A research studentship at the European Southern Observatory for students already enrolled in a PhD programme in astronomy or a related field, covering observational, theoretical and fundamental astrophysics. Placements run one to two years and are hosted either at ESO headquarters in Garching, Germany or at ESO’s offices in Santiago, Chile; ESO also reserves up to two positions a year for students at Chilean universities. Students keep the formal supervision of their home university supervisor but come to ESO to work under the co-supervision of an ESO astronomer. Applications go through the ESO recruitment portal at two deadlines each year.