The Master's Program



The Master's program is Department-wide. For information on this program and how to enroll interested candidates should consult the relevant department site




PhD Program



The Center has a vigorous PhD program that is supervised by its senior members. PhD candidates are selected each year from local Master class graduates as well as outside applicants. Strong preference is given to top candidates of the local Master's program. Exceptional candidates of other masters' programs may also be considered.

PhD students, once they are accepted they are assigned a academic advisor who is responsible to supervise the PhD thesis. There are no formal class requirements, but the PhD students are strongly encouraged to take additional classes given locally on subjects related and sometimes unrelated to their subject of research.

PhD students can also take classes in other European institutions for short periods (a few weeks to a few months). The Center has several agreements in line with European institutions in order to exchange PhD students.


PhD Selection process



Candidates that are interested in becoming PhD students at the Center, may apply each academic year. There is a deadline of March 1, for the submission of application material.

Strong preference is given to applications by email. They can be sent to any senior member of the Center. Decisions are taken by early March. If a candidate is asking for financial support, this is decided in May. Successful candidates are expected to start September 1 of the same year.

An application should contain the following documents

a) A detailed CV and a statement of research interests

b) A scan of the master's degree and detailed transcript of the courses taken, and their grades. If the applicants has not yet finished the master's program, an estimated date of receipt of the degree should be provided together with a detailed description of the master's program, and any available grades that have been awarded up to the application date.

c) A detailed transcript of the undergraduate courses taken and their grades.

d) Three letters of reference preferably from well known scientists in the field. At least one of the letters (and preferably more than one) should come from scientists involved into the Master's program the candidate has already attended. The letters should detail the degree of knowledge the referee has of the applicant,an evaluation of the aptitude of the applicant for research as well as a comparison of the applicant to his fellows students, or to previous years. The candidates should ask their referees to sent their letters by email to the appropriate Center member.

e) The GRE results in Physics are also strongly advisable to be sent.

f) Depending on nationality, proof of English knowledge may be required.

g) Anything else the applicant deems relevant.




PhD topics currently offered



Elias Kiritsis

1. Holographic correspondence and the physics of QCD

2. The phase structure of strongly coupled theories and holography

3. The physics of the Standard Model and beyond in String Theory

4. The cosmology of the universe in string/brane cosmology.


A very good knowledge in Quantum Field Theory is a prerequisite in all of the above. Additionally a good knowledge of statistical mechanics is necessary for 2, the physics of the standard model for 3, of cosmology and general relativity for 4 and of very basic string theory for all.



Vasilis Niarchos

1. Conformal field theories and conformal bootstrap

2. Non-perturbative dynamics of supersymmetric quantum field theories

3. Supersymmetry breaking in string theory, quantum field theory and holography



Achilleas Porfyriadis

1. Black holes and graviational waves

2. Holography beyond AdS spacetimes

3. Asymptotic symmetries, large diffeomorphisms and the IR structure of gravity



Nick Tsamis

1. Cosmological dynamics

2. Quantum cosmology

3. Quantum gravity