The PhD Training Programme
The CRG’s International PhD Programme is designed to give you the tools, support, and confidence to grow as the independent scientist of tomorrow. Structured over four years, it combines rigorous scientific training with personalised mentoring and the development of transferable and innovation skills, ensuring that you are well-prepared for careers both in and beyond academia.
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE AND MILESTONES
Your PhD journey is designed to help you grow as an independent researcher while preparing you for a wide range of future careers. From the moment you begin, you will be part of a vibrant and international scientific community that supports your development through structured milestones, regular feedback, and a broad training portfolio.
During the first year, you will define your research project, complete a month-long induction training (PhD course). During this course you will get to know the PhD community as well as get an overview of science, as well as technologies and facilities that will be available for you during the PhD. You will also receive training on research integrity and ethics, data management, creativity, critical reading, scientific publishing, as well as how to be proactive and align your expectations with the Principal Investigator. You will also begin attending seminars by internationally renowned scientists, share your project ideas and early data in lab meetings, data clubs, and inter-programme challenge seminars, and present your progress to your Thesis Advisory Committee. This phase is about laying the foundations of your scientific identity: learning to ask meaningful questions, communicate your ideas, and engage with the community around you.
In the second year, you will deepen your expertise through specific scientific and transferable skills courses. You will attend specialized workshops, such as Basics of Biostatistics and Scientific Writing, and present your work as a poster at the CRG PhD Symposium. You will again meet your TAC to discuss your scientific and professional progress. This is also the time to start broadening your perspective, such as building networks, exploring career options, and strengthening your research profile.
In the third year you will present your work at the CRG PhD symposium and undergo your Thesis Advisory Committee progress evaluation, and discuss with them how your skills, results, and ambitions are aligning. This year is not just about completing experiments, it is also about consolidating your identity as a researcher and envisioning where your PhD can take you next. During this year, many students also attend innovation and entrepreneurship training.
In the final year, you will focus on thesis planning and writing, complemented by writing bootcamps and career development sessions. You will once more present your progress to your Thesis Advisory Committee, ensuring that your research is on track and that you are fully supported in the transition to your next step, whether continuing in academia or pursuing a career beyond it. The culmination of your journey will be the submission and defense of your doctoral thesis, a moment to celebrate both scientific achievement and personal growth.
Throughout the programme, the Training and Academic Office and Thesis Advisory Committee meets with you annually to review your progress and provide guidance on both your research and career trajectory. Training is a core value of the CRG. And while being focused on science, making time for workshops, networking, and reflection isn’t a distraction from research; it enhances your research, enriches your experience, and opens doors to varied, and fulfilling career trajectories. Building your career is not a separate extracurricular activity, it’s intertwined with the doctoral journey.
SUPERVISION AND MENTORING
Each PhD student at the CRG is supported by a network of people and structures designed to guide them throughout their doctoral journey. Your primary supervisor will be your day-to-day mentor in the lab, helping you develop skills, refine your project, and grow as an independent scientist. Alongside this, the Thesis Advisory Committee, made up of three faculty members meets, will regularly review your progress, provide feedback, and ensure you stay focused.
Support also comes from your peers: the PhD student community is active and well-organized, with elected representatives who connect directly with the Graduate Committee to make sure student perspectives are heard. Finally, the Training & Academic Office (TAO) acts as a dedicated point of contact throughout your PhD, coordinating the programme, monitoring your progression, and offering confidential advice and mediation whenever you need it.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT
A PhD at the CRG opens the door to a wide variety of career paths, both inside and outside academia. To help you plan your future, the programme integrates structured career development from the very beginning. You’ll be able to attend career talks with alumni and invited professionals from fields such as academia, biotech, pharma, policy, and science communication, giving you a first-hand look at different trajectories.
Personalised support is also available through CV review and career counselling services, ensuring you’re well prepared for the next step. From your second year onwards, you can take advantage of short work placements lasting one to four weeks, gaining experience in industry, policy organisations, or communication settings.
You’ll also be part of an active alumni network, which provides mentoring opportunities and helps you expand your professional connections. Finally, tailored workshops on securing postdoc positions and exploring careers beyond academia equip you with the tools and confidence to shape the career path that best fits your ambitions.
CONFERENCES AND NETWORKING
Presenting your work and building networks are an essential part of your training as a scientist. At the CRG, you’ll be encouraged and funded to attend national and international conferences, particularly in the later stages of your PhD, so you can showcase your research to the wider scientific community.
Within the institute, our annual CRG PhD Symposium and pre-Graduation ceremony is a highlight of the training calendar and a cornerstone of community life. The symposium brings together the entire CRG to celebrate and support the next generation of researchers. It gives PhD students a platform to share their science, sharpen their communication skills, and gain feedback from colleagues across disciplines.
- Second-year students present their projects in poster sessions, creating lively exchanges with postdocs and peers. These sessions double as training grounds for larger international conferences, helping students learn how to improve their posters, interact with an audience, and make the most of networking opportunities.
- Third-year students deliver short talks, presenting the central question of their thesis and the strategies they are developing to answer it. Constructive feedback from CRG faculty helps refine both research direction and presentation style.
- The closing session is dedicated to students completing their PhDs, combining motivational talks from invited speakers with a celebration of their achievements. The day concludes with a lively party, where students, postdocs, faculty, and staff come together to mark milestones, share experiences, and create lasting memories.
ANNUAL PHD RETREAT
As part of the training programme, every summer, the CRG PhD community gathers for its annual retreat. This is a chance to step away from the lab and connect in a relaxed, inspiring setting. The retreat blends science with wellbeing: students present their work, exchange ideas across disciplines, and take part in workshops led by the Training & Academic Office (TAO) on themes such as supervision, stress management, and burnout prevention.
Equally important is the informal side: social activities, outdoor events, and spontaneous conversations that help strengthen the bonds between students. For many, the retreat is a highlight of the year, helping to broaden perspectives, and to feel part of a supportive community that extends far beyond the lab bench.
HOW TO JOIN THE CRG PHD PROGRAMME
There are currently several ways to become a CRG PhD student:
- The CRG International PhD Call. This is our flagship annual call, launched every September/October, is the main entry point and the best way to compete for fully funded positions across our research groups.
- Individual CRG Admission Interview. If you are a Master’s students already training at the CRG you cannot apply through the international call, but if a Principal Investigator (PI) has an opening, a position may be offered after a successful interview with a panel of non-recruiting Principal Investigators at our institute.
- External fellowships. Many of our students also join through prestigious international fellowship schemes such as la Caixa INPhINIT, MSCA Doctoral Networks, and others.
All CRG PhD students must also enrol in a university PhD programme, most often at Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), and must meet the university’s admission requirements.