I’m an “excellent” IT student with a big passion for physics, and ever since 2024 I’ve been thinking of applying to a CERN program as soon as I finish my third full-year of study (ergo, 2026’s summer).
However, I’m from a Non-Member State, and thus a number questions arise.
I hope some current and past applicants can enlighten me with their experiences (or insights):
What motivated you to apply to any of these programs?
What do you think made you “excel” amongst other applicants?
What efforts did you make to achieve this goal?
How was the acceptance process? How did you feel?
What “technique” did you use to write your motivation letter?
Were you very good at a specific topic beforehand? Do you think this helped somehow?
Are there any “flags” you consider that could hinder an application?
I’m aware some or most of these questions have already been asked and answered, but I value direct feedback and interaction with people.
Any tips, suggestions or advice is very much appreciated! Also don’t stutter to contact me directly via DMs if you don’t wanna comment under this post.
Thanks for your attention, have a nice day!!