The Institut Pasteur is a transdisciplinary and international organization
- 32 institutes worldwide
- 144 research units in Paris
- 10 Nobel prizes
- 300 Doctoral and Masters’ students hosted throughout the year with an average of 80 new PhDs per year
- Institut Pasteur is a major player in higher Education and biological sciences
The Graduate students can take advantage of advance courses and MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) for theory, as well as hands-on approaches by participating in activities such as workshops, training on technological platforms (Microscopy, flow cytometry, microfluidics, Bioinformatics etc.) with the support of Engineers and researchers on campus. There is a rich environment for interactions namely through multiple seminar programs and international congresses hosted by the Institut Pasteur.
My PhD at Institut Pasteur
There are several ways to start a PhD at the Institut Pasteur.
Doctoral school competition. The main entry is through the doctoral school competition from an affiliated university. All incoming PhD candidates must hold a master’s degree or having completed a Bachelor of Science degree (B.Sc.) with at least one publication and significant lab work (6 months)– The final admission decision is taken by the Doctoral school.
Lab-funded or sponsored thesis project. Institut Pasteur researchers with an EU, National Research Agency, Industry or other funds can sponsor a PhD candidate for their thesis research.
The Pasteur Paris University International Doctoral Program (PPU). The annual competition for the PPU program will provide a three-year funding from the Institut Pasteur or a partner institution/sponsor for a PhD project at the Institut Pasteur with a specific training program.
The industry related sponsored PhD thesis (CIFRE). Innovation projects including a PhD thesis research component can also lead to funding with an industry partner.
Graduate School Partnership with University. Active programs with partner universities can also be a source for funding for a PhD thesis.
Continuing educational training to a PhD degree. Professionals who are already in a career path can also apply for carrying a PhD degree. Specific information, filing for equivalence of diploma or joining a lab with a self-salary situation can be implemented.
Institut Pasteur has a strong commitment to doctoral students

Welcome Day

In the academic level:
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Personal training by the research team of the host laboratory
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Individual monitoring by the “Tuteur” assigned by the Tutorat team
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Support to attend courses, MOOCs, Workshops and Modules of the Doctoral school
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Common core training for methods, and à la carte, for Statistics, Bioinformatics and Genome Analysis
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Access to the Video conferences of the Alumni of the courses of Institut Pasteur
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Scientific writing, Grants/Fellowship application and journal article criticism class
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Attending seminars and congresses held on campus at National or International levels, all year long
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Personal career advising and follow-up – interview and situation evaluation meeting, participation to alternate careers seminars and meetings with off-path alumni or entrepreneurs
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Training in StartUp awareness and innovation
Social and personal support
- Graduate Office - On campus and within walking distance from research labs
- Welcome and Graduation days for celebrating new incoming students and wishing the best to those moving on
- University fees refund by Institut Pasteur, under conditions of Tutorat mandatory reporting and administrative requirements
- Access to the advantages provided by the workers’ Social and Economic committee (CSE) –Tickets for Art/Music concerts, travel discounts, Travellers’ cheques
- Students association memberships (STAPA)
- Sports, dance, performance or personal improvement and competition (ASIP)
- Student contests
- Twinning with international universities and the worldwide Network of Institut Pasteur sites
- Journal Edition for the students’ paper
Affiliation to Doctoral Schools
Funding
CIFRE
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Industrial Research Training Agreements (CIFRE)
Set up in 1981 by the Ministry of Research and Higher Education, the CIFRE system has two objectives:
- Develop partnerships between public research laboratories and companies;
- Provide PhD students with professional research experience and encourage their recruitment by companies.
The purpose of the Industrial Research Training Agreements (CIFRE) is to co-finance the training of a doctoral student recruited by a company to entrust it with a research mission as part of its R & D strategy and also as a support for the preparation of his PhD.
The research mission entrusted to the PhD student is part of collaboration with a research laboratory of the Institut Pasteur, in charge of the scientific supervision of the PhD student.
Each CIFRE is concluded between the National Association for Research and Technology (ANRT) and Institut Pasteur for a maximum duration of 36 months. The CIFRE provides in particular the methods of awarding the funding as well as the distribution of the time of presence of the PhD student within the company and the research laboratory.
Doctoral students benefiting from a CIFRE are welcomed at the Institut Pasteur as OREX employees.
The follow-up steps and the role of each entity at the Institut Pasteur:

Find out more on the anrt website
Visioconferences
- Webminars
- Watch the videos (Youtube)
- Link to the Association des Anciens Elèves de l'Institut Pasteur (AAEIP)
Useful links
- Seminars and Symposia
- Alumni (Linkedin group)
- Guide for the preparation to interview with a PhD/Masters supervisor
- Guide for student expectation
- Mondoctorat
Contact us