Prix de These d'Universite (Academie Nationale de Pharmacie)

What you get

You are named a lauréat of the Académie Nationale de Pharmacie (an official winner) and receive an engraved medal in your name. France's national pharmacy academy awards this honorary science prize once a year. It recognises the author of a high-quality doctoral thesis (a PhD, called doctorat d'université in France). Winners are presented at the academy's formal opening ceremony in January. It is an honour, not a monthly grant, so there is no cash payment.

The prize has several subject categories: physicochemical sciences, biological sciences, drug sciences (developing new medicines and medical devices), pharmaceutical sciences (pharmaceutical law, health economics, pharmacovigilance, digital health), public health and environment, and pharmaceutical technology, biomaterials and drug delivery. A separate Cifre category rewards a thesis done under the Cifre scheme, a research contract between a company and a university funded by the French research ministry.

Who can apply

• Degree: You have completed a doctoral thesis (a PhD) in a pharmacy-related field.
• Timing: You defended your thesis less than 2 years ago (up to 3 years for the Cifre category).
• Where you defended: In France for most categories. For the pharmaceutical technology prize, any European French-speaking country counts. For the Cifre prize, a French university or an institution allowed to award the national doctorate.
• Language: Your thesis is written in French or English.
• Field of study: Your topic fits one of the pharmacy and health-science categories listed above.
• One prize only: You can apply for only one prize per year, and you cannot be a member of the academy.

How to apply

Send your full application by email to the academy's secretariat, including your thesis and its defence reports. For the 2026 round the deadline is Friday 4 September 2026 at midnight.

How realistic are your chances?

The field is narrow. Only recent PhDs in specific pharmacy and health-science areas, defended in France or another European French-speaking country, can enter. In 2024 the academy received about 40 applications across all categories, so the pool is small. If your work clearly fits one category and you apply soon after your defence, your prospects are reasonable, though it stays a competitive academic distinction.