If you want a PhD in machine learning or artificial intelligence, and you want it with two advisors from two different countries instead of just one, the ELLIS PhD Programme is worth a close look. It is not a single university programme. It is a network of close to 200 advisors across Europe, and you apply once to reach all of them. Here is everything you need to know before the 31 October 2026 deadline.
What Exactly Is ELLIS?
ELLIS stands for the European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems. It is a pan-European network of excellence built around machine learning as the driving force behind modern AI. Instead of running one lab in one city, ELLIS connects top researchers and institutions across the continent so that students can work with more than one expert during their doctorate.
The PhD programme is one of the main ways ELLIS brings new talent into this network. Each student gets co-supervised by two people, usually based in different European countries, which gives you a wider research network than a typical single-advisor PhD would offer.
Key Dates You Need to Know
Mark these dates now, because the deadline is firm and will not move for late applicants.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 30 September 2026 | Virtual information session for applicants |
| 1 October 2026 | Application portal opens |
| 31 October 2026, 23:59 AoE | Application deadline (firm) |
| November to December 2026 | Review stage |
| January to February 2027 | Interview stage |
| Late February to March 2027 | Decisions announced |
| Varies by advisor | Programme start (no single common start date) |
Notice that there is no fixed start date across the whole programme. Once you are accepted, your actual start depends on your advisor and your host institution. If you want to compare other opportunities running on a similar autumn timeline, this roundup of ten scholarships and internships abroad with October 2026 deadlines is worth a look.
Who Can Apply?
ELLIS does not set one rigid academic requirement the way some scholarships do. Instead, it looks for strong candidates with backgrounds in:
- Machine learning
- Computer science
- Mathematics
- Statistics
- Related computational fields
Individual research groups and advisors may add their own specific requirements on top of this, so check the advisor list on the portal once it opens. ELLIS also explicitly encourages women to apply in areas where they remain underrepresented, and it is committed to recruiting more applicants living with disabilities.
One more thing worth knowing upfront: this is a competitive programme. In a typical round, fewer than 5 percent of all registered applicants get in, and even among applicants who meet every eligibility requirement, only 5 to 10 percent are accepted. Around 200 advisors across the ELLIS network are expected to participate in the coming round.
Weighing other highly competitive, fully funded PhD routes too? You may also want to check the Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2027/28, one of the world’s most prestigious fully funded postgraduate awards.
The Three Tracks
When you apply, you pick one of three tracks, and each one shapes how your PhD will run.
- Academic Track: You collaborate on AI and machine learning research with an academic partner based in a different European country from your primary advisor.
- Industry Track: You split your time between an academic partner and an industry partner, both based in Europe, regardless of where the company’s headquarters sits.
- Interdisciplinary Track: You work with an academic partner from a field outside AI and machine learning entirely, such as biology, law, or finance.
Every track has its own time-sharing rule. On the Academic Track, you must spend a minimum of six months with your secondary advisor in a different European country. On the Industry Track, you spend at least 50 percent of your time with the academic partner and a minimum of six months with the industry partner, and this can be spread out (say, two days a week) or done all at once. The Interdisciplinary Track follows a similar 50 percent and six-month minimum split.
Interested in the Industry Track’s research placement model? You may also want to check the Turing Internship Network 2026, a paid research placement route at the UK’s national AI institute.
Research Areas Covered
The scope here is wide. ELLIS lists research areas including, but not limited to:
- AutoML, Bayesian and Probabilistic Learning, and Bioinformatics
- Causality, Computational Neuroscience, and Computer Vision
- Deep Learning, Earth and Climate Sciences, and Health
- Human-Robot Interaction and Human-Computer Interaction
- Natural Language Processing and Reinforcement Learning
- Privacy, Security, and Trustworthy Machine Learning
- ML applications in Finance, Chemistry, and Materials Science
- Social Sciences, Humanities, and Entrepreneurship or Tech Transfer
If your research interest touches machine learning in any way, there is a good chance a matching advisor exists somewhere in this network.
Leaning toward an engineering-flavored machine learning project instead? You may also want to check the Gordon and Isabel Humphrey Scholarship, a fully funded engineering PhD at the University of Melbourne.
What Funding and Support Look Like
ELLIS does not publish one blanket funding figure for every position, because funding depends on the specific advisor, institution, and country. What it does guarantee is academic co-supervision from two researchers in different countries, access to ELLIS summer schools and workshops, and entry into a large international research community.
