Observatoire B2V des Mémoires - Doctoral Grants

Observatoire B2V des Mémoires doctoral grant

You will receive 40,000 EUR per year for three years, totalling 120,000 euros, to fund your doctoral thesis on the subject of memory. The money will go to the research laboratory where you are undertaking your PhD, not directly to you. The funding comes from the Observatoire B2V des Mémoires in France, which supports one early-career researcher each year to investigate how memory works.

Who can apply

• Study level: You are currently in the second year of a Master’s degree programme (Master’s 2) this academic year and are well on your way to completing it, or you completed your Master’s 2 last year.
• Not yet a PhD student: You have not yet enrolled on a PhD programme. If you are already enrolled on a PhD programme, you cannot apply.
• Where you research: Your PhD must be based at a research laboratory in France.
• Topic: The topic of your doctoral thesis must, in a broad sense, relate to memory: individual, collective, animal or digital memory. The project must be interdisciplinary in nature and encompass fields such as anthropology, history, psychology, philosophy, sociology, neuroscience, neurology, engineering, sports science, computer science or robotics.
• Field of study: Open to all departments, provided your project relates to the theme of ‘memory’ and is interdisciplinary in nature.
• Nationality: Applicants of all nationalities are welcome to apply. The key requirement is that you are conducting research in a French laboratory.

How to apply

Please submit your complete application online by midnight on 21 May. A selection panel will draw up a shortlist. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview in June, after which the winner will be chosen.

How realistic are your chances?

As only one scholarship is awarded each year, competition is fierce. The topic is narrowly defined: your project must genuinely focus on memory, be interdisciplinary and be based at a French laboratory. This narrows the field of applicants to particularly suitable candidates. If your PhD proposal aligns closely with the ‘memory’ focus area and you have strong support from your future supervisor and laboratory, your prospects are good; however, the format – with only one winner – means the bar remains set high.