CSC - Joint Doctoral Programme of Université Paris-Saclay and the Chinese Scholarship Council

The Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC) is a non-profit organisation of the Chinese Ministry of Education.

CSC scholarships of 1,350€/month are awarded by the Chinese government to promote cooperation between China and other partner countries, cultural exchange, knowledge exchange and, above all, to promote excellence and good quality teaching.

The main aim of this programme is to promote cooperation with China and enable the winning doctoral students to carry out their doctorate in one of the doctoral schools, by joining one of the research teams at Université Paris-Saclay, and to receive a stipend of €1,350 per month for 36 or 48 months.

CSC scholarships are distributed to students wishing to pursue their studies in the following areas of research:

  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Computer Science
  • Sciences of the Universe and the Environment
  • Engineering sciences
  • Life and health sciences 
  • Chemistry and Physical Chemistry 
  • Materials science
  • Law, economics and management
  • Social sciences and humanity
  1. Applicants must be citizens of the People's Republic of China 
  2. Students with Chinese nationality studying for a Master's degree at the University of Paris-Saclay, or another university outside the PRC, are also eligible
  3. Candidates must have a sufficient level of language skills to work in the host team's working language.
  4. Applicants must satisfy: 

Step1: Submission of subjects

Thesis supervisors submit a PDF document containing a description of their subject (20 lines minimum) in English on ADUM, indicating the appropriate academic year 2024-2025 and choosing the Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC) - UPSaclay programme as the funding programme.

Subjects may be submitted from 30/06/2023 to 20/09/2023 included.

NB: Thesis supervisors are invited to contact their Research Unit to be informed about the minimum funding required.
If the Research Unit requires more than the amount of this grant, the thesis supervisor must ensure that he/she can obtain additional funding from his/her Research Unit.

The FSD and the HFDS  will examine the thesis topics between July (first topics submitted) and the end of November (last topics submitted in September).

Step 2: Publication of subjects

From 01/12/2023, only subjects that receive a favourable opinion or a reserved opinion will be published for consultation by students.

NB: Thesis supervisors attached to a Research Unit classified as a ZRR (Zone à régime restrictif) are invited to contact their Research Unit, which will request authorisation for access to candidates from the FSD to which the laboratory is attached.


The International PhD Axis of Maison du doctorat should be informed of the outcome of this request as soon as possible.

Step 3: Applications submission

Students may submit applications from 01/12/2023 to 21/01/2024 included.


The thesis supervisor is invited to select the candidates' applications on the ADUM platform.


Step 4: Applications examination


Some subjects receive a favourable opinion with reservations from the HFDS. In this case, a review of the candidate's file is necessary.
In addition, the Research Units (not classified as ZRR) must complete a form for each applicant and send it to the international PhD Axis as soon as possible and before the end of January.


Research Units classified as "ZRR" are invited to contact their FSD to submit a request for access authorisation for each applicant as soon as possible.
In addition, each student who applies for a reserved subject will receive a document that must be completed and sent to the international section of Maison du doctorat as soon as it has been selected by the thesis supervisor.


The files (subjects/candidates) will be examined by the FSD/HFDS between January and February (indicative deadline).
The opinions issued by the FSD/HFDS will be sent to the Doctoral Schools and the thesis supervisor between mid-February and early March (indicative deadline).


Step 5: Selection by the doctoral schools

The doctoral schools will give their opinion on the candidates between the end of January and the beginning of March.


Step 6: Pre-admission of candidates

Following the selection of applications by the doctoral schools, Université Paris-Saclay will validate a main list of 50 project/applicant pairs and a supplementary list between mid-March and the beginning of April. The International PhD Axis will forward this list to the CSC.


Shortlisted candidates will receive a pre-admission certificate. This attestation must be attached to the application file that candidates submit to the CSC.
Candidates selected by Université Paris-Saclay will then be able to apply on the CSC website between 15/03/2024 and 31/03/2024 (indicative dates).

Stage 7: Publication of results

The CSC publishes the list of the laureates of the Chinese scholarship on its website in June.


The thesis supervisors, the doctoral school and the laureate will be informed of the final selection results by the international PhD Axis of Maison du doctorat.
The laureates will receive an admission letter from Université Paris-Saclay in order to continue their registration process to join the University.

PLEASE NOTE: You must meet all the eligibility criteria before you can submit your application on the ADUM platform, and then follow all the steps described here:


Step 1: Submitting applications on ADUM

To apply for a CSC grant at Université Paris-Saclay, you must submit your application for one of the doctoral projects offered as part of this doctoral programme on ADUM between 01/12/2023 and 21/01/2024.

Your application file on ADUM must include :

01 - all the documents required by your doctoral school (these documents will be detailed on ADUM)

02 - a photocopy of your valid passport

03 - a CV with no gaps (any gaps must be justified)

04 - first and last name written in Chinese

05 - the name of your home institution or the name of the institution from which you was awarded


Step 2: Selection by the doctoral schools

The doctoral schools will select the applications between the end of January and the beginning of March.


Step 3: Validation of the list of eligible candidates

Following the selection of applications by the doctoral schools, Université Paris-Saclay will validate a main list of 50 project/applicant pairs and a supplementary list between mid-March and early April.

The International PhD Axis will forward this list to the CSC.

Shortlisted candidates will receive a pre-admission certificate. This certificate must be attached to the application file that candidates submit to the CSC.


Step 4: Selection of applications by the CSC


Candidates pre-selected by Université Paris-Saclay will then be able to apply on the CSC website between 15/03/2024 and 31/03/2024 (indicative dates).

  • Submit your application to the CSC


The CSC will examine the admissibility of applications in April (indicative date)
The results will be published by the CSC in June (indicative date)

  • From 30/06/2023 to 20/09/2023: submission of subjects
  • From 01/12/2023 to 21/01/2024: submission of applications by students.
  • Between the end of January and the beginning of March: results of the auditions carried out by the doctoral schools.
  • Between 15/03/2024 and 25/03/2024: notification of pre-selection results and issue of pre-admission certificates to candidates.
  • From 15/03/2024 to 31/03/2024: submission of applications on the CSC website.
  • May 2024: examination of the admissibility of applications by the CSC.
  • 15/06/2024: publication of the laureates' results by the CSC.
  • From 15/06/2024: transmission by the International PhD Axis of attestations to candidates after the final selection of candidates by the CSC.

Documentation

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