1. Call – Further Information
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO PHD PROGRAMS
– RESERVED TO CITIZENS OF NON-EUROPEAN UNION NATIONS
– FACULTY OF ARTS – SPRING AND AUTUMN DEADLINES –
ACADEMIC YEAR 2012 – 2013
This document completes the information contained in the Call for Applications.
1. Positions available and fields of study
The PhD program at the Scuola Normale Superiore (SNS) includes classroom lessons, seminars and
research activities. Thanks to individualized study/research plans as well as interdisciplinary work,
the SNS PhD program broadens each student’s educational foundations, prepares students for
research and leads to the obtainment of a particularly high level of academic specialization.
SNS PhD students must attend to their studies according to plans approved annually by the Faculty
Council of the Faculty of Arts. Periods of study and research in other reputable Italian and foreign
Universities or Institutions for students may be authorized and financed by the SNS. Research activity
is directed to the preparation of a dissertation which demonstrates the results of original and
academically relevant work. At the end of the program, the results illustrated in the dissertation
must be defended in front of an international Committee of specialists.
The Application procedures aim to evaluate the candidate’s superior preparation, talent, motivation
and academic research ability through the CV, work to date, proposed research/study plan and
interview.
2. Application deadline and procedures
Candidates in the Spring session who are evaluated positively on the basis of their CV, academic work
to date and proposed research/study plan but not in the interview, will be re-evaluated in the
Autumn session. An additional Application Form is not required, but the candidates who desire to do
so are invited to produce new and further documentation concerning academic work and research.
3. Evaluation of the application
The Admissions Committee will assess candidates on a 10-point scale considering candidates’ work to
date and proposed research/study plan. Candidates who obtain at least 7/10 will be considered as
suitable and will be invited to an interview where the Committee will further evaluate the
candidate’s preparation, proposed research/study plan and language skills.
The candidate’s proposed research/study plan will also be considered in light of its correspondence
with the research and teaching activities of the SNS. The teaching activities of the Faculty of Arts may
be found here: http://www.sns.it/didattica/lettere/ ; information about research groups and
workshops may be found here: http://www.sns.it/it/ricerca/lettere/ .

2. 4. Interview
Interviews customarily take place at the SNS (Piazza dei Cavalieri, 7 – Palazzo della Carovana – Pisa),
for the Spring session most likely by end, month of June. The SNS reserves the right to request that
the interview take place by teleconference in a place and using methods which will be decided upon
as necessary, also in consideration of the place of origin of the application.
The interview may take place in English, French, German, Italian or Spanish. The Committee
furthermore reserves the right to evaluate if the candidate’s level of Italian is sufficient to consent
active participation in academic work and research.
The Committee will rate the candidate’s interview on a ten-point scale. Candidates with a final score
of at least 7/10 will be considered as acceptable, and ranked according to their final comprehensive
scores (evaluation of the application materials and interview)
Documented travel expenses will be reimbursed to candidates who are interviewed, also in the case
of a teleconference (Attachment A, point a.9.).
5. Assignment of PhD positions
The Director of the SNS approves the final ranking of the candidates recommended by the
Committee and assigns the positions available to the successful candidates.
These successful candidates have the right to request, based on documented travel costs, the
reimbursement of travel expenses to begin the PhD program, up to a maximum of € 1,000.00 and as
outlined in Attachment A, point a.9.
6. PhD students’ rights and responsibilities. The scholarship funds.
The status of the SNS PhD student is subject to the SNS Statute and Academic and Institutional
Regulations. PhD students may not pursue any activity which interferes with their research and
studies at the SNS.
Successful candidates have the right to a scholarship, decided annually, and which for 2012-2013 is
€13,400.00/year, as well as free board in the SNS dining hall except when closed for academic
holidays. The scholarship is subject to Italian fiscal law and is paid out in 12 identical end-of-month
payments; payment is in all events subject to on-going satisfactory work and research by the student,
in particular to positive results in the exams at the end of each academic year.
7. Use of personal data and administrative head of procedure
All candidate and PhD student data will be used in accordance with Italian law (no. 196 - 30 June
2003). The Head of Student Services of the SNS, Mario Landucci (tel. +39 050 509237, email:
m.landucci@sns.it), is also administratively responsible for this Call.
8. Additional information
The following are considered integral parts of this Call for Application: 1. The Call for Application
itself, 2. these Call- Further Information pages, 3. Attachment A – Regulations and Provisions and
4. Attachment B – Application Form.

3. For any matter not explicitly mentioned in this Call for Application, all interested parties are referred
to the Statute and the Academic and Institutional Regulations of the SNS (in Italian).
For further information, please contact the Head of the admissions procedure, or the staff of Student
Services:
concorso.ammissione@sns.it
Silvia Carresi, +39 050.509663,
Silvia Quaglieri, +39 050.509847
Ambra Vettori, +39050.509026