In this section, you will find the most frequently asked questions about the PRISM PhD programme. If your question is not mentioned in this list, please contact the management team at the following email address : contact@prism.psl.eu
Question : How can I apply to the PRISM PhD programme ?
Applications to the PRISM PhD programme are submitted online through the official website prism.psl.eu. To begin your application, you must first create an account by accessing the “My Account” section on the homepage.
For detailed information about the application process, eligibility requirements, and required documents, please consult the “How to apply? > Guide for Applicants” section.
Question : How can I choose which PhD project(s) best match my profile ?
To identify the PhD project(s) that best match your background, skills and research interests, we encourage you to carefully review the list of available projects and their descriptions.
If you have any questions about the scope, scientific content or requirements of a specific project, please feel free to contact the appointed supervisor directly. Their email address is provided at the bottom of each project description page.
Please note that contacting a supervisor will not have any impact on the evaluation of your application, as project supervisors are not involved in the evaluation or selection process.
Question : Where should I upload my cover letter for the PhD project ?
Your motivation for applying to the programme should be outlined in your cover letter, which must be uploaded as a separate document, in the “Documents” section when you complete your application file online. The cover letter is a mandatory document of the application and must be submitted for the application to be considered valid.
A guide to preparing your Cover Letter is available on the website under “How to Apply? > Preparing the Application” For further information about the application process, please refer to the “Application Procedure” section of the Guide for Applicants.
Question : Should I contact the principal investigator of the PhD project I am interested in ?
Applicants are encouraged to contact the PhD supervisor if they would like to obtain further information about the project. The supervisor’s contact details are available in the description of each PhD project.
PhD supervisors and co-supervisors are not involved in the selection process. Please note that applications must be submitted online through the PRISM website and not sent directly by email to the project supervisor. Supervisors and co-supervisors can only provide information about the project and answer questions related to the research topic ; they do not influence the candidate selection process.
Question : How is the jury composed for my interview ?
The interview jury is composed of at least six members, including :
• 3 experts in the scientific field related to the selected PhD projects : a representative from industry, an international expert, and a French national expert.
• a representative of the relevant doctoral school ;
• a member of the PRISM management team ;
• a Head of a Joint Research Unit at Université PSL.
Question : I will not have my Master’s degree when I submit my application, but I will obtain it before the PhD starts in 2027. Can I still apply ?
No. According to the programme eligibility rules, you must have obtained your Master’s degree at the time of submitting your application. For the 2026 call, this means your degree must be awarded by 31 October 2026, the application deadline. If you obtain your degree later, you may be eligible to apply to the 2027 call for a PhD starting in March 2028.
Question : Is the 1 March start date fixed, or is it possible to start earlier or a few months later ?
The 1 March start date is fixed. All PhD contracts begin on the same date so that the cohort can take part in the programme’s onboarding and training together. However, if you are selected and face exceptional circumstances beyond your control (for example, a delay in obtaining a French visa), please contact the programme management team via contact@prism.psl.eu as soon as possible. We will assess your situation and, where appropriate, consider a delayed arrival.
Question : I am a French student. Can I apply to the PRISM programme ?
Yes. Applicants of all nationalities are eligible to apply, provided they meet the MSCA mobility rule. As the PRISM programme is based in Paris, France, applicants must not have carried out their main activity (e.g. work or studies) in France for more than 12 months during the three years preceding the call deadline. For the first PRISM call, this means that you must not have carried out your main activity in France for more than 12 months between 31 October 2023 and 31 October 2026.
Question : I am not French, but I am currently living in France. Can I apply to the PRISM programme ?
Yes. Applicants of all nationalities are eligible to apply, provided they meet the MSCA mobility rule. As the PRISM programme is based in Paris, France, applicants must not have carried out their main activity (e.g. work or studies) in France for more than 12 months during the three years preceding the call deadline. For the first PRISM call, this means that you must not have carried out your main activity in France for more than 12 months between 31 October 2023 and 31 October 2026.
Question : I have started my application, but I do not have any English certifications, nevertheless, I do speak English. Is an English language certificate required to apply ? Can I upload digital copies of my certificates ?
Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency at C1 level or equivalent to be eligible. An official certificate such as TOEIC or TOEFL is not mandatory. Acceptable evidence includes :
• A recognised online English test or a language certificate issued by a test centre, indicating your score or level (strongly recommended).
• A certificate from your institution confirming that you completed a long-term programme or full degree in English and that C1-level proficiency or equivalent was required.
• If you have no formal certificate, a short letter explaining how you acquired and used English at C1 level or equivalent (e.g. through a long-term Erasmus exchange, an international scholarship, or extended residence in an English-speaking environment), supported by relevant documents. Your statement will be assessed based on objective evidence.
