Paris Institute of Political Studies - Paris Institute of Political Studies doctoral scholarships

Sciences Po Paris PhD Contract

You will be offered a gross salary of 2,100 EUR per month under a three-year employment contract, meaning you will be paid for full-time work whilst undertaking your PhD. Funding is provided by Sciences Po Paris (the Paris Institute of Political Studies), one of France’s leading universities for social sciences. From the academic year 2025–2026 onwards, all PhD students will no longer be required to pay tuition fees. You will only be required to pay the CVEC, the small compulsory French student contribution. In addition to your salary, you can apply for the doctoral grant scheme, which covers research costs such as travel expenses, fieldwork or publications.

Who can apply

• Degree: You must hold a Master’s degree in a research-related field or an equivalent five-year higher education qualification (bac+5). If you are in the final year of your Master’s degree, you may apply whilst you are still awaiting your results.
• Field of study: You are applying for a PhD programme in Economics, History, Law, Political Science or Sociology, and your previous studies must be in line with this subject area.
• Where you study: You are doing your PhD at Sciences Po in Paris, where you will choose a research unit.
• Nationality: Applicants of all nationalities are welcome to apply. French and international applicants are treated equally.
• Grades: You have an excellent academic record. For the subjects of Political Science and History, you must have achieved a mark of at least 16/20 in your Master’s thesis, or an equivalent result.
• Supervisor: For the Sociology degree programme, you must already have obtained written consent from a supervisor. For the History degree programme, please indicate a potential supervisor in your application.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted online via the Sciences Po admissions portal. Only one application may be submitted per year for all doctoral programmes. There are two application deadlines each year: around 10 February (results at the end of March) and around 17 May (results at the end of June). For the departments of Law, Sociology and History, an interview may form part of the selection process.

How realistic are your chances?

Selection depends mainly on your academic record and the quality of your research proposal; therefore, excellent grades and a well-developed project are particularly important. Sciences Po is a renowned research university and the paid contract is attractive, so competition is fierce. The high standards required for the dissertation in Political Science and History further narrow the field of applicants. If your academic record clearly meets these standards and your research proposal is compelling, your chances are good. If you apply in the first round, you will receive a response sooner.