A&A Excursion to CERN 2027: Fully Funded Program for Students

A&A Excursion to CERN 2027

Updated on 26 October 2026

High school and undergraduate students who are passionate about physics and astronomy can apply for the A&A Excursion to CERN 2027, a one-week programme at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland. According to the organiser, the programme is fully funded and there is no application fee.

Application deadline: 27 December 2026, 23:59 CET

Organiser	A&A Masterclass, at CERN
Country	Switzerland (Geneva)
Level	High school and undergraduate students, any country
Places	15 participants worldwide
Dates	13 to 19 June 2027
Benefits	Accommodation, meals, local transport, all activities, travel grant up to USD 1,250
Deadline	27 December 2026, 23:59 CET
Official link	aamasterclass.org

Contents

• About the programme
• What is covered
• Who can apply
• Documents to prepare
• How to apply
• Mistakes to avoid

About the programme

Fifteen participants from around the world are selected. The programme runs from 13 to 19 June 2027.

It includes lectures on astroparticle physics and cosmology, visits to CERN facilities (the Antimatter Factory, the control centre of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station, and the CERN Data Centre), hands-on workshops, and a short group research project.

Participants meet physicists, engineers and doctoral students, and live at the CERN Hostel on campus. All sessions are held in English.

What is covered

• Accommodation and meals
• Local transport
• All programme activities
• A travel grant of up to USD 1,250

The travel grant is capped at USD 1,250. A return flight from West or Central Africa to Geneva in June often costs more than that, so check fares before you count on full coverage, and budget for the difference plus your visa fee.

Who can apply

• Be a high school or undergraduate (Bachelor) student from any country. High school graduates starting university in 2027 are eligible, and Master's students only in exceptional cases.
• Study a STEM subject or plan to study one.
• Have a good command of English.
• Be available for the whole week, from 13 to 19 June 2027.

The decisive criterion is experience beyond the classroom: a personal research project, a science competition or olympiad, or a research internship. Excellent grades alone will not get you through. If you have nothing of this kind yet, build something small and concrete before you write your motivation letter — an observation log, a self-built experiment, a physics club you run.

Documents to prepare

• Your CV
• A motivation letter in English, one to two pages
• Your latest academic transcript

Ask your school or faculty for your transcript now. In many African institutions, getting a signed and stamped copy takes several weeks, and the deadline falls during the end-of-year holidays.

How to apply, step by step

1. Online application, until 27 December 2026 at 23:59 CET. Fill in the online form and upload your CV, your motivation letter and your latest academic transcript.
2. Interview, early January 2027. Shortlisted applicants are invited to a 20-minute online interview with the selection committee.
3. Decision, mid-January 2027. All applicants are informed by email, and selected participants must confirm their place within two weeks.

There is no application fee on the official site.

Applicants from outside the Schengen area should start the visa process as soon as they are selected. Mid-January to mid-June leaves about five months, which is workable for a Swiss short-stay visa, but appointment slots in African capitals fill up months ahead.

Apply before 27 December 2026

Mistakes to avoid

• Applying on grades alone, with nothing to show outside the classroom.
• Writing a generic motivation letter that could be sent to any programme.
• Waiting until late December, when schools are closed and transcripts cannot be issued.
• Assuming the travel grant covers the whole flight.
• Missing the two-week confirmation window after the mid-January decision.

For other science and research opportunities, see the Erasmus Mundus EMABG scholarship in animal biodiversity or the Erasmus Mundus PlantHealth scholarship. If you would rather study from home, you can also explore the online degrees offered by Unicaf.

Read also

• Erasmus Mundus EMABG scholarship in animal biodiversity and genomics
• Erasmus Mundus PlantHealth scholarship 2027-2029

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