Competitions and PhD Contracts
Research grants awarded by the ED
There are many ways of funding a thesis: research grants (or "bourse de thèse"), research contracts, Cifre funding,
Each year, the ED distributes around 15 research grants on the basis of a competitive recruitment process.
The research grant is a doctoral contract. It is a salary paid by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research via the universities. The contract doctoral student signs a three-year employment contract that allows him or her to devote full time to preparing the thesis. Since January 1st, 2024, this has been 2100€ gross per month for research activity alone, gross for complementary activities. It may be increased above the minimum amount. The activities entrusted to a contract doctoral student may be exclusively devoted to research, but may also include other tasks: teaching, scientific and technical information, promoting research, consultancy or expertise missions for companies or public authorities. For more general information, visit the UGA website, the CJC's frequently asked questions and the Ministry's website.
The ED MSTII has set up a dual procedure for distributing grants:
1. an advanced procedure in April for 2 to 3 grants.
2. a normal procedure in June for around 13 grants.
Early procedure
Public: students who have completed their master's - or equivalent 5 years university degree - outside Grenoble, in particular, students from abroad.
Process: the process is first managed by the laboratories, which will propose to the doctoral school a short list of candidates. To apply please contact the labs (see the "Labs and research supervisors" tab); do not send your application to the doctoral school directly.
Applications should include the following items (all documents must be in English or in French):
- curriculum vitae
- marks and/or grades of the different Master semesters
- rank in the master / number of students
- letters of recommendation (from the person supervising the second-year master's internship, the thesis supervisor, etc.)
- title of the thesis and detail of the subject (1 page)
- and any other information that may seem useful
Standard procedure
Public: French or foreign students holding or completing a Master 2 research or professional degree, an engineering degree or a foreign diploma at bac +5 level.
Process: new procedure involving submission of the thesis subject via the ED website - ADUM platform.
The campaign for ordinary doctoral contracts (previously ADR UGA) for the ED MSTII opens on May 13, 2024, via the ADUM dematerialized platform. In accordance with CED UGA's OTM-R (Open/ Transparency/ Merit) principles, the process presented below involves several stages:
- 1st stage from May 13 to May 24, 2024 inclusive: Each thesis supervisor who wishes to do so submits a thesis project on: www.adum.fr
Your login is your institutional email.
If necessary, click on "forget password" when you first log in. Submit your subject using the "Thesis proposal" tab >> "Gestion des propositions de thèses" >> "Add a proposal doctoral project" with, towards the end, the type of funding >> "concours allocations".
- 2nd stage from May 25 to June 9, 2024: Candidates submit their application on ADUM via the link HERE
Documents to be provided in a single pdf file (in French or English). See the "advanced track" early procedure.
- 3rd stage from June 10 to 16, 2024 inclusive: Subject managers issue an opinion on the applications submitted.
Each thesis project leader uses the adum database to specify his or her opinion (Favorable / Unfavorable) for each candidate, and enters an argument explaining his or her choices (analysis criteria used, selection methods, etc.) as well as the main strengths of the candidate finally shortlisted by him or her.
Candidates who are not shortlisted by the thesis project leaders will be informed by the ED (via the adum) of the unfavorable opinion given by the project leader in the pre-selection phase.
- Stage 4: June 28, 2024: Candidate selection panel meeting.
The members of the jury receive the candidates' files and the arguments put forward by each thesis project leader for his or her shortlisted candidate.
The competition jury decides on the candidates pre-selected by the thesis project sponsors. The competition jury establishes a ranking of applications (a main list and an ordered complementary list).
- 5th stage: July 1st, 2024: ED Council meeting.
The ED Council decides on the conclusions of the competition jury.
The ED Council members have at their disposal the ranking established by the jury (main list and ordered complementary list) as well as the files of the candidates concerned and the arguments of the subject leader.
The ED Board establishes a ranking of applications (main list and ordered complementary list).
- Academic excellence is the main criterion.
- The balance between specialties, laboratories, teams, supervisors and other possible funding sources (CDSN, AMX, ERC, ANR, etc.).
Documents to be provided in a single pdf file (in French or English)
Advice to candidates:
The doctoral school must be able to assess the quality of your scientific file and thesis project. It is therefore advisable to attach to your application any information that may contribute to this analysis, such as recommendations, explanations and references that will help to situate you within your original training program (your ranking in the training programs and the number of students in them, etc.). If possible, enclose details of the Master's jury's deliberations (comments, reasoned recommendations for thesis continuation, etc.). This information is particularly useful for applicants from outside Grenoble, both in France and abroad.
Results 2024
At the end of the competition and after validation by the ED Board, each shortlisted candidate will be individually informed by the ED of the results of the competition jury.This communication will take place at the beginning of July. The ordered complementary list is used for withdrawals. If necessary, unfilled contracts are reassigned by the CED.
Updated on July 4, 2024