I want to apply for a subject proposed by an AMU research laboratory. Do I have to submit my CV for the first call opening on December 1st, 2025 (bottom-up proposals)?
No, this call is only for candidates proposing their own research topic. For candidates wishing to apply for thesis topics proposed by thesis supervisors, a call will open on March 11th, 2026
Do I need to have obtained my Master's degree when I submit my application?
No, the diploma required for enrolment in the doctoral programme must be provided before enrolment in the doctoral programme. However, the letter of recommendation from the Master's supervisor must mention the possible date of obtaining the diploma and all marks already obtained for the diploma must be provided when the application is submitted.
Can I submit several thesis proposals for the call opening on December 1st, 2025?
No, only one thesis project per candidate may be submitted.
Can I apply for several thesis projects proposed by the thesis supervisors at the call for candidates (April 13th - May 10th 2026)?
Yes, but if you are selected for several subjects, you will have to choose only one before the auditions.
How is determined the duration spent in France during the 36 months prior to the application deadline?
Only periods related to working or studying activities are taken into account, and the nationality of the institution responsible for the contract or for enrolment in the course determines if the activities occur in France or abroad. For example, if you are registered for a master's degree at a Spanish university and you do an internship in France as part of your master's degree, the duration of this intership will not count as a period spent in France. In the same way, a student registered for a master's degree in France and doing an internship in another country will be considered administratively as having remained in France.
Can I submit a thesis project at the call for bottom-up proposals opening on December 1st, 2025 if I haven't found a thesis supervisor, yet?
Yes, the SCHADOC team will help you find researchers who could become your thesis supervisors. However, you will need to have found a thesis supervisor before February 10th, 2026.
I don't have the habilitation to supervise research (HDR), yet. Can I submit a thesis project to the SCHADOC programme?
It is compulsory to have the HDR diploma in order to supervise a thesis. However, it is possible to obtain an exemption, which is granted by the university's research committee (commission de la recherche d’AMU) after advices from the director of the research unit and the doctoral school. Please, check with them if you fulfill the criteria to obtain this exemption before submitting a proposal.
Can I submit several thesis proposals to the call for proposals of December 16th, 2025 (top-down proposals)?
No, only one thesis project may be submitted per thesis supervisor.
Does the international partner have to be part of the CIVIS alliance?
No, this is neither an eligibility criterion nor an evaluation criterion. There are no criteria concerning the nationality of the international partner. However, SCHADOC remains an opportunity to strengthen research collaboration within the CIVIS alliance.
Does the thesis co-director have to be part of an AMU doctoral school?
No, the thesis director must be member of a research unit and a doctoral school of AMU, but the thesis co-director may also come from another French or international university.
Is it possible to submit a thesis project with the supervisor and co-supervisor belonging to the same doctoral school?
This is not a non-eligibility criterion. The interdisciplinary dimension of the project will be assessed by the selection committees, in particular considering the disciplinary contribution of each of the supervisors and the complementarity of their expertise.
Can both thesis supervisors belong to the same research unit?
Yes. The interdisciplinary dimension of the project will be assessed by the selection committees, in particular considering the disciplinary contribution of each of the supervisors and the complementarity of their expertise.
What role should the socio-economic or cultural partner play in the thesis project?
This role will depend on the thesis and must be defined in the project. At the very least, the socio-economic or cultural partner should appoint a mentor to support the training of the doctoral student in the non-academic aspects of his or her future career. The partner may also be involved in carrying out the thesis project and host the PhD student during secondment periods.