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Université de Bordeaux

Preparing and funding mobility projects

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Doing an international mobility project during your PhD is a unique chance to gain insight into a different scientific environment, build up a professional network at the start of your career and create possibilities for exchanges during and beyond your PhD. In many cases, the partnerships established lead to post-doctoral projects.

An experience abroad offers a number of advantages for your career.

Depending on your project, there are several options:

Your research unit is your main contact for information about how travel costs can be covered. Your doctoral school or Graduate Program may also be able to contribute to and/or co-fund certain projects. So, feel free to contact them.

  • Long-term stay: would you like to do a research visit at a university or institution abroad?

For long-term stays, your research unit is your first point of contact. However, the Graduate Research School can also help you with your project, to ensure you benefit from the best possible conditions abroad. For further details about planning your stay and funding options, see below.

Plan your research stay

Planning your project well will allow you to benefit from the best possible conditions abroad. To do so, consider preparing your stay as early as possible before your departure. Here are a few recommendations:

  • Discuss your project with your thesis supervisor

All mobility projects must be validated by your thesis supervisor and your research unit. In addition, you can use your supervisor's network to contact research teams in your field at foreign institutions. Feel free to discuss your project with your fellow PhD students who may have gone abroad before you.

  • Find out about possible financial support for your project

Depending on the duration of your project and the research unit you are affiliated with, your research unit may be able to cover your expenses. If that is not the case, there are other programs at the University of Bordeaux to help you go abroad. It's obviously important to plan ahead when seeking funding: calls for applications are often made several months or even a year before the planned departure.

For further details about funding options, see below.

  • Plan ahead for administrative procedures

If you're going abroad, you'll need to think about the procedures involved in entering and staying in a country (visa application/residence permit, if necessary), as well as the procedures involved in day-to-day life: finding accommodation, medical insurance, up-to-date vaccinations, the need for an international driving licence, etc.

Please note: depending on the country or area of destination, an additional authorisation from the University and the Security Defense Officer (FSD) may be required before you leave. Contact your research unit for more information. Further details are also available on the staff intranet.

Lastly, it may be necessary to draw up a collaboration agreement with the foreign university. If you have any questions, contact the Research Department's contract office: contrat-recherche@u-bordeaux.fr

UBGRS MOBILITY PROGRAM

The Graduate Research School supports the international development of PhDs and each year offers mobility grants for PhD students from the University of Bordeaux who want to do a research visit in a foreign institution or university. Since 2022, over 50 PhD students have benefited from support for their projects.

Two calls for applications are made every year:

  • Winter Call: Applications in January / Grants awarded in April / Departures possible from May onwards
  • Summer Call: Applications in June-July/ Grants awarded in October / Departures possible from November onwards

Eligibility requirements:

  • be enrolled in a PhD program at the time of application and throughout the period of mobility
  • stay for 2 to 12 months
  • be hosted by a foreign institution or university

PhD students affiliated with the Light S&T Graduate Programs must contact the program coordinator to apply for mobility financial support.

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WINTER CALL 2025

The campaign will be open soon.

  • Please submit the complete application on your ADUM personal space
  • Deadline for submission: à venir
  • Evaluation of applications by the doctoral schools: à venir
  • Deliberation by the Graduate Research School committee: à venir
  • Departures possible from May 2025 to November 2025

Documents to download - coming soon

  • Guide to the UBGRS call: Learn more about all the eligibility requirements, funding amounts and application procedures.
  • Application file
  • Regulations: Learn more about all the conditions of payment and your obligations as an awardee.

Fulbright PROGRAM

The Fulbright program has over 380,000 alumni worldwide, including 59 Nobel Prize winners. The Franco-American Commission has been administering this prestigious program between France and the United States for the past 70 years, with more than 20,000 awardees from both countries.

The University of Bordeaux and the Franco-American Fulbright Commission have signed an agreement establishing research grants for PhD students wishing to pursue a research visit in an American university or research institute.

Eligibility requirements:

  • Have French nationality
  • Be enrolled in a PhD program in one of the 8 doctoral schools at the University of Bordeaux
  • Be officially invited by a public research centre or university in the United States

Duration and amount of the grant:

  • Projects lasting from 4 to 12 months
  • Amount varies depending on the destination:
    • For salaried PhD students: from $1500 to $1950/month.
    • For non-salaried PhD students: from $1800 to $2340/month.
    • A flat-rate travel allowance of €1200, free visa and health coverage.

