Europe offers a wide range of fully funded Master’s, PhD, and research fellowships in biotechnology, molecular biology, and genetics, with opportunities supported by leading universities, research institutes, and EU-funded programs.
These scholarships often cover tuition fees, monthly stipends, research expenses, travel grants, and insurance, making them ideal for aspiring scientists in 2025.
1. Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s in Biotechnology (EMBIO)
- Level: Master’s
- Location: Multiple universities in Belgium, Greece, and France
- Funding: Full tuition waiver, €1,000/month stipend, travel allowance
- Fields: Industrial biotechnology, molecular genetics, bioinformatics, bioprocess engineering
- Eligibility: Open to students worldwide with a bioscience background
- Deadline: January 2025
- Website: Erasmus Mundus EMBIO
2. Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Networks – Life Sciences
- Level: PhD
- Location: Various European universities and research labs
- Funding: Living allowance (~€3,400/month before tax), mobility allowance, family allowance
- Fields: Genetics, molecular biology, synthetic biology, biomedical biotechnology
- Eligibility: All nationalities; mobility rule applies (cannot have lived in host country >12 months in last 3 years)
- Deadline: Varies (most mid-to-late 2025)
- Website: MSCA Opportunities
3. ETH Zurich Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme
- Level: Master’s
- Location: Switzerland
- Funding: Tuition waiver, CHF 12,000 per semester for living expenses
- Fields: Biotechnology, genetic engineering, molecular health sciences
- Eligibility: Outstanding academic performance required
- Deadline: December 2024
- Website: ETH Scholarships
4. EMBL International PhD Programme
- Level: PhD
- Location: European Molecular Biology Laboratory (Germany, UK, Italy, Spain)
- Funding: Full tuition, competitive stipend (~€2,500/month), travel allowance
- Fields: Genetics, molecular biology, genome biology, structural biology
- Eligibility: Open to all nationalities
- Deadline: April & October 2025
- Website: EMBL PhD
5. Wellcome Sanger Institute PhD Studentships
- Level: PhD
- Location: Cambridge, UK
- Funding: Full tuition, £20,000/year stipend, research and conference grants
- Fields: Genomics, molecular genetics, bioinformatics, functional genomics
- Eligibility: Open to all nationalities
- Deadline: December 2024
- Website: Wellcome Sanger PhD
6. Lund University Global Scholarship (Biotechnology & Genetics Track)
- Level: Master’s
- Location: Sweden
- Funding: Full tuition waiver, partial living cost support
- Fields: Molecular genetics, biotechnology, applied biosciences
- Eligibility: Non-EU/EEA students with strong academic merit
- Deadline: January 2025
- Website: Lund University Scholarships
7. University of Copenhagen – PhD in Biotechnology & Genetics
- Level: PhD
- Location: Denmark
- Funding: Salary (~€3,300/month), pension, travel allowance
- Fields: Molecular genetics, CRISPR, bioengineering, microbial biotechnology
- Eligibility: Open to all nationalities
- Deadline: Rolling (varies by project)
- Website: UCPH Job Portal
8. Swedish Institute Scholarships for Global Professionals
- Level: Master’s
- Location: Sweden (various universities)
- Funding: Full tuition, SEK 11,000/month living stipend, travel allowance
- Fields: Biotechnology, genetics, molecular medicine
- Eligibility: Students from eligible countries outside EU/EEA
- Deadline: February 2025
- Website: SI Scholarships
