Although TIGEM’s graduate programmes are addressed to both national and foreign students, the PhD programme in human genetics (OU), which awards the student with a UK PhD title, is especially designed for foreign students wanting to spend part of their graduate studies in Italy. However, the OU PhD programme is also configured for Italian students with the goal of obtaining a PhD title that is recognized internationally and thus favours mobility to a foreign country. Supervision and mentoring throughout the student’s graduate studies as well as doctoral thesis writing and oral defence follow UK PhD standards.
In contrast, the PhD programmes in computational biology and bioinformatics (UNINA) and in medical genetics (SUN) are ideal for Italian students not only for the fact that the student is awarded an Italian PhD title but also considering that application and selection to the graduate programmes, as publicly advertised in the UNINA and SUN web sites or official gazettes, occur according to Italian university rules.
Finally, the PhD programme in molecular medicine (SEMM) can include both Italian and foreign students since the selection process, and supervision and mentoring of the student throughout the graduate studies follow international standards, although students are conferred with an Italian PhD title.

All applicants must hold a second level academic degree, the Italian Laurea Specialistica, Master of Science, or equivalent, from an accredited university or college before matriculation.
Applicants expecting to be awarded their university degree can also apply, provided they receive the award before the examination date on pain of exclusion from the selection.

The following list of scientific academic degrees are considered valid for application*:
- Bioinformatics
- Biological sciences
- Biomedical engineering
- Biotechnology
- Chemistry
- Dentistry (except for SUN)
- Electronics engineering (except for SUN)
- Human nutrition sciences (except for SUN)
- Medicine
- Natural sciences
- Pharmacy and industrial pharmacy
- Physics (except for SUN)
- Veterinary medicine (except for SUN)

* Considering the multi-disciplinary nature of the PhD programme in computational biology and bioinformatics, the Research School has fixed no specific limitations to the kind of scientific academic degrees valid for application.

The admission procedure requires the student to submit for application, independently of the graduate programme you choose. Letters of recommendation are an essential part of the application for most graduate programmes. TIGEM prefers recommendations from instructors who are familiar with your work and with the field you are expected to study.

You can find all the documents (application forms, templates of letters of recommendation) relative to the application process in Utilities and Downloads.

The specific information required to apply slightly differs among graduate programmes. Please consult TIGEM PhD Programmes for more details on the admission procedure of the graduate programme that most interests you.

Admission to the programme is granted on a competitive basis and on the student’s distinguished ability to excel in the doctoral programme. A preselection generally takes place soon after the deadline. An ad hoc Examination Board screens the applications received and short lists candidates on the basis of the information provided in the application form and in the reference letters (OU, SEMM, UNINA), or additional documentation (UNINA, SUN). The Examination Board attributes a score to each candidate; a minimum score is required to be admitted to the graduate programme.

Only pre-selected candidates are invited to TIGEM or to the Research School and admitted to the examination process. Candidates must be in possession of a legally valid ID card or equivalent to take the exams.

The examination differs slightly among graduate programmes. Please consult TIGEM PhD Programmes for more details on the examination process relative to the graduate programme that most appeals to you.

All the graduate students admitted to any of the four PhD programmes are supported by a fellowship provided by the Institute or Research Schools for the perspective three-(or four) year period. The current annual, gross salary for doctoral students studying at TIGEM is, on average, between euro 16.000,00-18.000,000 per year.