Application procedure

(See the application timetable at the bottom of the page)

There are two ways to apply:

1. By contacting a researcher of the STEP’UP Doctoral School (here are the websites of the different laboratories) in order to create your research project together. The researcher will submit your proposed subject to the STEP’UP Doctoral School.
2. By looking at the list of thesis subjects on the STEP’UP Doctoral School website and then by contacting the researcher associated with the subject you are interested in. Thesis subjects are published every year between October and May. Applications are opened between February and June.

If the thesis subject is financed, you will be invited to attend an admission interview with the STEP’UP Doctoral School as soon as your application is received.  If you are applying for a doctoral contract (‘contrat doctoral’), you have to follow the application procedure of the STEP’UP Doctoral School (see the schedule below).

In all cases,

• the future research supervisor must send a file containing the following information to the Doctoral School (ed560.stepup[at]u-paris.fr) : 
  See the elements of the application
  • Your resume
  • A record of the grades you received during the final year of your Bachelor’s degree and during your Master’s degree.
  • Your cover letter;
  • Providing one or two reference letters is highly recommended. The signatories will send the letters to the Doctoral School (ed560.stepup[at]u-paris.fr);
  • Application form :
    • Your thesis subject number
    • The title of your subject
    • Your thesis supervisor(s)
    • If necessary, you have to specify that you wish to receive co-financing for your thesis.
    • You also have to specify if you are considering an international cosupervision (university, country).  A co-supervision agreement is highly recommended by organisations such as the ‘Haut Conseil de l’évaluation de la recherche et de l’enseignement supérieur’ (HCERES) and other evaluation bodies as well as: Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP), Université Paris Cité (UPC), Sorbonne Université (SU), École normale supérieure/Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (ENS/PSL).

  Format of the interview

  The candidate will present, in 10 minutes

  1. his/her academic training,
  2. previous internships or professional experience,
  3. the thesis topic (scientific context, motivation, plan, etc.)

  The présentation will be followed by enchantes with the admission jury members.

  • If the candidate intends to use a support for the presentation, the PDF of the solides must be sent the day before the interview to the e-mail address that will be indicated. Please don’t forget to put page numbers on the slides.
  • The future thesis supervisons do not assist to the interview.
  • The interview may be in English.

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Schedule of the application procedure

Main application procedure 2024 for Earth and Environment

• June 12th, 2024: the future thesis director hands over the application file.
• July 01st-03rd, 2024: interviews of preselected candidates.
• May 06th, 2024: submission of topic proposal

Main application procedure 2022 for Physics of the Universe

• May 31st, 2023 : the future thesis director hands over the application file.
• June 12th-13th, 2023: interviews of preselected candidates.
• May 26th: submission of topic proposals

Early July 2023 : Council meeting of the Doctoral School which validates the admissions.

Translation carried out by the Masters 2 ILTS team