PhD Student: temporary stay

Are you an international PhD student looking to conduct part of your research at our university? Université Paris Nanterre (UPN) welcomes PhD Students for stays from 2 months up to 1 year.

Who is eligible?

Any PhD Student enrolled at a foreign university whose project is supported by their thesis supervisor and is able to finance their stay in France (accommodation, living expenses, transport, etc.).

How to apply?

1. Find a thesis supervisor at UPN: you must contact a faculty member at UPN to present your thesis project. If they agree to supervise your research, they will become your thesis supervisor within the laboratory. Consult the list of Doctoral Schools here: Direction de la Recherche et des Études Doctorales – UPN

2. Agreement of the supervisor and the Research Unit:

• The supervisor confirms in writing their agreement to host you for a temporary stay, regularly supervise your work, and integrate you into the laboratory.
• The supervisor requests written agreement of the Director of the Research Unit.

3. Letter of acceptance and certificate of admission:

• The supervisor drafts a letter of acceptance outlining the research project, previous exchanges, and any potential partnerships between the universities.
• The supervisor completes the admission certificate and send it for signature to the thesis supervisor at your home university, the Director of the Research Unit, and the Director of the Doctoral School at UPN.
• They send the complete application in digital format to the doctoral candidate and to the International Relations Department (DRIM), which informs the Admissions and Registration Office (DEF).

*Please note: the admission office is closed every year between mid-April and early July. If a short-term scientific stay is scheduled during this period, the doctoral student will not be able to obtain a student card.

How to prepare your stay in France?

Before your arrival, you must:

• Subscribe to health insurance and civil liability insurance covering the entire duration of your stay. European PhD students can request the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from their national health insurance provider instead.
• Subscribe for repatriation insurance.
• If applicable, complete and sign the hosting agreement to support your visa application. International PhD students should fill out the hosting agreement, sign it, and return it in MS Word format to the Welcome Desk/DRED (to the attention of Ms. Delphine Suraud) for signature by the university.
• Submit your visa application as soon as you receive the Host Agreement. Check your eligibility for visa application.

How to finalize your registration upon arrival?

• Book an appointment upon your arrival with the Admissions and registration Office at the Directorate of Studies and Training (DEF) to finalize your administrative registration and collect your student card.
• Present the signed certificate, completed registration form, passport photo, and your passport.
• To register for French courses, you must contact the F.Et.E (French Language and Education Department).
• To attend classes, go to the academic office of your department to register (course catalogue).

Important

• The letter of acceptance, admission certificate for a temporary stay, and proof of insurance are mandatory for registration.
• Subject to an agreement between your home university and UPN, and in certain cases, doctoral students may be required to pay university fees (registration fees and preventive medicine fees) regardless of the length of their stay.

Admission procedure for Sandwich PhD Students - Brazil

1. The Brazilian PhD Student contacts a professor or researcher or researcher (supervisor) at UPN.

2. If the professor or researcher accepts, they inform the Director of their Research Unit and the International Relations Department (DRIM) of your arrival.

3. The professor or researcher writes a letter of acceptance analysing the candidate's project, mentioning the exchange of correspondence prior to the candidate's acceptance and, if applicable, the partnership between the universities and the thesis supervisors. This letter must indicate the dates of the stay and the Brazilian PhD Student's level of French language. This document is required by CAPES (Coordination for the Professional Development of Higher Education Personnel), the Brazilian organisation that awards the scholarships.

4. Once the PhD Student's application has been accepted by CAPES, the faculty member signs the admission certificate for a temporary stay, signed by their research unit and the student's home university, and sends it to the DRIM. The DRIM then notifies the Directorate of Studies and Training (DEF), the Doctoral Schools Coordination and the F.Et.E. (French for Foreign Students).

5. The Brazilian PhD Student completes the administrative procedures to obtain their visa: they fill out the hosting agreement, sign it, and return it in MS Word format to the Welcome Desk/DRED (to the attention of Ms. Delphine Suraud) for signature by the university.

6. Upon receipt of the signed hosting agreement, the doctoral candidate submits their visa application on France Visa.

7. Arrival at UPN:

• Administrative registration: scheduling an appointment to finalize registration and obtain a student ID card.
• Academic registration: host department or F.Et.E., if applicable.

A tutor may not supervise more than five sandwich PhD Students.

For further information, please contact welcome-desk@drim.parisnanterre.fr