Presentation of the call
The PhD Program in Neuroscience of Aix-Marseille University (AMU) offers 3 PhD scholarships (3 year-long) to students who have validated a Master’s degree outside France. The scholarships are fully funded by NeuroSchool (nEURo*AMU, ANR-17-EURE-0029).
The selection process takes place in three stages:
- a call for projects for research teams from Aix-Marseille University laboratories with project submission by February 21, 2022, at the latest ;
- a call for applications from master’s degree students or alumni with applications by April 10, 2022 at the latest ;
- the audition of the shortlisted candidates which will take place in late May 2022 (date to be specified later). UPDATE : the auditions will likely take place on June 20, 2022.
NeuroSchool plans to fund up to 3 x 36 months of PhD salary through this call, which will be distributed among the top-ranked candidates. Note however that candidates for the international co-supervision call will be ranked together with candidates for the International PhD fellowships, thus there could be a redistribution of the funded months following the deliberation of the selection committee.
Call for projects (for researchers) - CLOSED
AMU neuroscience research teams are invited to propose a PhD research project in neuroscience for the next 3 years. Maximum of one project for every 3 HDRs in a given team (a team with 1 to 3 HDRs may submit 1 project, a team with 4 to 6 HDRs may submit 2 projects…)
Eligibility criteria:
- The principal investigator (PI) must hold an HDR affiliated to the Ecole Doctorale Sciences de la Vie et de la Santé (ED62) d’Aix-Marseille University.
- The PI cannot simultaneously supervise more than 3 full-time PhD students or co-supervise more than 6 PhD students.
- Any PI whose student received a NeuroSchool scholarship for international students in the previous 3 years (2019, 2020 or 2021) is not eligible to submit a projet this year for any NeuroSchool PhD scholarship (neither for international students nor for co-supervised PhDs).
- Any PI whose student received a NeuroSchool scholarship for an international co-supervised PhD in the previous year (2021) is not eligible to submit a project this year for any NeuroSchool PhD scholarship (neither for international students nor for co-supervised PhDs).
- IMPORTANT: A given PI applicant is only allowed to submit one project for one of the 3 following calls:
- international co-supervised PhD scholarships (NeuroSchool)
- PhD scholarships for international students (NeuroSchool)
- ED62 doctoral school call for doctoral contracts
To submit a project, please download the file below (see the “Documents available for download” tab, scroll down the left panel to see it), fill it out and upload it once completed.
Research projects should be sent at the latest on February 21, 2022, at midnight, through the online form below.
After verification of the eligibility criteria by the NeuroSchool PhD Program executive committee, research projects will be posted on the NeuroSchool website as well as advertised worldwide by early March 2022. PI applicants are also encouraged to advertise these calls.
Call for applications (for students) - CLOSED
This call for three scholarships is open to Master’s graduates from top-ranked non-French universities.
The candidates can download the necessary documents from early March, 2022, in the “Documents available for download” tab (scroll down the left panel to see it):
- The list of proposed research projects
- The document “Choice of research projects”, in which the candidate should select and rank two of the proposed research projects
- The template for the two recommendation letters that must be sent by two referees (from their institutional email address) directly to neuroschool-phd-program-direction@univ-amu.fr
We invite interested candidates to contact PIs as early as possible to learn more about their project, specifying that they are preparing an application.
The complete application must be submitted in English on our website before April 10, 2022, at midnight (Marseille time) as a SINGLE PDF DOCUMENT containing:
- The document (“Choice of research projects“) highlighting the adequacy between the applicant’s background and the two research projects selected (see the “Documents available for download” tab, scroll down the left panel to see it)
- a detailed resume (with copy of the obtained degrees, and mention of the related marks and ranking)
- a letter of motivation (500 words max)
Important reminder: The two recommendation letters must be received before the deadline as well.
Where should you apply? Click directly on “Submit your application” on this call.
The selection of candidates is performed in 3 phases:
- 1st phase: the PI proceeds to a first ranking (pre-selection) of the candidates who have selected her/his project. Each PI can select up to two preferred candidates.
- 2nd phase: the selection committee examines the pre-selected candidates of all projects and selects a shortlist of candidates to be auditioned according to their academic background, motivation and their adequacy with the project.
Important : not all candidates who are pre-selected by the PI will necessarily be auditioned.
Shortlisted candidates for auditions are strongly encouraged to contact the PIs and discuss with them about their oral presentation.
- 3rd phase: the shortlisted candidates will be interviewed (videoconference) by the selection committee, who will establish a final ranking.
PhD starting date : between October and December 2022.
Interview
The auditions will be held between May 19-25, 2022 (exact date to be confirmed later), in front of a selection committee including a representative from each NeuroMarseille laboratory and the heads of the NeuroSchool PhD program. UPDATE : the auditions will take place on June 20, 2022.
The interview usually consists of :
- a brief presentation of the applicant’s CV and background, the main objective of the selected project and the applicant’s motivations (10 minutes),
- answers to questions from the selection committee (10 minutes).
The jury will meet twice:
- by videoconference for the selection of the candidates that will be interviewed
- in person (on the Timone site unless further restrictions apply) for the auditions of the selected candidates (interviewed by videoconference).
This year, the jury is composed of :
- Gaelle Guiraudie Capraz – INP
- Christelle Baunez – INT
- Sophie Chauvet – IBDM
- Laurent Aniksztejn – INMED
- Béatrice Marquèze – UNIS
- Christian Chabbert – LNC
- Adil Maarouf – CRMBM
- Pascale Quilichini – INS
- Arnaud Rey – LPC
- Jean-Michel Brézun – ISM
- Anna Montagnini – NeuroSchool PhD Program
- Wafaa Zaaraoui – NeuroSchool PhD Program
Conditions
The successful candidates must register for their PhD in neuroscience at AMU and do their research work on a full-time basis in an AMU research laboratory for a period of 3 years starting no later than December 2022.
Pecuniary information:
Monthly salary: 1 975€ gross, i.e. approximately 1 679€ net, or 1620 € net after income tax (subject to contribution rate changes).
Be aware that Neuroschool will not pay any travel costs (nor visa fees, if applicable): other specific sources of funding can be found (including via AMU labs/teams). Laureates also pay their own annual tuition fees (around 470 €).
Contact:
Documents available for download
Call for projects phase
Please rename the document with the name of the PhD supervisor. Remember to include the summary of the PhD project.
Call for applications phase
Please rename the 2 last documents including the applicant’s last name in first position.
Results
Following the call for projects and the call for applications, the PhD Program has awarded four 3-year PhD scholarships to the following students:
- Jehanne AGHZADI, who will do her PhD at the INP under the supervision of Sophie DESPLAT-JEGO, on the following topic: Soluble TWEAK, a new biomarker of neuroinflammation during multiple sclerosis?
- Sofia ZANGILA, who will do her PhD at the INMED under the supervision of Jean-Claude PLATEL and Rosa COSSART, on the following topic: Emergent activity patterns in the developing brain.
- Charbel CHAHLA, who will do his PhD at the INP under the supervision of Lotfi FERHAT and Hervé KOVACIC, on the following topic: Deregulation of Tau/tubulin Interaction through AT8 epitope as an early event for Tau aggregation and neurotoxicity.
- Nilanjana NANDI, who will do her PhD at the INT under the supervision of Bjørg KILAVIK, on the following topic: Fronto-parietal and cortico-striatal neuronal interactions underlying interceptive movements in macaques (In2CoSt).