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The Hubrecht International PhD Program (HIPP) aims to recruit outstanding students to the Hubrecht Institute, where they will train under leading scientists to become world-class researchers in molecular and developmental biology.
We are currently welcoming applications for the 2026-2027 round, until September 15th, 2026, at 23:59 (Central European Summer Time). You can apply through the application portal.
The HIPP is open to applicants worldwide and welcomes students who are excited to redefine our understanding of molecules, cells, tissues and organisms. The primary criteria for selection are scientific excellence, motivation and future potential.
Research at the Hubrecht Institute covers a wide range of research themes and technologies including:
An overview of all research groups can be found on this page.
You will be asked to indicate up to three groups of interest in your application. These choices are non-binding and are intended to give the selection committee an idea of your specific research interests.
Please note that not all research groups participate in the HIPP each year. A definitive list of recruiting labs will be shared with applicants at a later stage.
PhD candidates at the Hubrecht Institute benefit from:
HIPP students will receive:
For more information about being a PhD student at the Hubrecht Institute, visit the page: Working at the Hubrecht Institute.
To apply for the HIPP, students must:
Applications must be submitted through the application portal before September 15th 2026 at 23:59 (Central European Summer time).
Applicants must complete the following, in English:
(iii) Transcripts/grades for undergraduate and graduate coursework.
Please upload your combined PDF to the upload field “Resume” in the application portal and upload a blank document to the upload field “Cover letter”.
Please do not include other documents in this file. Do not submit this PDF by email.
Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. Please note that due to the large number of applicants, we cannot respond to individual requests for feedback.
Document review All valid applications will be reviewed by at least two members of the HIPP selection committee. Applicants with incomplete applications (including missing reference letters) will be disqualified at this stage.
Online interviews Candidates selected for an online interview will give a formal 10-minute presentation about their previous work, followed by 15 minutes Q&A by the selection panel (HIPP committee plus some recruiting group leaders).
In-person selection visit Candidates selected for the in-person interview will visit the Hubrecht Institute to have 1-on-1 meetings with group leaders and their team members (including current PhD students). Travel, accommodation and costs incurred for obtaining necessary travel documents will be covered by the Hubrecht Institute.
Candidates will also be given a tour of the institute facilities. At the end of the visit, candidates will provide a ranked list of up to three research groups that they would like to join. These can be different to the groups of interest indicated in the initial application.
The visit is part of the selection process. PhD positions will be offered to successful candidates shortly after the visit.
I do not hold a master’s degree. Am I eligible to apply? To apply for the HIPP, students must hold a Master’s degree in the Life Sciences or related disciplines or expect to be awarded a Master’s degree before commencing their PhD.
The Nuffic page provides information on how your international diploma compares to a Master’s qualification in the Netherlands. Please check that your diploma type is equivalent to a “WO master’s degree” (not a HBO master’s degree).
We regret that we cannot help if your diploma type is not listed on this page. This includes Bachelor’s degrees (regardless of total duration or duration of the research component, such as 4-year Bachelor’s degrees).
The requirements for admission are set by Utrecht University. Further information can be found here.
Please note: no rights can be derived from preliminary inquiries regarding degree equivalency.
Can I apply by sending my CV, motivation letter and transcript via email? No. All applications must be submitted through our online portal. We cannot accept applications made by email.
In the application portal, there is an upload field “Resume” and an upload field “Cover letter”. Where should I upload my combined PDF application? Please upload your combined PDF to the upload field “Resume” and upload a blank document to the upload field “Cover letter”.
Which research groups are recruiting? Not all research groups participate in the HIPP each year. You will be asked to indicate several groups of interest in your application. The final list of recruiting groups will be shared with candidates prior to the in-person selection visit.
Which specific projects are available? Specific projects are discussed between the recruiting group leaders and the candidates during the in-person visit.
Should I contact the group leaders before submitting my HIPP application? There is no need to contact the group leaders before submitting your HIPP application.
To whom should I address my application in the application portal? You can address your application to the HIPP selection committee.
Can you confirm if my referees sent in their reference questionnaires? Due to the high number of applications, we regret that we cannot confirm this individually. The applicant is responsible for contacting their referees with sufficient notice.
My transcripts/grades are in a language other than English. Do I need an official translation? There is no need for an official translation as long as clear instructions are provided on how to interpret the document.
Can I change my application after submitting it? You can login to your application and change it until the application deadline.
I am having trouble logging back in to my application. Can you help me? When submitting your application, you register your email address and password. These are the details you need to log back into your application. If the portal prevents you from re-accessing your application, please try clearing your browser cookies and/or changing browsers. As a last resort, you can delete your original application and make a new application.
My application document is larger than the permitted upload size. Can you help me? It is the applicant’s responsibility to reduce the size of their PDF document to the permissible file size.
Can you upload my application files for me? We regret that we cannot upload your files for you. It is the applicant’s responsibility to submit a complete application.
When is the start date of the PhD? The start date of the PhD is flexible and discussed with the recruiting group leader. You are expected to start your PhD within 2027.
Will the HIPP open a call every year? Are there multiple calls in a year? We currently expect to have one open call per year depending on the availability of open positions.
Are all PhD positions at the Hubrecht Institute advertised through the HIPP? No. You are free to approach any group leader individually irrespective of the HIPP.
“The HIPP interviews gave me the opportunity to experience the collaborative and interdisciplinary research environment at the Hubrecht Institute while speaking to researchers from diverse scientific backgrounds. This indeed helped me decide where I wanted to begin my own scientific journey. I find the Hubrecht Institute to be an inspiring place to work, with an exceptional scientific community and state-of-the-art research facilities. What I value most is the culture of curiosity and collaboration. Through the weekly Hubrecht meetings I get to learn about exciting work done in other groups as well, making it an exciting place to connect and grow as a scientist as I begin my PhD.” – Megha Pradosh Nair, PhD student in the Garaycoechea group.
“I’ve found the Hubrecht to be a place where talented people, generous support, and fearless curiosity come together to make great science possible!” – Andy Li, PhD student in the Otsuki group.
For general queries, please contact hipp@hubrecht.eu. We receive a large number of enquiries. Please accept our apologies that you will not receive a response if your question is already answered in the FAQ or elsewhere on this page.
