Established in 1983, the European Molecular Biology Laboratory’s doctoral programme trains PhD students across all EMBL sites in the molecular life sciences, balancing theory with practice and close mentoring with creative freedom. Two recruitment rounds are organised each year. Because current biological questions increasingly demand interdisciplinary work, EMBL actively encourages applicants with backgrounds in chemistry, physics, mathematics, molecular medicine, computer science or engineering to apply and work alongside biologists. First-year students take on the conceptual development and organisation of the annual EMBL International PhD Symposium in Heidelberg.