Have a question about the application or selection procedure ?
- Contact the thesis supervisor (contact emails provided for each project) for all scientific questions about the project and verify if your scientific experience and academic background are a good fit to the selected project.
Please do not contact the 3i supervisor, unless their email address is provided as a contact in the project description (as it is for « intersectoral » projects).
- For all administrative (eligibility, timeline, application portal, etc.) and practical questions about the programme and the conditions of the fellowship, please email application-lightinparis.isl@institutoptique.fr. Start the subject heading with: LIGHTinPARIS Call 2 question: [insert topic]. If you don’t receive a response within 48h (barring weekends and holidays), please send a message to lightinparis.isl@institutoptique.fr
Please consult the Guide for Applicants for more details
Check the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
If you can’t find the answer, email: application-lightinparis.isl@institutoptique.fr
Eligibility
If I have a question about my eligibility, whom should I ask?
If you have a question about your transnational mobility and / or qualification required to apply for a PhD (https://lightinparis.eu/eligibility)
Email management at application-lightinparis.isl@institutoptique.fr
If you get a different answer from another source, it is the management response which applies.
There are NO exceptions to these two criteria required for MSCA COFUND PhD fellowships.
Am I eligible to apply if I obtain my master’s degree in 2026?
Yes, but you must have completed your cursus of study (including internship, master’s research / thesis etc) by the call deadline 23 February 2026.
« Rule of thumb »: if you stop all academic activity on 23 February 2026, would your University confirm that you will receive your degree?
– Yes? Then send us the documents and we can verify your eligibility.
-No? Then you are not eligible.
In all cases, you will need to provide your official degree certificate before the start of your contract.
Are there any prerequisites related to age or nationality?
There is no restriction on age nor on nationality for applicants.
In which country am I resident when I'm unemployed (or travelling, or "doing nothing")?
You are a resident in the country where you lived while being unemployed (whether you received unemployment benefits or not), your permanent address while travelling etc.
If e.g. the country is France, but you could provide documented proof that you lived elsewhere, such as registration at the Town Hall, resident taxes, rental contract in your name…?
No? Then you were a resident in France.
Application process
What if I apply for more than one thesis project?
Yes, you may apply to a maximum of 3 PhD projects.
Nothing forbids you, and your references, from copying the same information in all three applications. But it is advisable to seek feedback of each thesis supervisor to see how best to tailor some responses.
Following the external evaluation, if more than one application is eligible for the interview stage, the applicant can be interviewed for only one of these applications. The selection will be made by the Governing Board as per the preference indicated by the candidate and the scores obtained (see Guide).
How many PhD fellowships will be awarded in the second call?
Do I have to speak French or English to apply?
A good command of English (B2 CEFR level) is required for PhD studies. You would fulfill the requirement if you are a native English speaker / from a country with English as (one of ) its national language, your Master’s and Bachelor’s degree classes were in English, or you have an English certification equivalent to the B2 level.
Working conditions and benefits
Who will deliver the employment contract of the LIGHTinPARIS PhD students?
Candidates selected by the LIGHTinPARIS programme will be employed by one of the implementing partners (Université Paris-Saclay, Abbelight, Imagine Optic, ONERA, PASQAL, Quandela, or Thales Research & Technology).
What training will I receive as a LIGHTinPARIS PhD student?
PhD students are required to participate in certain obligatory training courses offered by University Paris-Saclay such as, Ethics and Integrity, Open science and Sustainable research and development.
LIGHTinPARIS fellows will additionally benefit from a Residential five-day workshop on i) interdisciplinary communication, ii) detection of innovation potential, iii) inclusive practices and behaviours.
Selection and Recruitment
How does the application and evaluation process work?
December 2025 – February 2026: Call 2 is open between 16 December 2025 and 23 February 2026.
March 2026: The first evaluation step is the evaluation of the submitted applications by independent external referees based on the published criteria (see Guide).
All applications for a given project are evaluated by the same two independent referees. Depending on the number of applications per project, a referee may be called upon to evaluate more than one project.
Candidates are selected to be interviewed based on these evaluations.
April 2026: The second evaluation step consists of on-line interviews for PhD fellowships in the selection domains published.
Selected candidates: The list of candidates selected for a PhD fellowship will be notified by the middle of May and will have one week to respond to the offer.
Laureates: The fellowships offer is contingent on documented proof of eligibility and obtaining the necessary security clearance.
What are the evaluation and selection criteria ?
The evaluation and selection criteria for PhD applicants in the LIGHTinPARIS program are divided into two steps.
In step 1, the Selection Committee evaluates applications based on the candidate’s education, background, experience, and motivation, using the criteria outlined in the LIGHTinPARIS Guide for Applicants.
In step 2, the Interview Committee assesses candidates through interviews, focusing on their scientific maturity, presentation quality, and independent thinking.
Each candidate receives a final score that is the average of both evaluation steps. The Governing Board decides on the final list of laureates based on these scores. See the LIGHTinPARIS Guide for Applicants for more details.
Living and Working in France
Where can I find practical information about living and working in France?
To discover the Université Paris-Saclay environment, we invite you to have a look at the Université Paris-Saclay Online Welccome Desk.
To prepare for your arrival, you will be helped by the Programme’s Project Manager and the services of the Université Paris-Saclay GATE for your administrative and practical procedures.