All about CERN's Summer Student Programme

CERN is also known as The European Organization for Nuclear Research (Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire) is a European research organization that operates the world’s largest particle physics laboratory.

If you are a particle physics enthusiast, how do you plan to spend your summer? How does this sound - Getting involved in some of the world’s biggest experiments. This can happen by getting a chance to join CERN in Geneva on their Summer Student Programme and getting involved in day-to-day work of the multicultural teams at CERN. You will get to attend lectures, visit CERN facilities, take part in discussions among scientists and attend workshops with leaders in their fields.

Eligibility

1. Student should be national of any State other than a CERN Member State (India is an observing state)
2. Should be a university-level undergraduate in either physics, computing or engineering and should be in your third year.
3. If you will graduate in the European summer 2015, you are also eligible to apply as you will remain registered as a student during your stay at CERN.
4. Should not have worked at CERN before with any other status like Trainee, User etc. for more than three months.
5. Should have a good knowledge of English, and knowledge of French will be an advantage.

CERN is a not-for-profit organization that has a team of people dedicated only to writing puzzles to select interns. Selection is based on matching between your skillsets and the existing projects that change every year. When the selectors look through Summer Student applications, they focus on what the student has done and what s/he wants to do, and see if those criteria match the project CERN proposed.
It would make little sense that anyone changes their study plans just to get an internship anywhere, whether it’s CERN or any other place. Because if you are really interested in areas that are relevant to
CERN, you should have no trouble getting through their summer programme.

Appointment Conditions

• 90 Swiss franc per day
• Travel allowance
• 8 weeks of internship time
• 40 hours per week will be spent on CERN facilities
• Your choice of dates of stay should be indicated in the application
• Health Insurance Scheme (for those students with CERN contracts)
• During July and August, you may attend lectures each day for 5 weeks
• A report is to be written by the end of stay
• The CERN Housing Service will assist you in finding accommodation on or near the site

Application Process

In order to be considered for the Summer Student Programme, you need to provide two letters of recommendations and recent academic transcripts. You will also have to upload your CV in English or French.

Recruitment Process

Once the applications are completed by the end of January, the selection process begins. The supervisors select students and the final selections are made by end-April. All students should receive a positive or negative answer by the end of April.