Ph.D. in France is a 3-5 year course comprising of 6 semesters. Various top universities in France like Université PSL, Sorbonne University, Institut Polytechnique de Paris offer several specializations. Due to the higher attraction of international students and the language barrier, overall 1500 courses are offered in the English language.

To pursue various specializations in Ph.D. in France, international students are required to prove proficiency in the French language or English language. The minimum score required for the same is 6 bands in IELTS. Apart from this, international students are required to look for a thesis subject and thesis supervisor. Studying in France is comparatively low with other countries as higher education is usually funded by the country. On average, pursuing a Ph.D. in France costs between 30,000 to 35,000 INR for an Indian student.

PhD in France: Top Universities

PhD in France is offered in various specializations under fields like Arts, Humanities, and Business. Some of the top universities in France with courses and average fees are tabulated below:

University name Course Average Annual Fee (INR)
Université PSL Ph.D. in Arts, Humanities & social sciences, Engineering, Fundamental Sciences 33,861
Sorbonne University Ph.D. in Arts and Humanities, Medicine & paramedical studies, Sciences & Engineering 33,861
Institut Polytechnique de Paris Ph.D. in Applied mathematics, biology and chemistry, computing, Data and artificial intelligence, economics, management, Social sciences, etc. 25,396
Universit Paris Saclay Ph.D. in Arts, Humanities & social sciences, Engineering, Fundamental Sciences 32,168
Université de Paris PhD in Astronomy & astrophysics, environmental sciences, telecommunications, cognition and brain behaviour, Research in psychoanalysis, Hematology, etc. 33,861
École des Ponts Paristech PhD in Applied mathematics, computing, Data and artificial intelligence, economics, management, Information communication, Electronics and physics 33,861
Aix - Marseille University PhD in space culture and society, cognition, language and education, chemical sciences, legal and political sciences, physical and material sciences, etc. 29,629
University of Bordeaux PhD in law, economic sciences, management and demographics, mathematics and computer science, physics and engineering, chemical sciences, society, politics and public health 33,861

Why study for a Ph.D. in France?

France proves to be an attractive educational destination for international students from various countries. The factors which drive students to get a Ph.D. from the Universities in France are discussed below.

  • Pursuing a Ph.D. in France is quite affordable because the tuition fees for most universities in France costs around 30,000-35,000 INR. The major reason for the same is that most of the student fees at public institutions are covered, no matter what country the international students may belong to.
  • International students get to choose between various specializations in the fields of Arts, Humanities, and Science. Some of the major specializations like law, engineering, astronomy, and more.
  • The major language spoken in France is french. However, both public and private universities in France started to offer various courses in the English language.
  • France is a place investing in research and innovation. The universities spend a lot of resources to uplift the research and innovation sector. Thus it becomes a desirable place for students who wish to opt for a Ph.D. degree in any of the disciplines.

Ph.D. in France: Course Highlights

Duration 3 years or more
Eligibility A master's degree or equivalent with decent marks, English language proficiency tests TOEFL or IELTS
Course fee Financial help is given to the Ph.D. students studying in various universities of France. After that Fee ranges from 200- 400 Euros.
Average salary € 1200 - € 1400
Job profile Scientist, level scientist, Researchers, Medical Science liaisons, etc.
Industries to work in Education, Engineering, Industries, Research firms, Aviation or Space companies, etc.

Ph.D. in France: Admissions

International students planning to study Ph.D. in France have to start the preparations early. Initially, students have to find a thesis subject and thesis supervisor. Once done students can start looking for universities. Ph.D. in France has two main intakes September and January accepting international students. Some top universities in France with admission deadlines are tabulated below:

College name Deadlines
Université PSL Application submission 15 Nov- 15 Dec 2022
Sorbonne University Application submission 1st January 2022
Institut Polytechnique de Paris Jan 12 - March 10, 2022 March 23 - April 21, 2022
Universit Paris Saclay 7 May 2022
Université de Paris April 1, 2022
University of Bordeaux March 1, 2022

Ph.D. in France: Eligibility Criteria

The minimum qualification required by an international student before applying for a Ph.D. course in the universities of France are discussed below:

  • Candidates must be above 18 years of age and have completed their 10+2 from a recognized board.
  • A master's degree or a 5 years bachelor's degree in the relevant disciplines is a must from a recognized university. More than 60% of the score is required in these to apply for a Ph.D.
  • The candidates should have a good academic record in the previous college or institution.
  • English language tests like IELTS or TOEFL with decent scores are required while admissions. However, the English language tests are only relevant to programs taught in English while if the programs are taught in French, a candidate should qualify for TCF ( Test for Knowledge of French) and Le TEF ( French Assessment Test) examinations.
  • A valid passport and documents true to their expectations are a must.

Explore: Exams to Study in France

French Student Visa

Once securing acceptance from the university, students are required to apply for a French student visa. The table mentioned below showcases the visa requirements for universities in France.

