JINR START Winter Session 2027 in Russia

The START programme, short for STudent Advanced Research Training, is an international student research programme organised by the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, Russia.

The programme gives undergraduate and postgraduate students the opportunity to work on advanced scientific, engineering and information-technology projects under the supervision of JINR researchers and engineers.

For the Winter Session 2027, selected participants will spend between six and eight weeks at JINR. The exact internship period is agreed with the project supervisor and must fall within the official Winter Session interval.

Participants work as part of JINR’s international scientific environment and gain practical experience using the Institute’s research infrastructure. At the end of the internship, participants prepare a written report describing the work completed during their project.

Research opportunities may relate to areas including theoretical physics, nuclear physics, particle physics, condensed matter, radiation and radiobiological research, computing, computational physics, engineering and instrumentation.

The programme may also help participants identify a topic or supervisor for a future Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD thesis and gain experience relevant to a future scientific career.

• Applicants may come from any country.
• Applicants must be under 30 years of age.
• Applicants must be currently enrolled as students.
• Undergraduate applicants should have completed at least the third year of Bachelor’s study and normally be entering their fourth or fifth year.
• Master’s students are eligible.
• First-year PhD students are eligible.
• The applicant’s academic discipline must correspond to one of JINR’s scientific fields.
• Relevant fields include natural sciences, engineering and IT.
• Applicants must be able to provide official documentation confirming their current student status.
• Previous participants of the JINR Summer Student Programme or START programme are not eligible to participate again.
• Applicants must select a research project relevant to their academic background.

• Fully funded research internship.
• Free accommodation provided by JINR.
• Daily allowance of 2,000 Russian roubles.
• Travel costs arranged or reimbursed according to JINR rules.
• Visa expenses covered or reimbursed according to programme procedures.
• Medical insurance costs covered or reimbursed.
• 6–8 weeks of advanced research experience.
• Supervision by JINR scientists and engineers.
• Access to JINR research facilities and infrastructure.
• Experience working within an international scientific team.
• Opportunity to explore a potential Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD thesis topic.
• Opportunity to identify a potential scientific supervisor.
• Professional and scientific networking.
• Potential preparation for future research or employment opportunities at JINR.

Applicants should prepare:

• Current CV.
• Motivation letter.
• Recommendation letter.
• Official document confirming current student status.
• Academic transcript covering the current study period.
• Graduation certificate or diploma with grades for completed stages of study, where applicable.
• Information about academic qualifications and specialisation.
• Information about previous research activity, theses or publications where applicable.
• Supporting documents requested through the START registration system.

Application documents must be completed in English, while uploaded supporting documents should be in English or Russian.

After selection, additional documents may be required for:

• Travel reimbursement.
• Visa processing.
• Medical insurance.
• Accommodation.
• Financial reimbursement.

Participants should also retain original boarding passes and other travel documents required by JINR.

JINR does not publish a numerical scoring system for START.

Selection is carried out directly by the supervisors responsible for the individual research projects.

Applicants are expected to demonstrate:

• Appropriate academic level.
• Academic background relevant to the selected project.
• Alignment with one of JINR’s scientific fields.
• A complete and relevant application.
• Suitable academic documentation.
• Motivation for the selected research project.

• Gain hands-on experience in advanced scientific research.
• Work directly with experienced JINR researchers and engineers.
• Access an international research environment.
• Develop practical scientific and technical skills.
• Explore potential thesis topics.
• Find a possible academic or research supervisor.
• Build international scientific connections.
• Strengthen preparation for postgraduate research.
• Gain experience relevant to future scientific careers.
• Work with research infrastructure at an international scientific institute.