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International PhD students

Would you like to do a PhD in France and you are not a French citizen?
You will find below all the necessary information to help you carry out your project

How to apply

You can apply for a doctorate in the same way as a French citizen. However, if you do not have a Master's degree, you must be able to provide proof of a diploma or equivalent degree that has enabled you to acquire research training.

However, if you do not have a Master's degree, you must be able to provide proof of a diploma or equivalent degree that has enabled you to acquire research training. In addition, foreign applicants are also eligible for all funding offered in our Finding Funding section. If he/she does not receive funding from his or her government, an international PhD student can benefit from a doctoral contract or another employment contract that governs his/her doctorate (e.g. CIFRE contract) like any French citizen.

► Find out more about applying for a doctorate

Financial Aid for International PhD students

Help with admission and registration procedures
Help with admission and registration procedures International students can receive help with application and registration procedures for doctoral studies.To do so, they can contact the DS secretariat.

Supporting international PhD students


The ULYS service center of the Université de Lyon is open to all and can help you in your steps to come to France and to set up home in Lyon.

Intended for international students enrolled at Lyon 1, the Boreal Centre advises you and helps you with your administrative procedures in English, German and Spanish.

The accommodation guide for international PhD students - A practical guide to help you in your search for accommodation in France.

French Language

French Language

French language courses are offered free of charge to PhD students by certain higher education institutions and by the Université de Lyon during the doctoral program. Participation in these courses can be validated as part of the training programme required by the doctoral school.

We advise PhD students whose mother tongue is not French to take these courses from the first year. They will help you to better integrate into your laboratory and your daily life. In addition, they will enable you to follow other training courses in French.
► More about the training courses

Writing the thesis

If you are not fluent in French, it is possible to conduct your research and write your defense in English.In this case, an abstract in French should accompany your manuscript. Your thesis can be conducted in English.
► More about the thesos and defense