Digital copies are accepted, provided they are readable, in English, and include your name and the date.
Only applicants who are native speakers from an English-speaking country are exempt from providing proof of English proficiency : Antigua and Barbuda ; Australia ; The Bahamas ; Barbados ; Belize ; Canada ; Dominica ; Grenada ; Guyana ; Ireland ; Jamaica ; Malta ; New Zealand ; St Kitts and Nevis ; St Lucia ; St Vincent and the Grenadines ; Trinidad and Tobago ; United Kingdom ; United States of America.
Please note : All selection steps and especially interviews are conducted exclusively in English.
Question : What salary can I expect as a PRISM PhD student ?
The programme offers a significantly higher salary than the average PhD stipend in France.
PRISM PhD students receive a net monthly salary of approximately €2,200 before the national income tax. This amount is paid after mandatory social security contributions (including health insurance, pension contributions, and other statutory deductions) have been withheld. However, the national income tax (impôt sur le revenu) should also be taken into account, the exact amount depending on each doctoral student’s individual tax situation (2% to 5% is typically retained from your net monthly salary).
In addition to their salary, doctoral students may be eligible for a range of employer benefits, depending on their personal circumstances, including :
• family allowance, where applicable ;
• mobility allowance, where applicable ;
• partial reimbursement of additional health insurance (approximately €20 per month) ;
• reimbursement of 75% of the cost of a public transportation pass, or other partial reimbursement of a sustainable transportation mode ;
• access to additional employee benefits, such as sports facilities, access to canteen, reduced price for cultural activities, and other social benefits.
Question : What expenses are covered by the programme, and what should I plan for ?
Once you have been selected for the programme, please note that any specific costs required to start your programme in Paris (e.g. visa fees, scholarship fees) should be reported to the management team as they will be reimbursed.
During your thesis, expenses directly related to your training or research activities (e.g. consumables, office supplies, computer, etc.) are covered. You will also benefit from a dedicated travel budget to support research-related trips, such as attending conferences, congresses, or summer schools.
Finally, please keep in mind that your salary already includes a mobility allowance, which is intended to help cover the costs of international travel between Paris and your home country.
Question : I cannot create an account on the PRISM website / I do not receive a confirmation email
When creating an account for the first time, please follow these steps :
1. Enter your personal email address on the PRISM website – Home page.
2. Click “Create an account” — not “Submit.”
3. On the next page, enter your email address again and confirm.
4. Wait a few minutes for an automatically generated email from the website. This email will contain your password. If you have not received the email within one hour, please check your spam/junk folder.
5. Return to the PRISM website homepage and enter your email address. Make sure the page has been refreshed.
6. This time, click “Submit.”
7. On the next page, enter the password provided in the email.
8. You should now be able to log in successfully.
Please note : Make sure you use the same email address throughout the registration and login process.
Question : None of my referees have received an email request to submit a recommendation, what should I do ?
Please carefully follow the steps below, one by one.
Step 1 :
Make sure that you have selected the checkbox that triggers the recommendation request in the “Recommendations” section of your application. Once this option is selected, the invitation email should be sent automatically to your referees.
Step 2 :
The recommendation email may take several hours, and occasionally up to a day, to arrive. If your referees have not received the email after this period of time, please ask them to check their spam or junk mail folders, as the message may have been filtered by their email provider.
Step 3 :
In some cases, institutional email accounts may have firewall or security settings that block emails from external institutions. If this may be the case, please try to restart the recommendation email process through your application :
1/ Log in to your application and go to the Recommendations section.
2/ Uncheck the “Yes” box under “Send recommendations emails”.
3/ Click “Submit” and then log out of your application.
4/ Log back into your application, go to the Recommendations section again, and check “Yes” under “Send recommendations emails”.
5/ Click “Submit” again.
This should restart the process and trigger the recommendation emails.
Step 4 :
If your referees still do not receive the email after a few days, you may ask them to provide an alternative email address and update their contact details in the “Recommendations” section of your application.
For additional information regarding the Recommendation process, please read the Guide for applicants available in pdf under the section “How to apply? > Guide for applicants”.
Question : I have completed all sections of my application and uploaded all the required documents. However, I cannot see an “Apply” button to submit my application. What should I do ?
It is possible that, although all your documents have been uploaded, the two required letters of reference have not yet been submitted by your referees. Your application will only be considered complete once both referees have uploaded their recommendation letters.
Once a letter has been uploaded, you will receive an automatic email notification confirming its submission. After receiving both confirmation emails, you should be able to submit your application.
Please note that final submission is definitive. Once your application has been submitted, you will no longer be able to modify any information or replace any documents.