Study for a PhD in France
The length of a PhD program in France is 3 to 4 years. PhD candidates in France are not usually considered as students and they are recognized as professional researchers. France has a professional network of educational institutions to offer PhD programs (about 300 institutions) that are affiliated with 1,200 research centers, and PhD students can do research in these centers.
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Why study for a PhD in France?
France is the most important tourist destination in the world and it has a long history. French is one of the main international languages.
Famous philosophers such as Voltaire, Monstesquieu, mathematicians like Descartes and Laplace, famous artists like Cézanne and Renoir, writers like Zola and Dumas, filmmakers like Godard and Luc Besson have studied at French universities.
- France is ranked fourth based on the list of Number of Nobel laureates by country.
- More than 30 French universities are among the top universities in the world.
- The cost of studying in France is very low and education is almost free in this country.
With 278,000 international students, France has 12% of the international student population in the world and is the fourth most popular destination for international students in the world after the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. There are 25,000 international PhD students in France. There are 13 higher education institutions in Paris that offer almost all sorts of the disciplines. There are 83 public universities in France which are funded by the French Government. Health insurance for students in France are free until the age of 20, and from the age of 20 onwards, students should pay € 200 per year for health care. France is a very affordable destination compared to other countries in Europe, and the cost of studying for a PhD in the public French institutions are paid by the government. A PhD lasts for 3 years, which can be extended for one year provided that you sign an employment contract. This contract should include all of the regulations and framework of the contract between the worker and the employer, including salaries for researchers (two salary levels: for research + other professional tasks such as teaching).
PhD Scholarships in France
- Scholarships offered by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs
CROUS training courses which cover living expenses and accommodation costs. This scholarship is based on the needs of the student and normally it is at least 750 euros per month.
AIFS Abroad Scholarships, which aims to attract international students. Usually you can apply for these grants are each year in September.
- Scholarships offered by research institutes and regional councils
Research institutions offer all kinds of scholarships that are mostly related to employment contracts and are often for research projects and are very competitive.
- Conventions Industrielles de Formation par la Recherche (CIFRE)
CIFRE allows PhD researchers to conduct their research in a company and in collaboration with a research team. PhD students receive a monthly stipend for 3 years from the company they are researching in. (approximately € 2,000 per month including tax)
- Erasmus Mundus / Co-tutelle joint scholarship
How to apply for a PhD scholarship?
All students who have a master’s degree (Diplôme d’Ingénieur) are eligible to apply for a PhD. To apply for doctoral research programs/courses, you must contact your desired institution or university and submit your research application.
The required documents are:
- A scan of your passport
- CV
- Translation of your qualifications from diploma to master’s degree along with transcripts
- Recommendation letter from your professors (2 to 3 recommendation letter)
- International articles and authored books
- Research proposals and programs
- IELTS, TOEFL (CAF or CPF) language certificate
Note that it’s the best to check the website of your desired university or institution to get more detailed information.
Top PHD majors in France
- PhD in International Business Management
- PhD in International Leadership
- PhD in International Entrepreneurship
- Doctor of Public Administration (D.P.A.)
- PhD in FDV Life Sciences
- PhD in Business Management and Quantitative Methods
- PhD in New Frontiers
- PhD in Electrical and Electronics Engineering
- PhD in Optics and Photonics
- PhD in Plasma Physics and Nuclear Fusion
Top 10 French universities
- École Normale Supérieure with a world ranking of 24
- École Polytechnique ParisTech with a world ranking of 35
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie with a world ranking of 114
- Normale Supérieure College with a world ranking of 179
- Université Paris-Sud with a world ranking of 209
- Université Paris Diderot with a world ranking of 210
- Josephit Fourier University – Grenoble with a world ranking of 215
- University of Strasbourg with a world ranking of 226
- Université Paris-Sorbonne with a world ranking of 227
- Sciences po paris with a world ranking of 222
As mentioned earlier, the costs of studying in France is very low. In 2015, the cost of studying for a master’s program was 3,770 euros and for a PhD program was 300 euros. According to these explanations, studying for a PhD in France have many advantages and many international students want to study in this country. The first step to pursue a PhD in France is to correspond with the educational institution in France and contact them, the student must send the required documents to the supervisors via e-mail. (these documents are announced on the website of the university) It is worth mentioning that the student’s CV has a great impact on his/her application process, and the stronger your CV is, the more your chances will be. In this article we have tried to provide general information about doctoral studies in France.
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