63 Fully-Funded Doctoral Scholarships by the University of Trento in Italy, 2023-24

Opportunity Detail

• Language RequirementNot required
• GenderMaleFemale
• LevelPH.DResearch
• Number of Opportunity:63
• Eligible Region/CountriesAll
• Medium of InstructionEnglish
• Field of studyVarious Fields
• Opportunity ID44535
• Funding TypeFully Funded
• Duration3 – 4 years

Opportunity Description

Fully-funded Ph.D. Scholarships are now available at the University of Trento for the academic year 2023-24 due to recent large investments in research by the Next Generation EU initiative. These scholarships are funded by the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and partner companies based on Ministerial Decree no. 117 and 18 of 2 March 2023.

a. Ministerial Decree no. 117 of 2 March 2023 (First Scheme):

The University of Trento is launching a call for 31 scholarships co-funded by companies and the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), which calls for the allocation of new resources for doctoral research programs aimed at enhancing high-profile skills, particularly in the areas of Key Enabling Technologies.

The research projects related to each scholarship must meet the following criteria:

• Be consistent with the aims and purposes of EU Regulations 2021/241, the NRRP general strategy, and the specific National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) mission,
• Be focused on accomplishing the objectives that the NRRP targets and milestones may have established;
• Be per the “do not significant harm” (DNSH) concept outlined in Article 17 of EU Regulations 2020/852, as well as the technical guidelines issued by the European Commission (European Commission Notice 2021/C58/01),
• Encourage women and young people to participate in the management of the NRRP.

These scholarships are planned within the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) research doctorates in the following fields:

• Physics
• Civil, Environmental, and Mechanical Engineering
• Information Engineering and Computer Science
• Industrial Innovation
• Mathematics
• Materials, Mechatronics, and Systems Engineering
• Agrifood and Environmental Sciences
• Biomolecular Sciences

b. Ministerial Decree no. 118 of 2 March 2023 (Second Scheme)

The University of Trento is launching a call for 32 additional scholarships funded by the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), which calls for the allocation of new resources for doctoral research programs useful to improve the number of human capital undertaking research-oriented activities, within public Administrations and cultural heritage.

The research projects related to each scholarship must meet the following criteria:

• Be consistent with the aims and purposes of EU Regulations 2021/241, the NRRP general strategy, and the specific National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) mission,
• Be focused on accomplishing the objectives that the NRRP targets and milestones may have established;
• Be under the “do not significant harm” (DNSH) concept outlined in Article 17 of EU Regulations 2020/852, as well as the technical guidelines issued by the European Commission (European Commission Notice 2021/C58/01)
• Be suitable to fill the gap of gender inequality and to deal with this challenge.
• Encourage women and young people to participate in the management of the NRRP.

These scholarships are planned within the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) research doctorates in the following fields:

• Cognitive and Brain Sciences
• European Cultures. Environment, Contexts, Histories, Arts, Ideas
• Forms of cultural exchange and Textuality
• Civil, Environmental, and Mechanical Engineering
• Information Engineering and Computer Science
• Mathematics
• Materials, Mechatronics, and Systems Engineering
• Agrifood and Environmental Sciences
• Biomolecular Sciences
• Cognitive Science
• Comparative and European legal studies
• Sustainability: Economics, Environment, Management, and Society (SUSTEEMS)

Key Details of the Schemes

Program Start Date: 01 November 2023

Application Deadline (First Scheme): 25 July 2023 (04:00 PM, Italian time, GMT +2)

Application Deadline (Second Scheme): 12 July 2023 (04:00 PM, Italian time, GMT +2)

Degree Submission Deadline (Not Hold Their Degree Yet): 3 November 2023

Duration of the Scholarship: 3 to 4 Years

No. of Scholarships: 31 + 32 (63)

Application Fee: €15.00

Medium of Instruction: Italian

Host Institution: University of Trento, Italy

Funded by: Companies and the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP)

Benefits

These fully-funded scholarships can exempt students from tuition fees and other relevant costs.

Admission Requirements

Applicants should meet these requirements to get admission at the University of Trento:

1. Applications for access to the selection process are welcomed from individuals of any gender, age, or nationality who hold the following qualifications:

• An Italian (Master’s Degree) according to Ministerial Decree no. 270 of 22 October 2004, or a university degree awarded under the previous Italian regulations
• Or a second-level degree awarded by an Italian “AFAM” Institute (Artistic and Musical Higher Education)
• Or an equivalent degree qualification obtained abroad (Master’s Degree) at a recognized academic institution

2. Applications are also accepted from candidates who do not hold the required degree but expect to obtain it by 31 October 2023.

1. It is in the applicant’s best benefit to supply all items required for evaluation, especially if the nation’s educational system where the title was gained is inferior to that of Italy.
2. Applicants with an obtained Doctoral degree can apply for a second Doctoral Program only if its scientific-disciplinary fields and key research topics differ from those of the applicant’s first Doctorate program.
3. Previous winners of doctoral scholarships in Italy are not eligible for this opportunity, even if the scholarships were partially, and public employees are on extraordinary paid leave.

Additional Requirements for the First Scheme:

According to the Ministerial Decree, the acceptance of the scholarships covered in this Call also has the following requirements:

• Carrying out periods of study and research in a company should be from at least six (6) months to a maximum of eighteen (18) months, and periods of study and research abroad start from at least six (6) months to a maximum of twelve (12) months.
• Scholarship recipients should also present a report every six months indicating the time spent at the University, in the company, or abroad and specifying the activities carried on during these months. Students should report through a specific MUR online platform.

