PhD in the Graduate School 3MG

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At Nantes Université, the PhD in Physics, Chemistry and Geosciences is a training of excellence which allows you to acquire the skills to realize your career plan.

Research project

Design a scientific project and master advanced R&D tools in labs associated with the CNRS and internationally recognized.

Training

Training in research and R&D (analysis methods and tools, communication, management, etc.) in your scientific field.

Events and meetings

Participation in conferences, schools and professional meetings with academics and companies in France or abroad.

Labs

 
Chemistry And Interdisciplinarity, Synthesis, Analysis, Modeling (CEISAM)
UMR CNRS 6230

Nantes Jean Rouxel Institute of Materials (IMN)
UMR CNRS 6502

An attractive wage, a prestigious degree

Each year, we hire 50 to 60 PhD students: a 3-year contract is offered by one of the lab's tutelle or by a company with a wage of €2,100 gross per month (including social security mandatory in France). In 2024-2025, the tuition fees for the Doctoral degree is €380 per year.

Thesis defenses

Our research focuses on Physics, Chemistry and Geosciences in the broadest sense:

Thesis funding

Our research labs have dedicated funding for PhD contracts (funding from the French Ministry, National Research Agency, European Commission, Pays de la Loire Region...): all PhD students are recruited for a 3-year period. The employment contract is offered by one of the lab's tutelle (Nantes Université, CNRS, IMT Atlantique or Université Gustave Eiffel) or by a company (CIFRE thesis).

Prerequisites

Candidates must have obtained a Master's degree (BAC+5 - 300 ECTS validated) in a field related to the intended thesis topic. It is also compulsory to have completed a research lab internship during your Master, and to provide a letter of appreciation from the supervisor. A good level of English is required.

Applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

• Academic merit and of coherence of the background with the thesis topic.
• Skills and motivation for the subject.
• Competencies developed during the research lab internship.
• Motivation to prepare a thesis and professional project.
• Behaviour during the interview (quality of presentation, responsiveness, answers to questions, etc.).

Application procedure

Thesis offers are published gradually on the TEBL platform, generally from February-March for a thesis starting in October. Specific prerequisites are detailed in the offers.

Current thesis offers

The following documents must be attached to the application :

• Detailed and updated CV.
• Reports of grades and rankings obtained in the 2 years of Master's degree or engineering cycle (with details from the supervisor when they are not available).
• Letter of appreciation from the direct supervisor of the Master's internship (compulsory) even if it took place in the future lab. The letter must specify the aptitude of the candidate to do a PhD and to participate in a research project (team spirit, participation in regular meetings, compliance with instructions and deadlines, aptitude for experimentation, etc.) The email contact of at least one of the former internship supervisors must be provided before the interview.
• Cover letter from the candidate specifying in particular its interest in the selected thesis subject and, if possible, its professional project after the PhD.

In case of pre-selection, a committee composed of at least the thesis director and a representative of the Graduate School will contact the candidates directly for an interview.

Contacts

Procedures