Types Short-term Visa, Long-term Visa
Application Online
Visa Fees 99 Euros (8,380)
Processing Time 14-21
Documents
  • Application form for Visa
  • Passport size photograph
  • Proper photocopy of earlier visa and passport
  • Acceptance letter from the university
  • Airline ticket/reservation showing date of departure
  • Medical insurance (300–715 EUR/year) is required to purchase by students
  • French language proficiency test marks card
  • Photocopy of payment of visa fees

Ph.D. in France: Cost of Attendance

Ph.D. in France is very feasible for domestic as well as international students. The Ph.D. degree is funded by the state of France or various French universities also. The average spend by the universities or state on a candidate pursuing a Ph.D. is about 10,000 Euros. It results in minimizing tuition fees to a mere cost of about 300 - 400 Euros per year.

Pre-arrival Costs

Given below is a table indicating the one-time major costs involved for an international student planning to study in France:

Type Cost (INR)
Visa Application Fees 8,374 (99 euro)
Health Insurance 25,39,641
IELTS Fees 9,735- 14,729
TOEFL Fees 13,375
Airfare 77,713

Tuition Fees for Universities Offering Ph.D. in France

Some of the top universities in France offering PhD in France with tuition fees are mentioned below:

University Tuition Fees (INR)
Université PSL 33,861
Sorbonne University 33,861
Institut Polytechnique de Paris 25,396
Universite Paris Saclay 32,168
Université de Paris 33,861
École des Ponts Paristech 33,861
Aix - Marseille University 29,629
University of Bordeaux 33,861

Cost of Living in France

Before moving to France to pursue higher education, students are most concerned about their living expenses. Some of the living expenses in France are mentioned below:

Type of Expense Cost (INR)
Books & Material 50,792/ year
Food & Beverage 21,163- 25.396/ month
Accommodations 16,930- 59,258/month
Other Related Expenses 6,603- 13,798/month
Utilities 16,930/month
Entertainment 6,772- 13,544/month

Scholarships to Pursue Ph.D. in France

France is famous for funding the students in terms of their college tuition fees. It results in France offering cheap yet quality education to the students wishing to study in France.

However, there are scholarships that help one cut off their other expenses while living in France or for paying the tuition fees of the private colleges which range from 4,000 - 10,000 Euros per year. Some of the famous scholarships are given below:

Scholarship Eligibility Benefits
The Eiffel Scholarship Program of Excellence Available for Science, Economics, Management, Law and Political Science students €1,700 per month for up to 10-months, medical insurance, subsidized housing '
CROUS Scholarship Need-Based Upto €571.30 per month to cover accommodation and living costs,
Conventions Industrielles de Formation par la Recherche (CIFRE) 3-year full-time work contract €23,484 per year

Jobs After Pursuing Ph.D. in France

Candidates after completing their Ph.D. degree can either opt for research-based work or to work in the academic sector. It depends on the availability and wishes of the candidates. Usually, a candidate can earn from €2024 to €5678 which accounts for about 1,80,000 INR to 4,90,000 INR. A candidate opting both for research and teaching can make more than 5,000 Euros per month.

Some of the job profiles we come to know about for Ph.D. degree holders are discussed below:

Job Title Average Salary (EUR)
Atmospheric and Space Scientist 91,500
Biomedical Scientist 104,000
Clinical Laboratory Scientist 105,000
Computer Scientist 75,200
DNA Analyst 96,800
Food Scientist 64,700
Forensic Scientist 80,700
Formulation Technologist 38,500 EUR.

Also Check: Jobs in France

Candidates looking for a Ph.D. from France must start the preparation at an early stage of about 6 months prior to the expected admission deadlines. This may help them in getting their work done very easily and without any hassle.

FAQs

Ques. Is studying for a Ph.D. in France free?

Ans. No, studying for a Ph.D. in France is not free, though it is not expensive. France is known for funding students in terms of tuition fees in public universities. But the fee for a private college is higher but again scholarships cut off the tuition fees.

Ques. How many years does it require to do a Ph.D. from France?

Ans. Taking a Ph.D. degree from France usually takes 3 years of study. However, it can be stretched up to 6 years depending on the candidates. There is not any legal time limit to pursue Ph.D.

Ques. What are the requirements demanded by the college before applying for a Ph.D.?

Ans. The minimum qualification required for applying for Ph.D. is a master's or a 5-year bachelor's degree in the relevant disciplines. French language proficiency test scores are also required.

Ques. When should we apply?

Ans. The doctoral programs offered are usually published in January and have a deadline between April and May. Thus candidates should timely check the respective websites for the same.

Ques. If one does a doctoral degree from a research institute like CNRs, CEA, or INRA, should I be enrolled from a recognized university?

Ans. The research institutes are not authorized to offer doctoral degrees to the research associates working there. There one must ensure getting enrolled in the University that is authorized to award a doctoral degree which is also a partner of the research institute.