CEFRES PhD Fellowships (France and Visegrad Countries)

CEFRES PhD Fellowship

You get 12,000 EUR per year (300,000 CZK) for a 12-month research stay at CEFRES in Prague, the French Research Center in Humanities and Social Sciences. The fellowship (a funded research place) runs from 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2027. You stay registered as a PhD student at your home university and spend the year in Prague working on your thesis. You join the centre's team and take part in its seminars and workshops.

Who can apply

• Study level: You are a PhD student in your second year or later.
• Where you study: You are enrolled at a university in France, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia or the Czech Republic. PhD students at the Central European University (CEU) can also apply.
• Field of study: You work in the humanities or social sciences. Your project must fit one of CEFRES's three research areas: movements of people, goods and ideas across borders; norms and how people break them (free expression, migration, sexuality, multiculturalism); or the everyday experience of spaces and objects.
• Languages: You have a good command of English. French is a plus but not required.
• Nationality: Any nationality can apply, as long as you study at one of the listed universities.

How to apply

You send your application as a single PDF by email to the CEFRES office. The deadline for the 2026/27 round is 16 March 2026 at 23:59 CET. A committee reviews the applications and shortlists candidates. Shortlisted candidates are invited to an interview (online if needed) in May 2026. Results are announced on 25 May 2026.

How realistic are your chances?

This fellowship is narrow. You must be a PhD student in the humanities or social sciences at a university in France or a Visegrád country, and your project has to match one of three set research themes. That keeps the applicant pool small. If your topic clearly fits an area and you can show solid progress and English skills, your prospects are good. A sharp, well-argued research summary is what decides it.