Region of Pays de la Loire - Jointly financed awards for doctoral dissertations

What you get

The Pays de la Loire region in western France contributes to the funding of PhD places so that local research teams can take on more PhD students. For a 3-year (36-month) PhD contract, the region covers 50% of the PhD student’s gross salary. The upper limit is a salary of 60,000 EUR, meaning the region pays up to 30,000 EUR. In addition, a one-off grant of 3,000 EUR is awarded to cover research costs. The money goes to the institution employing the PhD student, not directly to you.

Who and what qualifies

• Who applies: Not you. It’s your future employer who’s applying for you: a regional university or a national research institution.
• Where the PhD sits: You enrol at a doctoral school in the Pays de la Loire region. The research is carried out in a laboratory in the region that has passed the national HCERES quality assessment.
• Timing: You have not yet started your doctoral thesis. The application must be submitted before you enrol for the doctoral programme.
• Field of study: All scientific fields count, except medical and clinical research theses. In 2026 the region gives priority to environmental topics, human development and territorial cohesion, and responsible digital technology.
• Co-financing: The other half of the funding must be confirmed before you apply, and it cannot come from EU FEDER funds.
• Company-linked theses: If your PhD is a Cifre project (a PhD carried out in collaboration with a company), the application must be submitted within 24 months of the start of the project.

How to apply

Your organisation submits an application once a year via the regional funding portal. For 2026, the call for applications runs from 1 April to 22 May 2026 (midnight). First, the organisation’s scientific advisory board reviews and assesses the projects. The standing committee of the Regional Council then votes on the allocation of funding.

How realistic are your chances?

This is not an open scholarship for students. It is a regional co-funding programme, so the application must be submitted by your supervisor or your institution. Your chances of success depend on how well the project aligns with the region’s annual priority areas and how the institution performs in its internal ranking. If your planned doctoral thesis falls within one of the 2026 priority areas, is to be carried out at an eligible regional laboratory and receives strong support from your institution, your prospects are good. Obtain confirmation of co-funding and submit your application well in advance of the deadline on 22 May, as you can only apply once a year.