Government of France-Ministry of Defence-IRSEM - IRSEM Military History Fellowships

What you get

You will receive 10,000 EUR per year to fund your PhD in military history. The scholarship runs for one year and may be extended twice, bringing the total duration to up to three years and the total amount to 30,000 EUR. Renewal is not automatic. Each year, you must submit a new application and a report on your work, and the Council for Defence History Research (CSRHD) will reassess your application. The funding is provided by the French Ministry of Defence (Ministère des Armées).

Who can apply

• Level: At the time of your application, you are enrolled as a PhD student.
• Field: Your dissertation is on military history.
• No paid PhD contract: You do not yet have a funded PhD contract (a paid PhD post). This funding is aimed at students who do not yet have such a contract.
• Where you study and nationality: Applicants of all nationalities are eligible to apply, provided they are enrolled at a French higher education institution and are affiliated with a French research laboratory. If you are studying outside France, you must be a French national.

How to apply

You should submit your application via the ‘Mémoire des Hommes’ platform, which is run by the Federal Ministry of Defence. The deadline is 30 March. The CSRHD will review all applications and decide who will receive funding.

How realistic are your chances?

This scholarship is highly selective: your doctoral thesis must focus on military history, you must not already be in a funded doctoral programme, and only around six scholarships are awarded each year. As a result, the pool of applicants remains small compared to open doctoral funding schemes. If your project clearly falls within the field of military history, you meet the eligibility and nationality requirements, and you apply before the deadline in March, your chances are good. Selection is based on academic merit within a specific field.