Consulate General of France in Quebec - France / Quebec Joint Doctoral Dissertation Award

France / Quebec Joint Doctoral Dissertation Award

You will receive a one-off prize of CAD 1,500 (about 970 EUR) for an outstanding doctoral thesis written under a ‘cotutelle’ agreement between France and Québec. ‘Cotutelle’ means that your doctoral studies were supervised simultaneously by a French and a Québec university. Two prizes are awarded each year: one by the Quebec Ministry of International Relations and La Francophonie, and one by the French Consulate-General in Quebec. Your thesis will also be featured on the websites of both institutions as well as on the Acfas website, and the prize will be presented at the Acfas gala. This award recognises a completed doctoral thesis. It is not a monthly stipend paid whilst you are studying.

Who can apply

• Level: You have completed your PhD and defended your thesis between 1 January and 31 December 2025.
• Type of thesis: Your PhD is being carried out as part of a Franco-Quebec co-supervision arrangement, meaning you are enrolled at both a French and a Quebec university.
• Field of study: Any subject can apply.
• Who submits: Please ensure your application is complete. Incomplete applications will be rejected.

How to apply

Please send your application by email as a single ZIP file to both the French Consulate-General in Quebec and the Quebec Ministry at the same time. The deadline for applications is Monday, 21 September 2026; late submissions will not be considered. A committee on either the French or Quebec side will assess each application in terms of its relevance to cooperation between France and Quebec, its contribution to the field, the letters of recommendation, and your publications and awards.

How realistic are your chances?

This award has very strict criteria. Only doctoral theses completed within a single calendar year as part of a joint supervision arrangement between France and Québec are eligible, and only two prizes are awarded. As a result, the pool of eligible candidates remains small, but the awards go to the best doctoral theses, which are assessed on the basis of their academic significance and their publications. If your thesis meets the criteria for the cotutelle scheme and demonstrates clear relevance to both France and Québec, it is worth applying. Ultimately, success depends on truly outstanding academic achievement.