Learning by Research

Prerequisites

To apply, you must first have a thesis subject and there are two ways to proceed:

• Choose a subject from the current proposals, and submit your application according to the procedures indicated. Consult the websites of doctoral schools and research laboratories in your field, to find out about the subjects and funding available:
• Propose a thesis topic to a laboratory or Doctoral School (mainly in the arts, languages, humanities and social sciences). The subject will then be worked out with the future thesis supervisor;
• Be pre-selected by a thesis director and a host laboratory to carry out the research work;
• Meet the general conditions for registration in thesis defined by the  decree of May 25, 2016 setting the national framework of training and the procedures leading to the issuance of the national PhD diploma namely:
  • hold a French diploma conferring the degree of master at the end of a training programme establishing the aptitude for research;
  • or hold a foreign diploma of equivalent level (obtained at the end of a training programme establishing the aptitude for research). In this case, your application will be examined by the Commission Dispenses et Dérogations  Doctorales (CD3);
  • or benefit from the validation of prior learning as provided for by the French Education Code.

Application

Application procedures vary from one doctoral school to another.
Please read their individual pages for guidance.

ED CSV: Chemistry and Life sciences 
ED EEATS: Electronics, Electrical energy, Automatic control, Signal processing
ED IMEP²: Engineering - Material, Mechanics, Environment, Energetics, Processes, Production
ED ISCE: Engineering for Health, Cognition and the Environment
ED LLSH: Languages, Literature and Humanities
ED MSTII: Informatics and Mathematics
ED PHILO: Philosophy
ED PHYS: Physics
ED SE: Economics
ED SG: Management Sciences
ED SJ: Law
ED SHPT: Humanities, Political and Territorial Sciences
ED STEP: Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences

Admission

If your application has been selected by a Doctoral School, your Doctoral School will contact you about the admission phase.