GRALE, Groupement de recherche sur l'administration locale en Europe - Prix de thèse du GRALE

Prix de thèse du GRALE

You receive a cash prize for an outstanding doctoral thesis on local and territorial government in Europe. Two prizes are awarded each year: the first prize (the Prix Georges-Dupuis) is 2,500 EUR and the second prize is 1,500 EUR. The prize comes from GRALE (Groupement de recherche sur l'administration locale en Europe), a research network based at the Université Paris-I - Panthéon-Sorbonne, and has run every year since 1980. The jury may award only one prize, none at all, or split a prize between two theses.

Who can apply

• Degree: You have completed a doctoral thesis, or a dossier de thèses sur travaux (a thesis based on your published work).
• Where you defended it: You defended your thesis at a French university, or jointly with one (cotutelle).
• Field: Any humanities or social science subject, such as law, political science, history, sociology or geography.
• Topic: Your thesis covers administration, institutions, policies or public action at the local and regional level in Europe, ideally comparing different countries.
• Language: You wrote your thesis in French, or in another European language with a substantial French summary in your application.
• Timing: For the 2026 round, you defended your thesis between 1 April 2025 and 1 April 2026.

How to apply

You apply online through the GRALE platform, uploading PDF files: the full thesis, a CV, a summary of up to 10 pages and the defence report (rapport de soutenance). For the 2026 round the deadline is 2 April 2026 at midnight. Two assessors review each thesis and the jury discusses it, with results announced in June 2026.

How realistic are your chances?

This prize is cut narrowly. You need a finished doctorate, defended at a French university within a tight window, on a specific topic in local and territorial governance. That keeps the field small compared with open scholarships. If your thesis clearly fits the subject and timing, and its quality stands out, your prospects are genuine. Keep in mind that in some years the jury awards only one prize or none.