Funding - General framework

To register with CanBioS, funding for the doctoral project is mandatory. This funding covers the doctoral student’s remuneration for their research work. The student must be able to provide proof of funding for three years; without this, no application will be accepted.

Need more information on securing funding? All details are available on this page.

This is a three-year contract signed between the doctoral student and a public research institute or a public higher education institution. To obtain this contract, the student must present a thesis project along with a thesis supervisor holding an HDR at the ED CanBioS competition held annually. 

For the 2026 competition, UCBL1 is offering 5 contracts, and the Donations and Bequests from CLB1 add 1 more, bringing the total to 6 contracts to be awarded:

• From February 1, 2026, thesis supervisors will submit their project on ADUM.
• From April 2, 2026, prospective doctoral students can either apply for a project of their choice if they don’t have one or confirm their affiliation to a project via this link.
• Researchers and students have until May 15, 2026, to coordinate and propose a final project, which will then be submitted to the jury.
• On June 16, 2026, the jury will review the applications and may invite certain candidates for interviews.
• On July 3, 2026, the selected candidates will present an oral defense.
• During July, the doctoral school will announce its decision on the allocation of contracts.

Reminder: only one candidate per HDR is allowed. The thesis supervisor must hold an HDR and must not exceed the supervision limit of 300%, with a maximum of 4 doctoral students. If any of these rules are not respected, the application will be automatically disqualified. Likewise, incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

• I do not have funding to pay the doctoral student: I apply for a contract through the doctoral school competition or via earmarked contracts.
• I have funding to pay the doctoral student: I follow the application procedure without competition.

Some foundations, such as La Ligue Contre le Cancer or the FRFT, offer several scholarships each year to support doctoral research projects. Applications are submitted in the form of a call for proposals.

• Ligue Contre le Cancer 2025
• ITMO - FRFT 2025
• FRM 2025

The Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Space published an update to the COFRA scheme (Research Training Convention in Administration) on October 20, 2025.

Now officially labeled and managed by the ANRT, this program brings the world of research closer to public administration, opening new opportunities for doctoral students who wish to align their work with public policy.

What is COFRA?

In short, COFRA is the equivalent of the CIFRE contract, but for public administrations rather than companies.

It allows a doctoral student to complete their thesis within a state administration (ministry, regional education authority, prefecture, public institution, etc.) while remaining enrolled in a doctoral school and attached to a research laboratory.

Program Objectives

• Strengthen the links between research and public policy by integrating scientific approaches into the State’s reflection and decision-making.
• Facilitate the professional integration of PhD holders into the civil service.
• A Partnership-Based Scheme
• Each COFRA corresponds to a full-time collaborative thesis, conducted both:
  • in a research laboratory,
  • and within a state public administration, under the joint supervision of a HDR thesis director and an administrative Category A supervisor.
• An agreement sets out the division of time, access to data, and rules for dissemination and intellectual property.

• The program update consolidates and clarifies the experimental framework launched in 2022:
• Official labeling by the ANRT, ensuring the scientific and operational quality of projects.
• Two possible statuses for the doctoral student:
  • public doctoral contract (€2,300 gross/month from January 1, 2026);
  • or project contract within the administration (3 years, renewable).
• Opening to contractual agents: up to 30% of projects.
• Enhanced supervision by the doctoral school and a “public service” training (INSP and RNCD).
• Publication of a guide and FAQ to support candidates and administrations.

COFRA and CIFRE: what are the Differences?

• The evaluation is based on four criteria:
• Scientific quality of the project
• Impact on public policy
• Quality of the partnership
• Suitability of the doctoral candidate’s profile
• The COFRA scheme therefore aims to integrate research at the heart of public decision-making and to build a more innovative administration that is open to knowledge.

For more information

• COFRA Program: framework, criteria, and labeling conditions
• COFRA Guide – Labeling criteria and conditions (PDF)
• FAQ on the COFRA program (PDF)

The CIFRE scheme (Industrial Agreement for Training through Research) brings together a doctoral candidate, a company, and a research laboratory around a joint research project. The company recruits and employs the doctoral candidate under a private-law contract for a minimum period of three years. The doctoral candidate must work full-time on a research topic of interest to all three stakeholders. The company receives a subsidy from the ministry responsible for higher education.

ATER positions (Temporary Teaching and Research Assistants) are offered to doctoral candidates in their third year and may be used to complete a fourth year if necessary. The doctoral candidate must commit to defending their thesis before the end of the calendar year. The position is renewable once for a period of one year.

An ATER has teaching duties within the institution, either full-time (196 equivalent tutorial hours – EQ TD) or part-time (96 equivalent tutorial hours – EQ TD).

Other research organizations offer PhD funding; for more information, please consult their websites. Additional funding options are also possible, such as a salary for a hospital practitioner carrying out medical activities during their PhD.
If you are concerned by any of these situations, please contact ED CanBioS directly.