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Ech PhD stdet js esech te t ffted t specfc

Dct Deptet. Cddtes e gded d spevsed by thess

spevs.

The Doctoral Departments at each higher education institution represent

multiple esech tes from one or more institutions. Each department is

organized around a specific theme.

The departments are responsible not only for tg doctoral students but

also for preparing them for esech cees by offering them a scholarly

setting in which to work and learn. Through instruction, seminars, and

internships, students are introduced to a range of career opportunities in

various settings, including academia, government, and industry.

The deptets ff esset cdtg e, esg the

scetfc cheece f cddtes’ esech pjects.

• Every department is affiliated with a university or other higher education

host institution accredited to deliver doctoral degrees (called support

or principal institution) in the field represented by the department.

The department, while formally affiliated with a single institution, may

coordinate the work of research teams at several “c-ccedted”

“sscted” sttts.

Co-accredited institutions grant doctoral degrees independently.

 Associated institutions may grant doctoral degrees only in conjunction with

the Doctoral Department’s host institution.

• Doctoral Departments may, and often do, combine their efforts, often within

a higher education research cluster or research network. These clusters

are known as PRES, for Pôles de Recherche et d’Enseignement Supérieur 

(Higher Education and Research clusters). The research networks may

exist at the national, binational, or international level. An example of

the research networks that exist at the national level are the thematic

advanced research networks, or RTRA (Réseaux Thématiques deRecherche 

 Avancée ).

• Doctoral Departments are accredited by France’s Ministry of higher

education following an assessment by the national agency for the

evaluation of research and higher education (AERES).

DoCToral STuDiES in FranCE

france’s Doctoral Departments in figures

• 285 Doctoral Departments were operating as of September 1, 2010

distributed among 10 scientific fields and 70 subdomains

• Nearly 70,000 PhD students in 2010 - 41% of them international students

• 11 400 doctoral degrees were awarded in 2009

• 4,100 research grants awarded in 2009

• 1,200 grants in 2009 under the CIFRE program (industrial agreement of training

through research), a doctoral program partially supported by industry

• 1,400 fundings granted by research organizations in 2009• 1,200 research grants issued by local authorities in 2009

what Do france’s Doctoral Departments offer to aDvanceD stuDents?

• scetfc d schy evet anchored by recognized

research centers and teams

• stdes relevant to candidates’ research goals and career plans

• tet des

• opportunities to complete teshps in professional settings

• sppt in identifying career opportunities

The Dct Deptets e desged t g Fech pctce wth Epe s d cheve wde

ecgt f degees bth the cdec d pfess sphees whe ctg t ese the hghest

eve f edct.

Stdes wth the ew Dct Deptets e w see s pvdg “pfess esech expeece.”

aye hdg Epe ste eqvet y ppy f dss t Dct Deptet de t

pepe d defed dct thess. The Dct stdes y eqe thee yes. Sccessf cddtes

e wded dct degee, the hghest degee ffeed Fce’s hghe edct syste.

it c s hep bdg tet expeece thght the jt dssett schee (cttee).

Fce hs ey 70,000 dct stdets, cdg e th 40% f tet stdets.

applying for aDmission to Doctoral stuDies

Dct Deptets e the chp f dct stdes Fce. Stdets

beg dct stdes by ppyg f dss t Dct Deptet.

Hw t ppy

•  Aspiring candidates must hold a degree equivalent to a European Master

(5 years of Higher Education)

• Applicants should contact a Doctoral Department to inquire about the procedure

for submitting a esech cstg deptet’s esech ppss.

• The Doctoral Department will refer the candidate to a thess spevs d evew

wth the cddte the pts f fcg the cddte’s dct stdes. 

• Once the candidate is accepted by the Doctoral Department and thesis

supervisor, he or she signs thess ctct.

The thesis contract represents the agreement of the doctoral candidate, the department,

and the research center, team, or laboratory that will host the candidate. The contract 

specifies the subject of the candidate’s research and the conditions under which the 

research will be carried out. The contract helps ensure quality by setting forth the rights 

and responsibilities of each party and by situating the dissertation in the larger context of 

the candidate’s personal and professional plans, with explicit reference to the candidate’s 

goals and the means of reaching them.

france’s Doctoral Departments

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D o C T o r a l S T u D i E S i n F r a n C E

useful sites

Note: Candidates may be required to present a clear plan for financing

their doctoral study as a condition for admission to a doctoral program.

France issues different visas depending on how students finance their study.

