Doctoral and post-doctoral visiting fellows

Each year the Sciences Po Law School's doctoral program hosts visiting students and visiting researchers from around the world. Visitors are generally doctoral students or post-doctoral researchers in Law at institutions overseas who are eager to pursue their research within Sciences Po Law School academic community.

They normally are in residence at the Law School for up to one academic year.

Eligibility

To qualify as a doctoral visiting fellow, an applicant must be enrolled in a doctorate degree program (preferably in the field of law, other PhD students in social sciences will be considered if they justify that their research would benefit from a research stay at the law school).

Doctoral students must be at least in the second year of their studies at the time of their visit. Students entering their first year are not eligible.

To qualify as a post-doctoral visiting fellow, an applicant must be enrolled in a university or research institution and have defended his/her PhD in the last 3 years.

Doctoral and Post-Doctoral Visiting Fellows must be sponsored by a faculty member who is willing to act as an advisor to the proposed research project, and it is their responsibility to contact appropriate faculty members and arrange for such sponsorship.

All Visiting Fellows must provide their own funding.

Duration of stay

Research stays might be planned from a minimum of 3 months to one year. Although visits may extend into the summer, visits for the summer months alone will not be approved.

Any renewal will have to be approved by the Doctoral jury.

Benefits of participation

The Fellowship Program provides visitors access to facilities of the Law School and of Sciences Po (full library privileges, attendance of and participation in colloquia and other scholarly presentations at the Law School...), in order for them to conduct research on an approved topic while in residence and to consult with faculty members.

Visiting PhD and post-doctoral researchers are entitled to the Sciences Po Law School Visiting Doctoral / Post-Doctoral Fellow title.

Conditions of fellowship

Doctoral and Post-Doctoral Fellows are:

• expected to conduct their proposed research on Sciences Po premises
• encouraged to participate in the law school’s and Sciences Po’s scholarly life and events
• encouraged to present their research at a Colloquium organized by the Doctoral program
• encouraged to mention in the publications resulting from their stay in Sciences Po Law School, the following: "This paper has benefited from a Visiting Fellowship at Sciences Po Law School in [date]"

Appointment as a Sciences Po Law School Fellow is incompatible with any concurrent appointment (i.e. teaching, fellowships, practice etc.).

Application

Applications are examined by the Committee for Doctoral Studies in Law. In selecting applicants for visitor status, the Committee considers the applicant's background and motivation, academic achievement, and research proposal, as well as the availability of SPLS faculty for consultation in the proposed research area. The Committee pays particular attention to the relevance, coherence and originality of the research proposal.

Applications for the Fall semester 2025/2026 or the full 2025/2026 academic year are open until March 1, 2025.

Applications for the Spring semester 2025/2026 will be open later in the year.

The completed application form, along with a resume, a copy of ID and one or several letters of recommendation must be sent by email to Claire Rameau, Administrative Officer of the PhD program in Law.

Application Form (Word, 40 Ko)