The programme also benefits from several funding partnerships. It receives support from the European Union’s Horizon research and innovation programme through the ELIAS grant, running from 2023 to 2027, and from the newer ELLIOT project, running from 2025 to 2029. G-Research, a European quantitative research and technology firm, also funds scholarships through the ELLIS PhD and Postdoc Programme through 2028. Germany-based advisors in particular may also be reachable through separate routes like the DAAD Hilde Domin Programme, which funds nominated students to study in Germany.
Because funding varies by position, do not assume every listed opportunity pays the same stipend or covers the same costs. Check the specific advisor listing on the portal and ask directly if anything is unclear.
Looking for a guaranteed, fully funded PhD stipend instead of advisor-dependent funding? You may also want to check the Imperial College London President’s PhD Scholarship 2027/28, a fully funded PhD with a £27,036 stipend.
Another UK route worth comparing is the Martingale Foundation Scholarships 2027, which fund fully funded master’s and PhD study in the UK.
How to Apply, Step by Step
The application has three parts, and each one needs attention well before the deadline.
1. The application form
You fill in your personal details, note your preferred research areas and advisors, and list your degrees and relevant experience.
2. Your documents
You will need to upload:
- A two-page motivational letter explaining why you want a PhD within the ELLIS network, plus a research statement on your past projects and future direction
- A current CV covering your education, work experience, publications, presentations, and awards
- Unofficial transcripts from your university studies, translated into English if needed
- Optional extras, such as a thesis or published paper, combined into one PDF under 20 MB
If you are unsure how a motivational letter differs from other application essays, this guide on statement of purpose vs personal statement: what is the difference breaks it down clearly.
3. Your references
You need a minimum of two and a maximum of three referees. At least two must hold a position such as independent investigator, principal scientist, group leader, or lecturer, and no more than one reference can come from a postdoc. References from fellow PhD students or classmates are not accepted.
Here is the part people often miss: you must request your references through the portal before the 31 October deadline. Your referees then have until 25 November 2026 to actually submit their letters. If your referee misses that date, your application becomes incomplete and drops out of the selection process, so chase your referees early. If you need pointers on how to reach out, see this guide on how to ask for a scholarship recommendation letter.
Once you reach the interview stage between January and February 2027, this guide on how to prepare for a scholarship interview can help you walk in ready.
A Warning About Parallel Applications
Some advisors listed on the ELLIS portal will note that their institution requires a separate, parallel application through the university’s own system. This matters more than it sounds. Certain institutions only accept new graduate students at specific times of year, often with deadlines in December or earlier, which can overlap with or even precede the ELLIS decision timeline.
If you wait for the ELLIS process to finish before applying to the institution directly, you risk missing that university’s own deadline entirely. In the worst case, your advisor might lose funding for that specific position before you get the chance to accept it. The safest move is to apply to both the ELLIS programme and the advisor’s home institution at the same time, so neither path gets delayed. Once you do land an offer, this guide on what to do after receiving admission to a foreign university walks through the next steps.
Official Links and Resources
- ELLIS PhD Programme overview: https://ellis.eu/research/phd-postdoc
- Official call for applications: https://ellis.eu/news/ellis-phd-program-call-for-applications-2026
- Application portal: https://apply.ellis.eu/applicant_registrations/
- ELLIS FAQs: https://ellis.eu/frequently-asked-questions
- Contact: phd@ellis.eu
🔗 Official Application Portal: Apply for the ELLIS PhD Programme 2027
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the ELLIS PhD Programme 2027 deadline?
The application deadline is 31 October 2026 at 23:59 Anywhere on Earth, and this date is firm. Your references have a slightly later window, until 25 November 2026, but every other part of your application must be complete before the main deadline.
How competitive is the ELLIS PhD Programme?
It is very competitive. Fewer than 5 percent of all registered applicants get accepted, and even among applicants who meet full eligibility, only 5 to 10 percent succeed. About 200 advisors across Europe are expected to participate in this round.
Does the ELLIS PhD Programme cover tuition and living costs?
Funding varies by advisor, institution, and country, so there is no single fixed amount. Some positions get additional support through EU-funded grants and G-Research scholarship funding. Always check the specific advisor’s listing on the portal for exact details.
Can I apply if I am already doing a PhD with an ELLIS advisor?
This situation has its own specific rule, so check the official FAQ page before assuming either way. In general, ELLIS faculty in this call are looking to recruit new students who are not already enrolled with them. If ELLIS does not end up being the right fit for you, this roundup of 12 fully funded scholarships and internships for international students in 2026/2027 covers several other options worth comparing.