside this scholarship page.
keep your national Liaison Officer in the loop — endorsement paperwork continues post-award.
Visa
apply immediately with the award letter; keep passport validity 12+ months.
Housing
Trieste — use ICGEB's housing contacts early (no ICGEB housing); New Delhi — book the on-campus guest house; Cape Town — confirm the pre-arrival accommodation…
India · South Africa
