2026 ICGEB Fellowships for Scientists in Biosecurity for early-career scientists (Fully Funded to ICGEB laboratories in Italy, India, South Africa and China)

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Application Deadline: March 31st, 2026

Applications are now open for the 2026 ICGEB Fellowships for Scientists in Biosecurity. With the co-funding of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation through the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), BWC ISU, the ICGEB offers early-career scientists from OECD/DAC countries a fellowship at ICGEB laboratories in Italy, India, South Africa and at the ICGEB Regional Research Centre in China, to receive hands on training in life sciences and detection and response to biological threats.

To Apply to the ICGEB in Trieste, New Delhi or Cape Town

Applicants wishing to apply for positions to the ICGEB in Trieste, New Delhi or Cape Town must submit an application for a short-term PhD Fellowship. Applicants should contact the ICGEB Group Leader/PI of their choice with a motivation letter to determine availability of laboratory space and to define the research project proposal that will form an integral part of the application. Please note that the written statement from the ICGEB Group Leader you have contacted and who is willing to support your project is mandatory to apply. This written statement must explicitly indicate that it is issued for theFellowships for Scientists in Biosecurity.

To Apply to the ICGEB RRC in China

Applicants who want to apply to the ICGEB China Regional Research Centre in Taizhou, must submit an application for a SMART PhD Fellowship and must clearly specify that the application is for the Fellowships for Scientists in Biosecurity.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be nationals of an ICGEB Member State or from a country listed in the DAC list of ODA recipients. Applicants must be early/mid-career scientists (i.e. researchers, laboratory personnel) with a background in biotechnologies and an interest in Dual Use Research of Concern (i.e. infectious diseases, gene editing etc). Women scientists are particularly encouraged.
• Fellowships for the ICGEB China Regional Research Centre in Taizhou are awarded under the SMART ‘Scientific Mobility for Advanced Research Training’ scheme. Consequently, only applicants from other countries are eligible to apply.
• Degree requirements: applicants for ICGEB Trieste and Cape Town should hold a BSc (Honours) degree; applicants for ICGEB New Delhi should hold a MSc degree; applicants for the ICGEB RRC in China should hold an MSc or equivalent.
• Candidates must have a good working knowledge of the English language, supported by a proficiency certificate (TOEFL, Cambridge Certificate, or equivalent). This document is not required when English was the medium of instruction; however, the university must provide an official certificate attesting to this.

Duration: 2 months (which may be extended up to a maximum of 6 months under a co-funding mechanism).

Financial support

• Monthly stipend: Trieste (Italy): Euro 1,500, New Delhi (India): US$ 1,122, Cape Town (South Africa): ZAR 16,500, Taizhou (China): US$ 1,500.
• Travel: the fellowship includes provision for travel expenses from the participant’s home country to the host lab at the beginning of the fellowship and a return travel provision upon completion of the fellowship.
• Medical health insurance coverage is provided for the duration of the fellowship.
• Visa/permit of stay application and renewal costs are reimbursed.

ICGEB makes no financial provision, nor can it provide administrative support for family members of participants in the programme.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the ICGEB Fellowships for Scientists in Biosecurity