Applying for a PhD in France

Written by Taru Medha

France follows the Bologna system of higher education which classifies a PhD as a third-cycle degree. This means you’ll need to complete a Masters (second-cycle degree) to be able to apply for a PhD.

Institutes of higher education in France are free to set their own admission criteria and some tend to be tougher than others.

This guide takes you through what the application process looks like for a PhD in France including information on deadlines and language tests.

Application procedure Language tests Application deadlines

Application process for a PhD in France

Applications for PhDs in France are similar to most other countries. You will either be applying for an advertised project or submitting your own research proposal.

However, the application process differs depending on your nationality.

For EU/EEA students there are no specific pre-application procedures to go through, you just contact your chosen doctoral school or supervisor and apply to the institution directly.

If you are applying for an advertised project, then you should simply follow the application procedure. You will typically need to provide the following materials with your application:

Academic transcripts – These are certified copies of your degree contents and qualification certificates, with original stamps. Your transcript may have to be translated into French and approved by a lawyer.
References – You will usually need to provide at least two academic references who have had experience working with you.

If you are submitting your own research idea then you will have to submit a research proposal directly to a doctoral school.

For non-EU/EEA students in countries that are part of the Étude en France initiative, you will need to apply directly through the Campus France centralised application facility. You can create an account allowing you to submit an application to several institutions.

Language test requirements for international students

Even though France has a number of international institutes of higher education that offer courses in English, French continues to remain the primary language of instruction.

Institutions offering PhD programmes require you to have a certain level of proficiency in either of the two languages, depending on what language your course is taught in.

If your course is taught in French – You can take the DELF or the DALF French language test. You can read our guide on French language tests for more information.
If your course is taught in English– There are a number of different internationally accepted English-language tests including the IELTS, PTE and Cambridge tests. Check with your university for which ones are accepted.