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Definition of the PhD
The PhD is based on an original and educational research project, which should enable the candidate to become an international expert in their scientific field.The PhD is a professional research experience that leads to the award of a degree at BAC+8 level, recognized internationally. The PhD traditionally lasts 3 years, up to a maximum of 6 years, during which the PhD student carries out research on a specific topic. The PhD student conducts their research under the supervision of a Thesis Director (HDR).
The program concludes with the PhD student’s thesis defense, which confers the title of Doctor.
Admission requirements
To undertake a PhD, the future PhD student must hold a Master’s degree.PhD topics are posted on the Amethis platform.
The course of the PhD (in French - translation in progress)
It is the responsibility of the host institutions recruiting PhD students to seek or provide their remuneration.
Funding opportunities for a PhD are diverse: contracts from the Ministry of Higher Education and Research (MESR), grants from the Regional Councils of Brittany and Pays de la Loire, CIFRE PhDs, publicly or privately funded research projects, associations or foundations, foreign government scholarships, etc.
All PhD students of the ECLIS Doctoral School must 1/ be funded for the duration of their PhD, either through a salary (the PhD student is employed by a public or private entity, under a doctoral contract, a fixed-term contract or a permanent contract) or through a scholarship (the PhD student is not employed), or 2/ have sufficient financial resources to complete a PhD under appropriate material conditions.
Main types of funding
The Doctoral Contract
The doctoral contract is a 3-year fixed-term contract allowing the PhD student to devote themselves fully and exclusively to their research for the preparation of their thesis.- Doctoral Contract Procedure 2025
- Doctoral Contract Procedure outside CDE
- Thesis topic description form to be attached when submitting on Amethis
Regional grants
The Pays de la Loire Region awards PhD research grants intended to cover the PhD student’s salary costs.CIFRE
The CIFRE scheme allows a PhD student, affiliated with a laboratory or research unit, to pursue their thesis while being employed and remunerated by a French private company, a public institution, or an association — in short, by a funding body outside the university.CIFRE agreements bring together, around a research project leading to a PhD defense, three partners: a host organization (company, local authority, or association), a recent graduate, and a laboratory or research unit.
These agreements are aimed at private or public institutions (excluding universities) that commit to entrusting a PhD student with research work in direct connection with an external research unit. The funding institution signs a fixed-term or permanent employment contract for 3 years and pays its “CIFRE PhD student” a gross annual salary of at least €23,484.
Other sources of funding
Associations and foundations can also provide funding for PhDs.For any information regarding PhD enrollment within the ECLIS Doctoral School, please contact the site administrator of your institution.
International Cotutelle
The cotutelle is a scheme that allows a PhD student to pursue their thesis while being jointly enrolled at a French institution and a foreign institution during the same period (tuition fees are paid at only one university). A cotutelle agreement is signed between the two institutions (detailing time spent in each country, specific conditions for the thesis defense, etc.).
PhD students therefore work partly in France and partly abroad.
Updated on 04 September 2025.