Physics, Astrophysics and Applied Physics

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Academic year 2025/2026
Department of Physics "Aldo Pontremoli"- INFN Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare
Università degli Studi di Milano
EQF level: 8
41° cicle
Field of study: natural sciences, mathematics, physics and statistics
Place of teaching
milano (MI), italy
Languages in which the course is held
English
Cost
Not specified
Scholarships
21 
Deadline (Expired)
17 June 2025

Course contents

The main theme of this doctoral programme is physics in advanced sectors of pure and applied research,
with a focus on topics of excellence pursued by UniMI and INFN staff. Research covers all areas of modern
physics, as indicated in the 5 curricula. The required basic training is ensured by a significant set of
courses run specifically for the PhD programme and held by UniMI professors and INFN researchers, with
final exams.
Students will also attend an international school and hold a public seminar when they return. The
programme provides various opportunities for student discussion and exchange across different curricula.
In particular, a doctoral workshop is organised at the end of each academic year. Training is supplemented
by coordinated series of subject-specific conferences ("Physics Colloquia"). Doctoral students will have to
undertake original research under the guidance of a tutor from the University or the INFN, and possibly a
co-tutor. Each year they will present their progress in a seminar open to the entire UniMI and INFN
scientific community. To support research activities, the programme offers internship opportunities at
national and international INFN laboratories as well as corporate or institutional research laboratories in
the field of physics and related technologies.
The doctoral programme is entirely in English.
Page of the course on the University's website

Teaching

Place of teaching
milano (MI), italy
Attendance methods
Compulsory attendance
Languages in which the course is held
English

Admission requirements

Type of degree required
2nd Level Degree
Field of study
information and communication technologies (icts), engineering and engineering trades, health and pharmacy, natural sciences, mathematics, physics and statistics
Foreign language skills
English
To meet the language proficiency requirement, doctoral students must submit an English certificate from one of the certifying bodies recognised by the University (see https://www.unimi.it/en/study/language-proficiency/placement-tests-and-englishcourses/accepted-language-certificates), at B2 level or above, by the end of the first programme year
Degree programme classes
LM-6, 6/S - Biology, LM-8, 8/S - Industrial Biotechnologies, LM-9, 9/S - Pharmaceutical, veterinary and medical biotechnologies, LM-11, 12/S - Science for conservation of cultural heritage, LM-13, LM-13ante22, 14/S - Pharmacy and industrial pharmacy, LM-17, 20/S - Physics, LM-18, 23/S - Computer Science, LM-20, 25/S - Aerospace and aeronautical engineering, LM-21, 26/S - Biomedical Engineering, LM-22, 27/S - Engineering/ Chemical, LM-25, 29/S - Automotion engineering, LM-27, 30/S - Telecommunications engineering, LM-28, 31/S - Electrical engineering, LM-29, 32/S - Electronic engineering, LM-30, 33/S - Energy and nuclear engineering, LM-32, 35/S - Computer Engineering, LM-33, 36/S - Mechanical Engineering, LM-40, 45/S - Mathematics, LM-44, 50/S - Mathematics and physics: modelling for engineering, LM-53, LM-53ante21, 61/S - Materials engineering, LM-54, 62/S - Chemistry, LM-58, 66/S - Universe Sciences, LM-71, 81/S - Industrial chemistry and related technologies, LM-75, 82/S - Environmental and land sciences and technology, LM-79, 85/S - Geophysics, LM-74, 86/S - Geology, LM-91, 100/S - Technologies and methods for the information society, LM-82, 48/S, 90/S, 92/S - Statistics, LM-26 - Safety engineering, LM-66 - Computer security

Admission

Deadline
17 June 2025
Available places
21
Admission
Admission selection
Admission to the doctoral programmes is through a public selection procedure involving the evaluation of qualifications and tests for the comparative assessment of applicants. Applications are vetted by Admission Committees appointed in compliance with current regulations. Selection stages: - assessment of the CV (max. 20 points) and research project (max. 10 points); - interview (max. 70 points). Only applicants who obtain at least 10 points for the CV and at least 5 points for the research project are called for the interview. The selection process aims to ascertain the applicants' prior knowledge, skills, aptitude for scientific research and personal motivations. Applicants are selected based on an assessment of their CV and a research project, which may or may not be inspired by the work of the second-cycle degree thesis, as well as on an interview held either in person or online, as stated in the programme specification. The research project, which must be drafted using Form 1 attached hereto, is only for selection purposes and does not limit the choice of the doctoral thesis in the case of admission. The applicant's CV and research project are assessed before the interview. Applicants will be able to see the result of this assessment on the University website, on the programme webpage. When assessing the CV, the Committee takes into account the applicant's university studies, publications, professional experience and other qualifications, if any. In assigning points for the CV, the Committee considers the statistical distribution of exam grades for the study programme courses, as well as the conditions and the period over which the applicant has obtained his/her qualifications. The interview is public; interview dates will be posted on the University website following the assessment of qualifications. The aim of the interview is to verify the applicant's knowledge of topics germane to the educational and scientific contents of the doctoral programme. The interview includes a seminar-style presentation of the proposed research project, followed by a general discussion to verify the applicant's expertise, scientific qualities and motivations. The interview is conducted in the language indicated in the programme specifications; in any case, applicants may ask to be interviewed in English. To take both the test and the oral exam, applicants must present one of the following identity documents: • identity card; • passport; • (Italian) driving licence. The outcome of the interview process will be communicated by the Committee at the end of the interviews. At the end of the interviews, the Committee draws up a general ranking list according to the total score assigned to each applicant for their CV, research project and interview. The minimum pass score is 70/100. The general ranking is published on the Postgraduate admission rankings page in the days following the examinations. The Committee must conclude their work by the day after the last interview.
Cost
Not specified
Scholarships
21
Scholarships:

