Government of France-Ministry of Defence - Co-sponsored doctoral grants

AID co-funded doctoral grant

You will receive a monthly salary of approximately 2,043 EUR for three years to carry out PhD research on a topic relevant to French defence. The fields of specialisation range from biology and materials science to robotics, photonics and social sciences. Funding is provided by the Agence de l’innovation de défense (AID), the innovation agency of the French Ministry of Defence. It is paid to your employer (usually your laboratory), not directly to you. Additional funding covers travel and training costs. Each year, the AID funds approximately 100 to 130 PhD projects. Most are co-funded: the AID covers part of the costs, whilst a second organisation covers the rest – your supervisor will act as the intermediary.

Who can apply

• Degree: You hold a Master’s degree or an equivalent qualification, such as an engineering diploma.
• Nationality: You are a citizen of the European Union, the United Kingdom or Switzerland. There are no exceptions.
• Where you study: Your laboratory must be located in France. Any French laboratory is eligible.
• Field: Your project falls within one of AID’s priority areas in the natural and engineering sciences, such as biology, the environment, flows and structures, robotics, materials and energy, nanotechnology, photonics or defence-related social sciences.
• Employment: You are not currently employed. If you are already in employment, you cannot apply.

How to apply

Your supervisor must submit the project (topic, laboratory, supervisor, co-funding and, ideally, the candidate) online via the ‘Démarche Numérique’ platform by 15 February. A project may also be submitted without a candidate being named; the candidate may be added at a later date. A panel of judges assesses the scientific quality, the laboratory, the supervision and the relevance to the thesis defence. For projects in the humanities, a short interview will take place in Paris. Successful projects cannot commence before 1 October 2026. One exception: co-funded doctoral theses carried out in collaboration with the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) are processed solely by the CEA and not by the AID.

How realistic are your chances?

With 100 to 130 grants awarded each year across numerous disciplines, the programme is of considerable scope. However, each project requires a compelling research proposal and a supervisor who can secure a co-funding partner. This practical hurdle limits the field to well-prepared projects. If your Master’s programme aligns with one of the AID’s priority areas, your laboratory is based in France and your supervisor has secured co-funding, your prospects look good.