PSL PhD Tracks
Highly selective and entirely taught in English, PSL PhD tracks are 5-year fully funded programs intended for high-potential students hoping to become top level researchers, in France or abroad. Through its PhD Track Grants, PSL will support outstanding students for the entire duration of their graduate studies, from their Master’s to the completion of their PhD.
The PSL PhD tracks are structured along the lines of models in the world’s top universities, with a strong international focus and funding provided from Master’s to Doctorate. Students are immersed in the environment of excellence of the PSL graduate programs (top level facilities and academic teams, international partners, elective courses, etc.)
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Key figures
Why sign up for PSL PhD track?
Research track from Master’s year 1
Close supervision and customized curriculum
International scientific environment
Funding for 5 years
PSL PhD tracks are fully funded, 5-year programs designed for high-potential students who aspire to become top-level researchers in the public or private sector, in France and internationally.
The PSL PhD Track grant is €10,000 / year at Master’s level (2 years) then the equivalent of a doctoral contract based on French legislation (see details in the Funding tab)*.
- After the first two years of the program, students are awarded a Master’s degree. During their Master’s studies, they are supervised by an academic tutor, who helps them develop their own scientific project and acquire the necessary tools to undertake an ambitious research endeavor. Once they graduate from the Master’s program, students will have their doctoral dissertation project approved through a qualifying exam (the modalities of which vary from one PhD track to another). They will then proceed directly to their doctoral studies at PSL.
- The next 3 years are spent entirely on the research project and culminate in the PhD degree awarded by Université PSL.
PSL PhD tracks for September 2026 intake:
(Click on each PhD track for more details)
Find out more about PSL other fully funded PhD programs:
- International selection (ENS-PSL) | Sciences & Arts/Humanities
- Phd program in Finance
Who are we looking for?
The admission criteria common to all PSL PhD Tracks are as follows:
- Academic excellence
- Quality of the research project
- Previous experience in a research laboratory (highly recommended)
Entry requirements
- Applicants must hold at least a Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent diploma representing 180 ECTS credits, or they should be in their final year of such a program at the time of application. Students holding a Master’s degree or currently completing one are also eligible.*
- Command of English (level C1 recommended)
- Applicants must meet the entry requirements specific to the Master’s degree concerned, as described on the program website.
*Admission to a PSL PhD track is only available starting from Master’s Year 1 for the full 5-year program (2 years for the Master’s + 3 years for the PhD). Direct entry into Year 2 of the Master’s or Year 1 of the PhD within the PhD track program is not permitted.
For students already enrolled at PSL, in addition to the admission requirements mentioned above, only those in Year 3 of a Bachelor’s degree or in a Master’s degree not included in the targeted Graduate Program are eligible. See here for detailed information.
Admissions calendar (Sept. 2026 intake)
- Application submissions: 16 October - 11 December 2025 (11:59 pm CET time)
- Interviews with eligible candidates: January - March 2026 (depending on the PhD track concerned)
- Admission results: February - April 2026 (depending on the PhD track concerned)
Note: the admissions procedure for the PhD track (5-year course) and the admissions procedure for the Master’s degree (2 years) are 2 distinct processes. Applicants may apply in parallel for both programs (PhD track and Master’s) according to the admissions calendars. As the PhD tracks are highly selective, applicants are strongly advised to apply for both programs (PhD tracks and Master’s).
Application procedure
- Document-based application: The application package must be submitted online from October 16 to December 11, 2025, via the PSL portal.*
- Interview: Eligible candidates will be invited for an admissions interview, which will be conducted remotely in English.
*Candidates must submit their applications for the PhD tracks EXCLUSIVELY through the PSL portal, regardless of their nationality.
Students admitted to the PSL PhD tracks must complete the EEF procedure for the visa pre-application if they reside in one of the countries affected by this process. For more information, please refer to the International admissions procedures at PSL.
Application package
All documents must be submitted in English. Only complete applications submitted within the deadlines will be considered by the committee. Applicants should submit the following documents:
- Academic CV
- Transcripts and diplomas from each higher education institution / university attended (Bachelor and Master if applicable).
One unique pdf for all your documents. You can use pdf-merge website for example. - Statement of purpose (In English, strict 1 page limit)
The purpose of this document is to explain who you are and what you expect from your postgraduate studies. Give details about your interest in the field and your career goals. You can use this document to clarify anything unusual in your CV or your transcripts. One page maximum. - Research project (/statement) (In English, 1 to 2 pages)
A research project is a short document that provides a brief history of your past research experience, the current state of your research, and the future work you intend to complete. It should present the context of your work first, then show how it contributes to extend other ongoing work.You should present a structured research project showing your commitment and describing what you plan for the future of your research if you join a PSL PhD track. - Proof of English proficiency, level C1 (compulsory proof required if English is not your mother tongue)
The language prerequisites specific to each PhD track are detailed on the applications portal. In general:
- If your first language is English or if you have earned a higher education diploma (BA, MA) in an English-speaking university, you should include a statement to this effect.
- If not, you should include the official results from a recent test of English, e.g. TOEFL or IELTS. If you have no recent official results, you can submit some older test results provisionally. This will not detract from the assessment of your application, but we reserve the right to ask for more recent official results later in the selection process. - References: contact details (name, position title, email) of at least two academic referees.
|Phase 1| Master’s
- Scholarship: €10,000 per year
- Duration: 2 years
- Disbursement: €1,000 each month, for 10 months per year. Please note that the scholarships are awarded upon admission , with no separate application required.
|Phase 2| PhD
- Salary: €2,200 minimum gross salary per month (per decree of Aug 29, 2016)
- Duration: 3 years
- Disbursement: Upon entering the PhD phase, students will sign a 3-year doctoral contract and receive a monthly salary for the duration of the contract. They are considered employees, making them eligible for benefits, and their salary will be subject to social contributions.
The funding does not cover tuition, housing, or transportation costs.
In addition to the grant, students in 2026 will enjoy a range of exciting support services to help them thrive at PSL and in Paris:
- Support with administration and formalities from the PSL Welcome Desk for foreign recipients (whether it’s their first time in France or not): residence permits, health insurance, opening a bank account, buddy program, etc.
Students enrolling for the first time will be offered a meet & greet service at the airport, where they will be welcomed by one the PSL Welcome Desk international tutors. - Language classes
- 3 months of online FLE (French as a Foreign Language) classes will be offered to non-French-speaking recipients, free of charge.
- Access to the PSL language resource center
- Access to the PSL Welcome Desk language exchange program ("Tandem Program").
- Access to free healthcare services provided by Université PSL
- Guaranteed housing for the first year of the Master’s program (M1) / 10 months
- The aim of this initiative (reserved rooms) is to offer peace of mind to each recipient as they prepare to come and study in Paris (no need to search for housing).
- Once their admission offer has been confirmed, Université PSL will send each recipient proposals for accommodation in the "Les Estudines Descartes Residence" in partnership with PSL (Paris 19).
- With a surface area of approximately 20 m², the apartments are furnished and equipped, and include a main room, a kitchen, a bathroom. Residents have also access to the following services: co-working room, gym, laundry room accessible 24/7.
- Please note: the monthly rent (approximately €815 to €915 per month), as well as security deposit, home insurance etc. is to be paid in its entirety by the student
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