10 University of Milan

3 scholarships funded by INFN – Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare

1 scholarship funded by the Department of Physics "Aldo Pontremoli" for the research project:
"Electroweak corrections at high energies". Lead instructor: Prof. Marco Zaro

1 scholarship funded by the Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems (IMM) of the National Research
Council for the research project: "Development and characterization of memristive devices for
neuromorphic computing, within the Microtech for Green project " (CUP B63C22002390006)

1 scholarship funded by the Department of Physics "Aldo Pontremoli" for the research project: “Development
of experimental and modelling advanced approaches for the study of atmospheric aerosol properties and
sources” – Lead instructor Prof.ssa Roberta Vecchi

1 scholarship funded by the Department of Physics "Aldo Pontremoli" for the research project: “Implementation
of hardware platforms for all-optical communication and data processing” - Lead instructor Prof. Marco
Potenza.

1 scholarship funded by Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica di Milano (IASF – Milano) dell’Istituto
Nazionale di Astrofisica for the research project: “High-Energy Astrophysics, Cosmic Structures and
Observational Technologies”

1 scholarship co-funded by Fondazione Bruno Kessler and Department of Physics "Aldo Pontremoli" for the
research project: “Programmable threshold logic arrays for edge data processing”.

1 scholarship funded by Department of Physics "Aldo Pontremoli" on ERC funds – project ““Quantum Vortex
Simulator: from fundamental properties toward engineering mobility (QUAVADIS)” (CUP G43C22005030006)
per il programma di ricerca: “Experimental studies on quantum vortices in ultracold fermionic superfluids of Li6 atoms” – Lead instructor Prof. Woo Jin Kwon

Employment opportunities

The training offered by the PhD program in Physics, Astrophysics, and Applied Physics introduces students to research in various fields of physics at an international level, both experimental and theoretical. The PhD is awarded to students who have demonstrated:
1. the ability to create new knowledge and interpret new experimental evidence through cutting-edge research worthy of publication in international journals;
2. a deep and systematic understanding of a field at the forefront of academic research or an area of professional practice, together with detailed knowledge of the techniques applicable to advancement in scientific research and/or industrial development;
3. be able to conceptualize, design, and implement projects for the generation of new knowledge or new applications, and modify the design and implementation in light of unexpected problems or new evidence.
As such, students who obtain a PhD are ideal candidates for prominent positions in scientific research at universities and research institutions, as well as in industrial research and development, especially in high-tech industries. PhD graduates in physics also find employment opportunities in the fields of medical and health physics, complex systems in social and financial sciences, and activities related to machine learning and big data processing.
As such, students who obtain a PhD are ideal candidates for prominent positions in scientific research at universities and research institutions, as well as in industrial research and development, especially in high-tech industries. PhD graduates in physics also find employment opportunities in the fields of medical and health physics, complex systems in social and financial sciences, and activities related to machine learning and big data processing.

The doctoral program office has employment data for almost all students from cycles 32-33-34-35, and the data indicate that 90 percent of former students are engaged in research in positions as young researchers (approximately 2/5 abroad and 3/5 in Italy). The rest work in industry as analysts, managers, and technical managers, or teach in secondary schools. With regard to cycle 36, 75% of former students who responded to the survey are engaged in post-doctoral research abroad (5) or in Italy (1); the remaining students hold Tenor Track/Senior Lecturer positions abroad (1) or work as analysts in companies in Italy (1). With regard to cycle 37, 69% of former students who responded to the survey are engaged in post-doctoral research, of which 8 are in Italy and 3 abroad; The remaining students work in companies as consultants (2) or system and research engineers (1) in Italy, or teach in secondary schools in Italy (1) or in the Air Force (1).

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Notes
Doctoral programme activated in agreement with INFN - National Institute of Nuclear Physics
Other editions of the same course
Academic year edition 2024/2025Academic year edition 2023/2024Academic year edition 2022/2023
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