ELLIS PhD Program: Call for Applications 2026

The ELLIS PhD Program recruits researchers in machine learning and related areas through a central European application round. Each student works with supervisors in different countries or an academic–industry partnership; an interdisciplinary track connects ML with other disciplines, and the ELLIS/CIFAR partnership also permits qualifying joint supervision involving Canada or the United States.

Research topics include probabilistic learning, causality, computer vision, language processing, reinforcement learning, ML theory and systems, computational neuroscience, and scientific applications. Students undertake an exchange of at least six months with their secondary advisor under the applicable track rules, alongside training and networking activities. Research starts in 2027 on a schedule set by the advisor and institution. The complete application and reference requests are due 31 October 2026 at 23:59 Anywhere on Earth; reference letters have a separate 25 November cutoff.

Use the central application portal and select advisors participating in the current round. Admission, employment and degree requirements depend on the host institution and track. Only complete applications are considered.