The Student Room Group

Phd in France - funded?

Are PhDs in France* generally funded? I know the tuition fees are low compared to UK fees, but are most students generally provided with a stipend to live on, or are they expected to work part-time while studying in order to pay for rent, food etc?

Any helpful responses greatly appreciated and will be rewarded with rep. :smile:

(I'm a British student, so I assume the same funding/tuition feen regulations that apply to French students also apply to all EU nationals.)

*I'm looking into PhDs at 'normal' universities such as Paris 3 and 4, rather than grandes écoles, just in case there's a distinction, funding-wise.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 1
Bump :smile:
Reply 2
A friend is doing her PhD in Classics there (at the Sorbonne) and from what I am aware of she is not being paid. There might be scholarships available but you'll have to apply for them, so similar to the UK basically. And Paris is just ridiculously expensive!
Reply 3
Thanks ever so much for the reply.

Noo Corinna it won't let me rep your post - I need to spread some more around first apparently. I'm sorry!

Mods - I perhaps should have posted this in the International Study forum, is it possible to move it?
Reply 4
Original post by *Supernova*
Thanks ever so much for the reply.

Noo Corinna it won't let me rep your post - I need to spread some more around first apparently. I'm sorry!

Mods - I perhaps should have posted this in the International Study forum, is it possible to move it?


haha don't worry about it :smile: If you want I could try and ask my friend what funding opportunities there are.
Reply 5
Original post by *Supernova*
Are PhDs in France* generally funded? I know the tuition fees are low compared to UK fees, but are most students generally provided with a stipend to live on, or are they expected to work part-time while studying in order to pay for rent, food etc?

Any helpful responses greatly appreciated and will be rewarded with rep. :smile:

(I'm a British student, so I assume the same funding/tuition feen regulations that apply to French students also apply to all EU nationals.)

*I'm looking into PhDs at 'normal' universities such as Paris 3 and 4, rather than grandes écoles, just in case there's a distinction, funding-wise.


INSEAD offers fully funded PhD in Finance, and some other business related degrees, with stipend of 1500-1800 euros per month. Extremely competitive, 3% acceptance rate.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 6
Original post by *Supernova*
Are PhDs in France* generally funded? I know the tuition fees are low compared to UK fees, but are most students generally provided with a stipend to live on, or are they expected to work part-time while studying in order to pay for rent, food etc?

Any helpful responses greatly appreciated and will be rewarded with rep. :smile:

(I'm a British student, so I assume the same funding/tuition feen regulations that apply to French students also apply to all EU nationals.)

*I'm looking into PhDs at 'normal' universities such as Paris 3 and 4, rather than grandes écoles, just in case there's a distinction, funding-wise.


Sorry I don't really now about France, I suspect that you may pay very low fees or no fees at all but I don't think you are funded.If you are looking into funded PhDs I would suggest to check the Netherlands.Many PhDs there are funded because you are considered a faculty member, basically you are working as an assistant professor.A friend of mine will be doing his PhD at Maastricht and he is expected to get about 2,000 euros per month (and not pay tuittion fees). Plus most of their programmes are offered in english. I've also heard that PhDs in Germany have similar treatment.
(edited 11 years ago)
Well, Paris isn't cheap at all, but anyway, without knowing your subject it is nearly impossible to give you an answer. You should also inquire, if you are as a PHD student still able to get CAF. (That helps you to cover your rent.) As you are a foreign citizen you won't be able to get a bursury (in France exists a bursury system for students from low income families which can be also used for PHD).
Reply 8
Original post by *Corinna*
haha don't worry about it :smile: If you want I could try and ask my friend what funding opportunities there are.


That would be fantastic, if you wouldn't mind. I may not be able to give you rep but as we are both in Oxford I will buy you a coffee to say thank you!
Reply 9
Original post by Nathanielle
Well, Paris isn't cheap at all, but anyway, without knowing your subject it is nearly impossible to give you an answer. You should also inquire, if you are as a PHD student still able to get CAF. (That helps you to cover your rent.) As you are a foreign citizen you won't be able to get a bursury (in France exists a bursury system for students from low income families which can be also used for PHD).


Thanks everyone for the helpful responses so far.

What's the bursary system called, do you know? Would it definitely not apply to me? I thought I technically don't count as a foreign student as I'm EU, but I could be wrong.

Silly me, I should have said - I'd probably be reading Lettres modernes, so literature basically.
Original post by *Supernova*
That would be fantastic, if you wouldn't mind. I may not be able to give you rep but as we are both in Oxford I will buy you a coffee to say thank you!


haha don't worry about it :smile:
Original post by *Supernova*
Thanks everyone for the helpful responses so far.

What's the bursary system called, do you know? Would it definitely not apply to me? I thought I technically don't count as a foreign student as I'm EU, but I could be wrong.

Silly me, I should have said - I'd probably be reading Lettres modernes, so literature basically.


Hm, I thougt it would be only for French students. (You don't get a maintenance loan from the UK as a EU student, so it totally depends on the state's policy.)

Search for CROUS, I don't have the website right now, but they are responsable for the bursury system.

Regarding French literature I have no idea how likeable will be funding.
Reply 12
Yes, most of the PhD in france are funded, from 1600 to 2000€/month. This is true for scientific subject, more difficult to find funding for humanities. See more info on www.phdinfrance.net
Reply 13
In France benefits are based on where you live rather than where you come from. In other words, even as a British national you could be eligible for means-assessed benefits, if you have worked in France before.

Bourses ouvertes 'aux étudiants étrangers possédant la nationalité de l’un des États membres de l’Union Européenne ou d’un autre Etat partie à l’Espace économique européen ou de la Confédération suisse à condition de remplir l’une des conditions suivantes: avoir précédemment occupé un emploi en France, à temps plein ou à temps partiel.' ( http://www.cnous.fr/bourses/272-2/ )

You are also eligible to live in state-funded accommodation which are very cheap (called Cité U). Generally speaking, France spends its money on education in universities and accommodation so the fees and rent are cheap but you don't have many state scholarships unless you're very very poor.

Quick Reply

Latest