Postgraduate Diploma Program at Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Italy 2019

The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) is offering a postgraduate diploma program that prepares talented students for PhD studies for 2019. The program aims to promote advanced scientific research in developing countries, as it consists of two semesters and advanced courses given by experts in the following fields:

1. High Energy, Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics (HECAP)
2. Condensed Matter Physics (CMP)
3. Earth System Physics (ESP)
4. Mathematics (MTH)
5. Quantitative Life Sciences (QLS)

Requirements:

1. The program is open to young qualified graduates in physics, mathematics or related fields
2. After the completion of the courses (including examinations), participants are required to work on a dissertation, to be submitted and defended
3. The selection of the candidates is based on their university performance as well as on academic recommendations. The selection committee aims to select the best academically qualified candidates while striving for gender balance and geographical distribution
4. The program is open to young (generally below 28 years of age), qualified graduates from all countries that are members of the United Nations, UNESCO or IAEA
5. The minimum qualification for applicants is a degree equivalent to an MSc (or an exceptionally good BSc) in physics, mathematics or in a field related 
6. Fluency in speaking and writing English is an essential qualification
7. The applicant is expected to have adequate knowledge of the following topics in the specific field for which he/she is applying:

For Condensed Matter Physics: solid state physics; quantum mechanics; statistical mechanics; classical mechanics; electrodynamics; mathematical physics

For High Energy, Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics: classical mechanics; electrodynamics; special theory of relativity; quantum mechanics; statistical mechanics.

For Earth System Physics: a theoretical background in physics, mathematics or engineering; mathematical methods applied in geophysics and geosciences

For Mathematics: basic abstract algebra; elements of real and complex analysis; topology

For Quantitative Life Sciences: classical mechanics, thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, mathematical methods for physics, basic programming skills

What the scholarship covers:

A limited number of scholarships (around 10 per field) are awarded to successful applicants from developing countries (with particular emphasis on students from the least developed regions of the world) to cover travel and living expenses during their stay at ICTP. There are no course fees, and students will receive a scholarship of €450 per month for the entire year of study, in addition to accommodation.