PhD Student: temporary stay

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

Who is eligible?

Any PhD Student enrolled at a foreign university whose project is supported by their thesis director, and who can 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 (researcher) at UPN and present your research project. If they agree to supervise you, they will be your scientific advisor within the research laboratory. Access the list of Doctoral Schools: Direction de la Recherche et des Études Doctorales – UPN

2. Get approval from the supervisor and Research Unit:

• The supervisor must provide written confirmation of the agreement to host you, supervise your work regularly, and integrate you into the lab.
• They must also obtain written approval from the head of the Research Unit.

3. Acceptance letter and admission certificate:

• the supervisor writes an acceptance letter outlining the research project, previous exchanges, and any existing partnership between the institutions.
• They fill out the admission certificate and send it for signature to the thesis supervisor at your home university, the head of the Research Unit, and the doctoral school director at UPN.
• The complete application is then sent to you and to the International Relations Department which will inform the Student Services Department (DEF).

Preparing your stay in France

Before arriving, you must:

• obtain health insurance and civil liability insurance valid for your entire stay.
• Have repatriation insurance.
• If needed, apply for a visa.

Finalizing your registration in France

• Book an appointment with the Student Services Department (DEF) to complete your administrative registration and get your student card.
• If you wish to learn French language, contact the F.Et.E.
• To register for courses, go to the teaching office of the relevant department (UFR) for course registration. Access the courses catalogue.

Important

• The acceptance letter and proof of insurance are required for registration.
• Unless a partnership agreement exists between your home university and UPN, you may be required to pay university fees (registration and preventive health fees), regardless of the duration of your stay.

Admission procedure for Sandwich PhD Students - Brazil

1. The Brazilian PhD Student contacts a teacher-researcher or researcher (tutor) at UPN.

2. If the teacher-researcher or researcher accepts, they inform the director of their Research Unit and the International Relations Department (DRIM) of the doctoral student's arrival.

3. The teacher-researcher or researcher writes a letter of acceptance analysing the candidate's project, mentioning any correspondence prior to the candidate's acceptance and, where 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. This document is required by CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel), the Brazilian organisation that awards the scholarships.

4. Once the PhD Student's application has been accepted by CAPES, the teacher-researcher confirms the PhD Student's arrival to the director of their Research Unit and to the DRIM. The DRIM notifies the Student Services Department (DEF), the coordination of the Doctoral Schools and the F.Et.E. (French for Foreign Students).

5. The Brazilian PhD Student completes the administrative procedures to obtain their visa: they go through Campus France, which issues them with a pre-registration certificate that they must present to the DEF upon arrival at the UPN in order to obtain their student card.

6. Arrival at the UPN:

• Administrative registration: administrative procedures carried out with the DEF to obtain a student card.
• Academic registration: host department or F.Et.E., if applicable.

7. A tutor may not have more than five sandwich PhD Students under their responsibility.

For further information, please contact welcomedesk@drim.parisnanterre.fr