The 2025 campaign is open until December 20, 2024.

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Information & applications

OTHER MOBILITY programs

 

DOCTORAL SCHOOL OF LAW

The Doctoral School of Law can, within the limits of its budget, allocate financial aid to PhD students who incur expenses in connection with the preparation or promotion of their thesis. The doctoral school's budget does not make it possible to fund all missions; as such aid is a possibility and not a right.

Expenses incurred by PhD students travelling to attend or take part in scientific events related to their doctoral project can be covered up to a maximum of:

  • €250 for travel within mainland France
  • €400 for travel outside mainland France

Payment of this aid is subject to co-funding by the affiliated research unit of an amount at least equal to that requested from the doctoral school.

Reimbursements are made upon presentation of supporting documents (i.e. invoices, etc.) within the month following the event.

For further information about funding and the procedures to follow, please contact your doctoral school directly: ed-droit@u-bordeaux.fr

doctoral SCHOOL OF mathEmatiCS & COMPUTER SCIENCE (MI)

The Doctoral School of Mathematics and Computer Science can, within the limits of its budget, provide financial aid to PhD students for missions as part of their training (participation in a Summer School, research visits, short-term assignments to work with other researchers, etc.).

The maximum amount that can be allocated to a PhD student during their thesis is €800.

The doctoral school's budget does not make it possible to fund all PhD students; as such aid is a possibility and not a right.

How to apply

Applications must be made using one of the forms below:

The form must be emailed to edmi@u-bordeaux.fr at least one month before the PhD student's departure date. The application form must be cc'd to thesis supervisors.

The doctoral school will prepare an assignment order that must be signed by the PhD student at least one week before their departure date. The PhD student must keep a copy of the assignment order when travelling.

Upon return, a statement of expenses will be drawn up to confirm the amounts incurred during the training assignment.

The PhD student undertakes to provide the doctoral school with all the supporting documents required to bring the assignment to a close.

For further information about assignment preparation and support, please contact your doctoral school directly: edmi@u-bordeaux.fr

DOCTORAL SCHOOL OF CHEMICAL SCIENCES (SC)

The Doctoral School of Chemical Sciences can, within the limits of its budget, provide financial aid to PhD students as part of their training (research visits, short-term assignments to work with other researchers, etc.), subject to the agreement of the thesis supervisor and the research unit.

Applications are assessed by the doctoral school councils.

For further information about funding and the procedures to follow, please contact your doctoral school directly: secretariat-edsc@u-bordeaux.fr

doctoral SCHOOL OF science & ENVIRONMENT (SE)

The Doctoral School of Science & Environment can, within the limits of its budget, provide financial aid to PhD students as part of their training (research visits, short-term assignments to work with other researchers, etc.).

Applications are assessed by the doctoral school councils.

For further information about funding and the procedures to follow, please contact your doctoral school directly: edoc.se@u-bordeaux.fr

DOCTORAL SCHOOL OF PHYSICS & ENGINEERING (SPI)

The Doctoral School of Physics & Engineering can, within the limits of its budget,  provide financial aid to PhD students for missions as part of their training (research visits, short-term assignments to work with other researchers, etc.).

Applications are assessed by the doctoral school councils.

For further information about funding and the procedures to follow, please contact your doctoral school directly: edoc.spi@u-bordeaux.fr

doctoral SCHOOL OF SociETY, POLITICS & PUBLIC Health (SP2)

The Doctoral School of Society, Politics & Public Health (SP2) has chosen to devote a substantial part of its budget to supporting its PhD students, in particular in terms of taking part in conferences and oral presentations on a national and/or international scale.

These grants are allocated by the Board, which includes elected PhD students, that meets once a month. Applications are examined on a monthly basis and a budget of €3000 (with possible adjustments) is allocated every 4 months to best meet all annual requests.

In order to maintain consistency with the scientific policies of the research units within its scope, applications to the doctoral school for support must be co-funded by the research units. Preference will be given to oral presentations at national or international events (except for certain fields of study).

Amount of support:

  • €150 for a national event
  • €300 for a European event
  • €400 for an international event

If you would like to apply, please contact your doctoral school directly: edsp2@u-bordeaux.fr

Contact

  • Manon DUMAS

    International Project Manager

    +33(0)5 40 00 24 65

    internationalisation.doctorat%40u-bordeaux.fr