Additional Requirements for the Second Scheme:

According to the Ministerial Decree, the acceptance of the scholarships covered in this Call also has the following requirements:

• Applicants should spend their study and research period in research centers, in a company, or at a public administration (including museums, archives, libraries, or Institutes of the Ministry of Culture) for at least six (6) months to a maximum of twelve (12) months.
• Also, study and research periods abroad should start from a minimum of six months up to the maximum time provided in Article 9, paragraph 3, of Ministerial Decree 226/2021, as follows:

1. Scholarship within the NRRP field: periods abroad (mandatory) and time spent in companies, research centers, or public administrations (optional)
2. Scholarships within the public administration field: periods abroad (mandatory) and time spent in companies, research centers, or public administrations (mandatory)
3. Scholarships within the cultural heritage field: periods abroad (mandatory) and time spent in companies, research centers, or public administrations (mandatory)

• Students should also upload a report every six months to the Ministry online platform following the instructions and forms. The information should indicate the time they have spent in a company, research centers, public administrations, at the University, or abroad. This report should also specify the activities the student has carried on during these months.

The scholarship cancellation criteria are in the following cases:

• There are differences in the realization of the doctoral path compared to the financed project in case there is no approval of the changes from the Ministry
• Failure to complete the minimum period in a company and abroad, as required by the M.D.

Required Documents

Applicants for both schemes above should prepare and submit these mandatory and optional supporting documents:

Mandatory Documents:

• Identity card or passport
• Copy of university degree
• Motivation letter in Italian or English with a maximum of 2,500 characters, including spaces.
• Curriculum Vitae (Italian or English based on Europass Model)
• English language certification of level of B1 per the CEFR
• Research Project Proposal (one for every chosen scholarship) as follows:

1. Written in English with a maximum of 8,000 characters excluding bibliography and abstract)
2. The abstract should be a maximum of 800 characters, including spaces
3. As per Annex exclusively “Research topics description,” a relevant bibliography regarding a topic is written following Annex B’s scheme.

Optional Documents:

• List of publications, presentations at conferences, and conventions
• Possible certifications attesting the knowledge of the English language
• Any additional qualifications, like international examinations (GRE or equivalent)
• For applicants holding foreign degrees:

1. Academic degree (diploma)
2. Diploma Supplement
3. Declaration of value
4. Statement of comparability

Evaluation Criteria

The selection criteria for the University of Trento Scholarships are as follows:

• The interdisciplinary selection committees of the Rector will evaluate the submissions considering the University doctoral regulations.
• The selection procedure ranks the applicants’ knowledge and aptitude to undertake research in the related areas to the Doctoral Program and the chosen scholarships.
• The selection will occur as per the assessment of the applicant’s qualifications, CV, project proposal, and motivation letter per the criteria of the Selection Committee.
• The Selection Committee may decide to contact applicants for an interview on the sent documents. The interviews for the first scheme will be between 28 August – 8 September 2023. This interview will be via telephone or video conference.
• The Selection Committee will award a maximum of 100 points for applications of both schemes as follows:

First Scheme:

• 70 points: for the research proposal and motivation letter
• 30 points: for the applicant’s qualifications and curriculum vitae
• 36/60 scores: Minimum total passing score for the oral examination

Second Scheme:

• 40 points: for applicants’ qualifications and project proposal
• 60 points: interview passed
• 60/100 scores: Minimum total passing score

How to Apply?

The application of both schemes is similar and must be completed and submitted through the online system. Please check the application deadlines and other due dates for each scholarship’s plans.

• Applicants can access the online registration procedure in one of the following ways:

1. With a SPID account
2. With a UniTrento account
3. With a UniTrento “guest” accounts

Apply Now

• After creating your account, follow these steps:
  1. Pay a €15.00 Application fee
  2. Select the Doctoral Program of interest;
  3. Fill in the forms providing the requested information
  4. Upload the documents specified in the Call
  5. Submit your application

Important Notes:

• To accessing the online registration procedure, it is better to use the SPID account (The Italian Public Digital Identity System), which automatically certifies tperson’s identity To create a SPID account system, a create one for yourself, enter here.
• With a UniTurento account: Those with this type of account can log in to their dashboard and apply to these two decrees of Trento University.
• The administration strongly advises candidates to ensure they have received the email verifying that their application has been completed and submitted. UniTrento declines responsibility for any applications that are not correctly closed by applicants.
• Applicants will be held entirely accountable for their applications. Incomplete or irregular applications or applications submitted in methods other than those specified in this article will be rejected, and candidates will be eliminated from the selection process.
• When completing the online application, candidates must choose the Doctoral Program or programs and the scholarship or scholarships (maximum of 2) they are interested in. Furthermore, candidates must complete the part about their study career specifics and attach the appropriate papers per the system’s instructions.
• If candidates intend to apply for two (2) distinct research subjects, they must state the order of preference between them, and the choice will be mandatory for the scholarship program.

If you want to read and explore detailed information for both of these schemes, kindly refer to the following PDF files:

Ministerial Decree no. 117 of 2 March 2023

Ministerial Decree no. 118 of 2 March 2023

If you need in-depth details, kindly visit the website of Trento University or read the PDF calls above.