ParisTech - CSC doctoral program: application process

The funding period for PhD candidates covers 36 to 48 months. For joint PhD candidates, the funding covers 6 to 24 months.

The CSC provides one-time round-trip international travel expenses by the most economical route, and scholarships for overseas students within the funding period. Scholarship recipients need to pay the registration fee, and other administrative fees, as specified by the doctoral school at which they are registered.

They will be given priority assistance in terms of accommodation and help on visas procedures, and provided with necessary resources and equipment during their PhD studies.

You will find below the full list of all PhD proposals. You can click on the PhD research proposal to check all information about it (supervisors, lab, content…).

Candidates can either apply to:

• specific PhD research proposals (up to 3),
• and / or an entire research field: in this case we strongly encourage you to check the database of ParisTech publications to identify potential PhD supervisors and mention them in your application.

Please note that you are encouraged to contact supervisors during the application process, either:

• to make sure the research proposal corresponds to your project,
• or in the case you found a lab or supervisor you were interested in pursuing a PhD with, to define a thesis subject with them.

You can also download the booklet of all Research Proposals for 2021 (coming soon) and the Excel table (coming soon), with subject listed according to the Research Fields covered by ParisTech.

Full list of 2020 PhD Research Proposals

Application is a 6-step process:

Step 1: Providing all application documents to ParisTech

If you want to be considered for a PhD at ParisTech schools, the following documents are required, and should be send to: china@paristech.fr

All documents must be submitted in English or in French, translated version is also acceptable.

All documents marked with * are mandatory:

• A completed application form (to be downloaded here)*

Please fill in the application form online, and save it in pdf format.

• Two completed and signed recommendation forms (to be downloaded here)*

Please note that it is the responsibility of the applicants to ensure that the recommendation forms are returned duly completed.

• Student ranking certificates (ranking by major or department at bachelor and master level)*.

If your university cannot provide all ranking certificates, please explain why on your application form (in the section dedicated to GPA and rankings).

• Academic transcripts (at bachelor and master level)*

• An English summary of your master thesis*.

If you are currently studying outside of China, and cannot provide a summary of a master thesis, please explain it in the application form, in the section dedicated to the master thesis).

• A personal statement including motivation and rough research plan (1-2 pages)*.

Please outline why you wish to study at ParisTech school, and do not hesitate to provide any additional information about yourself (interests, work experience, professional project, etc.) that may support your application.

•  A research plan (one page)*.

The research plan should describe the areas you are interested in and some work that you have done which has made you consider undertaking research.

• Any evidence of French or English proficiency

We strongly suggest you to meet the CSC requirements on Foreign Language Proficiency.

• Any further document proving your academic or scientific achievement / excellence (ex. university prize, published work, previously awarded scholarship).
• A scan of your passport or resident ID card*.

The deadline to receive the full application is at midnight (Paris time) on December 14, 2020.

N.B. Your application will be considered only upon receipt of all required materials. All documents will be reviewed by Professors from ParisTech “Grandes Ecoles”.

Step 2: Interview with the ParisTech Admission Board

If your application file meets all ParisTech criteria, you will receive a notification to pass an interview on December 25, 2020. The interview aims at evaluating applicants’ motivation, communication skills, and research projects.

Interview are to be held from January 11, 2021 to January 22, 2021 in Shanghai, Beijing, Paris, or online for candidates neither in China or France.

NB: Due to the pandemic, interviews might be partially or all held online.

Step 3: Interview with potential PhD advisors

These interviews will be held online from late January 2021 to late February 2021.
If at this stage you still haven’t contacted any potential advisors, we strongly encourage you to do so.

Step 4: CSC application

Once all interviews taken, and / or once a supervisor agrees to deliver you a conditional admission letter, you should apply for the CSC – Paris PhD scholarship.

1. All applicants should log in to the CSC study abroad platform (http://apply.csc.edu.cn) in March each year, to complete an online application and upload relevant materials.
2. The China Scholarship Council entrusts the following institutions to be responsible for the applicants’ selection:

• Relevant  universities and institutions in China are responsible for accepting applications from their own students;
• For applicants currently abroad, the relevant department of the Chinese Embassy is responsible for accepting applications.
• The China Scholarship Council does not directly accept individual applications.

1. After completing the online application, applicants should submit the  materials to the institutions responsible for their application as soon as possible. These institutions should then review the completeness of the applicant's materials, and submit an official letter, and the list of recommended applicants to the Eurasian and African Affairs Department of the China Scholarship Council before an annually set date (in April), and submit the applicant's materials through the CSC platform.

Step 5: Evaluation by the CSC and admission

Applications will be reviewed by the CSC.

Once the results published, recipients of the scholarship will receive an unconditional admission letter from the relevant school.

Step 6: Dispatch

The dispatch time of admitted students is generally September / October. Admitted students are responsible for contacting their research unit, and for their visa procedure. The exact time of dispatch is determined in the admission letter.

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