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CERN Short-Term Internship 2026 in Geneva, Switzerland
CERN is accepting applications for its Short-Term Internship Programme 2026 in Geneva, Switzerland.
The programme allows eligible students to spend between one and six months gaining practical experience alongside professionals working in scientific, technical, engineering and administrative fields.
Selected interns receive a monthly net allowance of CHF 1,593.
Important Eligibility Warning
This internship is not open to all nationalities.
Applicants must be nationals of a CERN Member State or Associate Member State. Applicants from countries outside these categories will not be considered.
Nigerian nationals are not eligible because Nigeria is not currently a CERN Member State or Associate Member State.
CERN has also stated that Pakistani and Lithuanian nationals cannot currently be considered for positions with a 2026 start date because the recruitment ceiling under their Associate Membership arrangements has been reached.
Internship Summary
Organisation: CERN — European Organization for Nuclear Research
Programme: Short-Term Internship 2026
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Work arrangement: Fully onsite
Internship duration: 1 to 6 months
Monthly allowance: CHF 1,593 net
Application deadline: 1 November 2026 at 23:59 Geneva time
Who Can Apply?
* Be a national of a CERN Member State or Associate Member State
* Be at least 18 years old
* Be enrolled as a full-time student
* Be studying for a technical or administrative diploma, bachelor’s degree or master’s degree
* Remain enrolled as a full-time student throughout the internship
* Have good working knowledge of English or French
* Be studying in an eligible technical, scientific or administrative field
PhD students are not eligible for this short-term internship.
Eligible Fields
Technical and scientific fields
* Applied physics
* Computing
* Software and information technology
* Mathematics
* Electrical engineering
* Electronics
* Mechanical engineering
* Civil engineering
* Instrumentation
* Materials science
* Radiation protection
* Safety and environmental protection
* Surveying
* Ultra-high vacuum
* Scientific communication
Administrative fields
* Translation
* Advanced secretarial work
* Accounting
* Legal services
* Human resources
* Librarianship
* Logistics
* Other relevant administrative areas
What Interns May Do
* Support CERN professionals in their daily work
* Learn and apply tools relevant to their studies
* Contribute to supervised projects
* Gain practical experience in an international organisation
* Work with people from different professional and cultural backgrounds
* Connect their academic studies with real workplace projects
The exact assignment depends on available placements and the applicant’s academic field.
Financial Support
* CHF 1,593 net per full month of internship
* A proportionally adjusted allowance if the internship covers less than a complete month
* Paid leave for contracts lasting four months or more
Applicants should not assume that this internship includes free accommodation, meals or automatic reimbursement of travel costs unless CERN confirms this directly during recruitment.
Insurance Requirement
The applicant’s university or educational institution must provide full insurance valid in the Geneva region, including France and Switzerland.
* Medical expenses
* Workplace accidents
* Private accidents
* Disability arising from professional or non-professional illness or accidents
Applicants should confirm this requirement with their institution before accepting a placement.
Required Application Documents
* A CV in English or French, submitted as a PDF
* Any additional document the applicant considers relevant
Applicants must also select their preferred availability period during the online application.
A motivation letter, transcript or recommendation letter may strengthen an application where relevant, but the official listing does not identify all of these as mandatory documents.
Traineeship Agreement
If the applicant’s university requires a traineeship agreement, CERN will not sign an external agreement provided by the university.
The applicant must use CERN’s own traineeship agreement.
Applicants should confirm that their university will accept CERN’s agreement before proceeding.
How to Apply
Step 1: Check your nationality
Confirm that your country is listed as a CERN Member State or Associate Member State.
Do not apply based only on where you currently live or study. CERN assesses the applicant’s nationality.
Step 2: Confirm your student status
You must be enrolled full-time in an eligible diploma, bachelor’s or master’s programme and remain enrolled throughout the internship.
Step 3: Check your insurance
Ask your university whether it can provide the insurance coverage CERN requires for the Geneva region.
Step 4: Prepare your CV
Create a clear CV in English or French and save it as a PDF.
* Your current studies
* Technical or administrative skills
* Academic projects
* Relevant software and tools
* Work or volunteer experience
* Language ability
* Your availability
Step 5: Complete the official application
Submit your application only through CERN’s official SmartRecruiters application page.
During the application, select the period when you are available for the internship.
Step 6: Wait for CERN’s response
CERN receives a high number of applications and says that only successful applicants will be contacted.
Applying early may be sensible because placements are limited, but CERN has not stated that applications are assessed strictly on a first-come, first-served basis.
Eligible Nationalities
* Austria
* Belgium
* Bulgaria
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* Estonia
* Finland
* France
* Germany
* Greece
* Hungary
* Israel
* Italy
* Netherlands
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* United Kingdom
Nationals of the following Associate Member States may also fall within the nationality category:
* Brazil
* Chile
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* India
* Ireland
* Latvia
* Lithuania
* Pakistan
* Türkiye
* Ukraine
However, CERN currently says that Pakistani and Lithuanian nationals cannot be considered for positions starting in 2026 because the applicable recruitment ceiling has been reached.
Applicants should recheck CERN’s official nationality information before submitting because membership and recruitment restrictions can change.
Important Notes
* This is not a fully funded internship.
* Accommodation is not listed as a programme benefit.
* Travel expenses are not listed as a guaranteed benefit for this internship.
* The applicant’s institution must provide the required insurance.
* PhD students are not eligible.
* Applicants from non-member countries will not be considered.
* Only successful applicants may be contacted.
* The internship is fully onsite in Geneva.
* CERN does not sign external university traineeship agreements.
