BREATH PhD Programme in France (Fully Funded)

Applications are now open for the BREATH PhD Programme, a prestigious interdisciplinary doctoral initiative co-funded by the European Union’s Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA-COFUND). This program focuses on bridging health sciences and social sciences and humanities (SSH) to address innovative challenges in these fields. With a deadline of March 12, 2026.

It offers 10 fully funded 3-year PhD fellowships for the second cohort, hosted in France’s Pays de la Loire region (Angers, Nantes, or Le Mans). Open to researchers of any nationality holding a relevant Master’s degree, the program emphasizes international mobility and excludes those who have lived in France for more than 12 months in the last three years. There is no application fee. You can check out BS, MS, PhD and postdoc positions here.

Key Details:

• Degree Level: PhD
• Host Country: France
• Open to All Nationalities
• Funding Type: Fully funded
• Application Deadline: March 12, 2026.

What This Scholarship Offers:

• Financial Security: €2,250 gross monthly salary, plus €400 mobility allowance and €400 family allowance (if married/with children) for stable living in France.
• Research Funding: Up to €700/month for lab expenses on environment, travel, and training, enabling barrier-free high-impact work.
• Professional Development: Over 200 hours of customized training in skills, career management, ethics, and project management to boost employability.
• International Mobility: Mandatory 3-month non-academic secondment and global collaborations to expand networks and experience.
• Health and Welfare Benefits: Full French Social Security coverage, including health care for you/family, plus perks like paid annual leave, child leave, and unemployment insurance.

Also Check: 12 Fully Funded PhD positions across Europe (Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions)

Available Projects:

Biologie Santé (Biology Health)

• Psychosociologic functioning of young adults with childhood onset pituitary deficiency: nationwide multicentric observational study. A sociological and clinical psychological approach.
• Towards replacing animal models in biomedical research with 3D cellular models? An embedded ethical analysis.
• African families facing the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD): Towards a transnational approach to disease prevention using genetics.
• One Health Rehabilitation: Animal-Assisted Therapy for Children with Cleft Lip and Palate Using Rehabilitated Dogs with the Same Condition.
• Evaluating Capacity-building and Outreach to reduce the environmental impact of MEDications (ECO-MED).

Also Check: 16 Fully Funded PhD & DPhil Scholarships in the UK (2026 Intake)

Societies, Times and Territories:

• Tele-epidemiology of diarrheal diseases in Rio Grande do Norte (Brazil) in the context of global changes.
• Working together to provide care? Identifying the conditions for emergence and gathering in a community health center.
• Adjusting to Aging in Place: Occupational Therapy and Environmental Issues.

Also Check: 40 PhD Positions at the University of Vienna, Austria (Fully Funded)

Education, Cognition, Languages, Interactions, Health:

• Women’s Ultra-Endurance Running, Psychological Flexibility and Empowerment in Space and Pain (France–USA).
• Comparing CBT and ACT for Burnout with Cognitive Complaints: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Economics and Management:

• The Role of Artificial Intelligence Large Language Models and Deep Learning in Mental Health Support: A Multidimensional Analysis of Effectiveness, Ethical Issues, and Stakeholder Perspectives.

Also Check: University of Sussex PhD Scholarship in Economics 2026 – Fully Funded

Propose Your Own Project: If none of the above fit, submit your idea under “ONLY FOR CANDIDATES PROPOSING THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL DRIVEN RESEARCH PROJECT.”

Eligibility Criteria:

• Education: Hold a Master’s degree (or international equivalent) relevant to the chosen PhD topic in health or SSH; must not already possess a PhD.
• Mobility Rule: Not have resided or carried out main activities (work, studies, etc.) in France for more than 12 months in the 36 months prior to March 12, 2026.
• Language Proficiency: Fluent in English (B2 level ); provide test scores no older than 2 years
• Disciplinary Alignment: Background must match the selected topic; mismatched applications will be ineligible.
• Other: Open to all nationalities; no age restrictions, but candidates must justify relevance to BREATH’s interdisciplinary focus.

Also Check: 18 PhD Positions across EUROPE 2026 (Fully Funded)

Required Documents:

• Completed online application form
• Eligibility checklist + mobility declaration (BREATH template)
• Anonymized CV (BREATH Europass template)
• Motivation letter (BREATH template)
• Bachelor & Master diplomas + transcripts
• English proficiency certificate (B2 or higher, ≤2 years old – waived for native speakers or degrees from UK/IE/USA/CA/AU/NZ)
• Summary of Master’s thesis
• 2 reference letters
• If own project: Ethics self-assessment (BREATH template)

Also Check: Fully Funded Doctoral Positions at Max Planck Research School, Germany 2026

How to Apply:

1. Visit the BREATH website to review topics and access the Amethis platform.
2. Choose a topic (or the own-project option) and complete the online form with personal details.
3. Upload required documents in English
4. Submit by March 12, 2026; incomplete applications will be rejected.
5. If your Master’s certificate is pending, include a declaration of honour (BREATH template).

Also Check: PhD positions at Utrecht University, Netherlands (Fully Funded)