Who should apply?

The ADVAC advanced vaccinology course is designed for mid-career to senior scientists and decision-makers involved in vaccine development, the design of new vaccination strategies, or policy-making related to the introduction of new vaccines into public health programmes at national or international level.

Selected participants typically have at least five years of professional experience in immunization and vaccines, in mid-level or leadership positions. 

The programme is open to professionals from the public, private, academic, governmental, and NGO sectors.

Applicants are evaluated based on their background in vaccinology, level of responsibility, and the expected impact of the course on their career, and on their institution or country.

Applicants who do not have this level of experience are encouraged to explore other vaccinology courses offered through the International Collaboration on Advanced Vaccinology Training (ICAVT) and to consider applying to ADVAC in the future.

ADVAC requests European CME accreditation annually from the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME®). These credits are also recognised in several non-European countries. Participants are advised to consult the EACCME website and their respective national professional body to confirm credit recognition. 

How to apply? 

1. REGISTER HERE ON THE WEBSITE to first create an account. You will then receive an email containing an activation link to confirm your email address and activate your account.  In case of problems, copy this link, paste it into your browser's address bar and open the webpage. If you do not receive the confirmation email immediately, you should check your spam/junk/quarantine box. If you still have a problem, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
    
2. Once your account is activated, LOG IN TO THE ADVAC WEBSITE using your User Name and Password and start the application.
    
3. COMPLETE THE STEP-BY-STEP APPLICATION  Your application must be completed and submitted in English only. 
   You may save your application and return to it as many times as needed before submitting it. We strongly recommend preparing the text of your application in a Word document (preferably using Arial font), and then copying and pasting it into the appropriate fields of the online application form. .
   You can download a template of the application form HERE for reference.

Selection criteria

To ensure the success of the course, we are unfortunately limited to a maximum of 80 participants. As a result, the selection process is highly competitive. We strongly encourage you to take the time needed to prepare a strong application in order to maximise your chances of being selected.

Participants will be selected by the ADVAC Scientific Committee based on:

• Educational background;
• Experience in vaccinology;
• Level of responsibility in vaccinology-related decision-making;
• Expected impact of the course at the personal, institutional, and national levels.

Important recommendations before applying

The application form requires applicants to complete several sections and provide information that will enable the Scientific Committee to assess their application and distinguish it from others during the selection process. Please pay particular attention to the following points which are critical: 

1. Experience in Vaccinology:

• Please indicate, with details, your most important vaccinology-related past experience and current activities.
• Give details on your current or future responsibilities with particular emphasis on what relates to vaccines or vaccination strategies.
• Selected applicants typically have substantial experience in vaccinology. This generally means at least 5 years of professional experience in immunization and vaccines, in either leadership or mid-level positions. 

2. Motivation:

• Indicate why you want to follow this course
• Indicate how you believe this course will impact your career,  your institution or  vaccination strategies at national/regional/global levels
• Give details on your motivation.  

3. Publications:

• List up to 5 (maximum) of your most important publications for which you were the main/first author or a co-author 
• Please provide the full reference for each publication: including the authors, title, journal, year, page numbers, and, if applicable, the web link (no abstract or summary).
• Only include articles that have been formally published.

• We understand that publications may not be relevant to all applicants depending on their profile. If you do not have any publications to list, please leave this section blank.

4. Letters of recommendation:

These are mandatory. Applications that do not include two letters of recommendation containing all the required information will not be considered. We strongly encourage you to contact the individuals who may write these letters for you as early as possible, in order to ensure that you are able to submit your application on time.

Please provide two letters of recommendation:

• One from a senior authority within your current institution confirming that:
  • your participation in the course is supported and encouraged by your institution,
  • provide details of your current role as well as your expected future responsibilities. 
• Another from an external expert with whom you have previously worked.

Institutions submitting more than one application should note that, as a general rule, only one applicant per institution will be selected. A separate letter must therefore be provided for each applicant.

A third letter of recommendation may also be submitted. Please do not attach your CV or any other documents, as these will be removed prior to review by the Scientific Committee.

Letters of recommendation must:

• Be written in English only, as the course will be conducted in English.
• Explicitly recommend the applicant for ADVAC 2027.
• Be recently dated.
• Be printed on official letterhead.
• Include the name, title, and position of the referee.
• Be signed by the referee.
• Be scanned and uploaded as a PDF file at the time of application submission.

Once your application is complete, you will be able to submit it.

In case of any technical difficulties, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for assistance.

Selection Process

Applications will first undergo an administrative eligibility check between 15 November and 1 December to ensure that all required information has been provided, all application fields have been completed correctly, and the two mandatory letters of recommendation have been received.

Applications that meet these administrative requirements will then be evaluated by the ADVAC Scientific Committee between early December and mid-January. Each application is assessed individually by at least 8 Scientific Committee members.

The Scientific Committee will meet at the end of January to select up to 80 participants and establish a waiting list.

Applicants will be informed by early February whether they have been selected, placed on the waiting list, or not selected.

Registration fees

If selected, participants will be required to pay the fees below in order to confirm their participation no later than one month before the start of the course.

The registration and accommodation fees for all selected participants (with the exception of fellowship recipients) are as follows: 

Registration fees:

• Participants from academic, governmental institutions, and NGOs benefit from a reduced fee of €1,800 (VAT included).
• Participants from industry and biotechnology companies: €9,500.

The registration fee includes tuition and course materials for the full duration of the course.

Accommodation fees: €3,500 (VAT included).
This fee covers meals and accommodation for the entire duration of the course. Meals and accommodation are provided as a single, non-separable package at a fixed price. No reduction can be made for days when accommodation is not used.