ELLIS PhD Program: Call for applications 2023
Apply by November 15, 2023, to join the ELLIS PhD Program in 2024
Research areas
Research areas include (but are not limited to) the following machine learning-driven research fields:
AutoML • Bayesian & Probabilistic Learning • Bioinformatics • Causality • Computational Neuroscience • Computer Graphics • Computer Vision • Deep Learning • Earth & Climate Sciences • Health • Human Behavior, Psychology & Emotion • Human Computer Interaction • Human Robot Interaction • Information Retrieval • Interactive & Online Learning • Interpretability & Fairness • Law & Ethics • Machine Learning Algorithms • Machine Learning Theory • ML & Sustainability • ML in Chemistry & Material Sciences • ML in Finance • ML in Science & Engineering • ML Systems • Multi-agent Systems & Game Theory • Natural Language Processing • Optimization & Meta Learning • Privacy • Quantum & Physics-based ML • Reinforcement Learning & Control • Robotics • Robust & Trustworthy ML • Safety • Security, Synthesis & Verification • Symbolic Machine Learning • Unsupervised Learning
How To Apply
Interested candidates should apply online through the ELLIS application portal by November 15th, 2023, 23:59 CET. The portal will open in October 2023. Applicants first need to register on the portal. After registering, applicants will receive their login details for the portal and can submit their application via apply.ellis.eu. Please read our FAQs and webpage before applying, as well as the details below. Only complete applications will be considered.
Important dates:
- October 2023: application portal opens (link to apply will be published on this page)
- November 15, 2023, 23:59 CET: application deadline (firm)
- November/December 2023: review stage
- January/February 2024: interview stage
- Late February/March 2024: decisions
- Program start: there is no common start for the PhD (depends on the advisor/institution)
ELLIS values diversity and seeks to increase the number of women in areas where they are underrepresented. We therefore explicitly encourage women to apply. We are also committed to recruiting more people living with disabilities and strongly encourage them to apply.
Ellis
Application process
As part of the application procedure, you will be able to indicate preferences for specific research areas and potential supervisors who are participating in this year’s current recruiting round. The list of ELLIS advisors who are recruiting and their research areas will be available on the application portal. For questions about eligibility, please see our FAQs. Note that in the current call, ELLIS faculty are looking to recruit *new* students; if you’re already doing a PhD with an ELLIS advisor and are interested in the ELLIS PhD program, please read this
Application Steps
The application consists of three parts:
(1) Application form. In the application form, you provide your personal details, indicate your preferences for research fields and advisors and list relevant degrees and experience.
(2) Documents. You will need to upload the following documents (as PDFs):
- A two-page motivational letter in which you (1) explain why you want to earn a Ph.D. within the ELLIS network and (2) include a research statement describing past research projects and interests as well as the future direction of your research. (Optional: In addition to (1) and (2), you may also mention specific advisors you are interested in working with.)
- Your current CV that details your educational background, work experience, full citations of any publications you may have, any research presentations you have given, and any awards you have received.
- Unofficial transcripts of all of your university studies (BSc, MSc), as well as a translation into English.
- Optionally, additional documents such as a thesis, published paper, or project portfolio, (or parts thereof) as a single PDF (<20 MB).
(3) References. You will also be asked to provide the contact details of min. 2 referees (max. 3) who have agreed to submit a reference. You should contact your referees personally before you send a formal request via the portal. Contacting your referees directly beforehand ensures that they are willing to write a strong recommendation and will have the time to do so before the specified deadline. Recommendation letters must be requested via the portal before the application deadline on November 15 (*). After you’ve requested a reference, the referee will be contacted via the system to submit their recommendation by November 25.
Choose your referees carefully and think about who is best qualified to write you a strong recommendation. Referees must be able to assess your academic performance and research abilities. At least two of the referees should be professionally established at the level of independent investigator, principal scientist, group leader, lecturer or above. A maximum of one reference may come from a postdoc. We recommend that you include the principal investigator who supervised your thesis work. Professional references are accepted, as long as the referee can comment on your academic/research abilities (e.g. referees from industrial research labs). References from PhD students or class mates are not accepted.
ABOUT
The ELLIS PhD program is a key pillar of the ELLIS initiative whose goal is to foster and educate the best talent in machine learning and related research areas by pairing outstanding students with leading academic and industrial researchers in Europe. The program also offers a variety of networking and training activities, including summer schools and workshops. Each PhD student is co-supervised by one ELLIS fellow/scholar or unit faculty and one ELLIS fellow/scholar, unit faculty or member based in different European countries, and conducts an exchange of at least 6 months with the international advisor during their degree. One of the advisors may also come from industry, in which case the student will collaborate closely with the industry partner, and spend min. 6 months conducting research at the industrial lab.
For more admissions details click here
