Research Fellowship in France 2027 for PhD Students and Postdoctoral Researchers

Sciences Po Law School invites applications for its doctoral and post-doctoral visiting fellowship, a research stay in Paris for doctoral students and post-doctoral researchers seeking to work within its academic community. The stay lasts from two months to one academic year, and applications for Fall/Winter 2027 or the full 2027/2028 academic year are open through March 1, 2027.

About the Sciences Po Visiting Fellowship

Visiting fellows conduct research on an approved topic while in residence at Sciences Po Law School and may consult with faculty members. Fellows are expected to carry out their proposed research on Sciences Po premises. They are also encouraged to take part in the scholarly life and events of the Law School and Sciences Po, attend and participate in colloquia and other scholarly presentations, and present their research at a colloquium organized by the doctoral program.

The research stay may run for a minimum of two months and up to one year. A visit may extend into the summer, but a stay covering only the summer months will not be approved. Any renewal requires approval by the Doctoral jury. Visiting doctoral and post-doctoral researchers receive the Sciences Po Law School Visiting Doctoral/Post-Doctoral Fellow title.

This is not a funded fellowship: each fellow must provide their own funding. Sciences Po Law School does not cover travel, accommodation, or living expenses unless a separate funding agreement specifies otherwise. The school strongly encourages visitors to arrange appropriate health insurance for the duration of their stay.

Applications are reviewed by the Committee for Doctoral Studies in Law. The committee considers each applicant’s background and motivation, academic achievement, research proposal, and the availability of Sciences Po Law School faculty for consultation in the proposed research area. It pays particular attention to the relevance, coherence, and originality of the proposal. Applications for Spring/Summer 2027 closed on September 15, 2026; the next stated application period is Fall/Winter 2027 or the full 2027/2028 academic year, with a deadline of March 1, 2027, inclusive.

Who Should Apply

The fellowship is intended for doctoral students and post-doctoral researchers at institutions outside Sciences Po who want to pursue research in the Law School’s academic setting. Doctoral candidates in law are preferred; PhD students in social sciences may also be considered if they explain how a research stay at the Law School would benefit their work. Doctoral applicants must be at least in their second year at the time of the visit, while post-doctoral applicants must have defended their PhD within the previous five years. Applicants also need a faculty member willing to sponsor and advise the proposed project, and must arrange their own funding.

Key Highlights

• Host: Sciences Po Law School in Paris, France.
• Research stay: two months to one year; summer-only visits are not approved.
• For doctoral students and post-doctoral researchers, primarily in law.
• Fellows have access to Law School and Sciences Po facilities, including full library privileges.
• No travel, accommodation, or living-cost funding is provided unless covered by a separate agreement.
• Deadline for Fall/Winter 2027 or the full 2027/2028 academic year: March 1, 2027.

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