The long stay scientific visa is generally best suited to doctoral students.

The fc geets st be sffcet t w the cddte t

devte hsef hesef f te t esech ve ped f 3 yes.

The Dct Deptet s the cddte’s pcp pt f ctct

ttes eted t the fcg f dct stdy.

In April 2009, a new system of doctoral contracts replaced block grants

(allocations doctorales) as the chief means of delivering public financing for

doctoral education.

The new contract system is open to all doctoral degree students. Available for a

period of 3 years, the contracts carry medical insurance and other social benefits

in addition to a stipend. The minimum gross monthly stipend is 1,985 euros.

Contracts are awarded and administered by Doctoral Departments at the

nation’s higher education and research institutions. Contract terms are

uniform from one institution to another.Doctoral contracts are true employment contracts to the extent that they are

enforceable by law and carry all of the benefits attached to such contracts

under French law.

The new system is intended to recognize and reinforce the role of doctoral

education in providing professional training in research.

=> In addition to the research contract funded by the French Ministry of

Higher Education and awarded by the Doctoral Departments, there

exist several other financing schemes, among them bilateral funds and

scholarships awarded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and research

grants offered by individual research laboratories, France’s regional

governments, and industry (under the CIFRE program, for example), as

well as funds provided by the candidate’s home country or institution.

uSEFul TErmS

 ANR : Agence Nationale de la Recherche (French National Research Agency)ED: École Doctorale (Doctoral Department)UR: Unité de Recherche (research unit, center, or team)EA: Équipe d’Accueil (host team)UMR: Unité Mixte de Recherche (integrated research unit)ERT: Équipe de Recherche Technologique (technological research team)RTRA: Réseau Thématique de Recherche Avancée (thematic advanced research network)PRES: Pôle de Recherche et d’Enseignement Supérieur (research and higher education

cluster)CIFRE: Conventions Industrielles de Formation par la Recherche (industrial agreement of

training through research)

HDR: Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches (certified research director, a postdoctoralFrench national diploma)

financing Doctoral stuDies

• Agence CampusFrance : online information and guidance for a study project in France

http://www.campusfrance.org

- Directory of doctoral programs:

campusfrance.org>Find your program > Doctorate

http://www.campusfrance.org/fria/d/index.html

- CampusBourse, directory of grants programs : campusfrance.org>Finance your

program

http://www.campusfrance.org/fria/bourse/index.html

• CNRS, the national center for scientific research: http://www.cnrs.fr

CNRS quarterly magazine (in English): http://www2.cnrs.fr/en/2.htm

• The French National Research Agency: http://www.agence-nationale-recherche.fr

• National association of doctors of science (ANDèS, Association nationale des docteurs 

ès sciences ), which collects and continually updates information on financial aid for

doctoral studies: http://www.andes.asso.fr

• Hosting of doctoral candidates and research scholars

- ABG-L’intelli’agence, promoting career opportunities for young PhDs:

http://www.intelliagence.fr

  - Fondation Kastler: http://www.fnak.fr

• Information on visas

Contact information for French consulates abroad:http://www.mfe.org > annuaires

• French national legislation related to research:

http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/texteconsolide/PEEBD.htm (n° 2006-450 of 18 April 2006)

• Ministry of Higher Education, and Research:

http://www.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr

• Agency for the evaluation of research and higher education (AERES, Agence d’évaluation 

de la recherche et de l’enseignement supérieur)  :

http://www.aeres-evaluation.fr

• EURAXES, devoted to the mobility of research scholars and scientists in Europe: 

http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index_en.cfm

• Web portal for European researchers in France: http://www.eracareers.fr

THE DoCToral ConTraCT

france’s system of public financing for Doctoral stuDies

!

inDustry-sponsoreD eDucation anD research contracts (cifre, conventions  industrielles  de  formation  par  la recherche )

CIFRE grants enable doctoral candidates to prepare their dissertation

within an industrial enterprise, in cooperation with an external academic

research team. The enterprise and the student enter into a three-year

work contract, under which the enterprise pays the student a monthlynet

stipend of approximately 1,950 euros. Students wishing to obtain a

CIFRE grant must apply, with their Doctoral Department, to the national

association for technical research (ANRT, association nationale de la 

recherche technique , http://www.anrt.asso.fr).

Vs d stts f feg ecpets f CiFrE gts => Recipientsof CIFRE grants must apply for a normal student visa. Once in France,

they must then apply for temporary work authorization (APT, autorisation 

provisoire de travail ), with no change in legal status.

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