An Outstanding training in political, transnational and global history

Our aim is to train researchers who are familiar with key historiographical issues and concepts, are capable of conducting rigorous archival research, and are willing to participate in a broad international debate and conversation. Our goal is to train historians who combine breadth of vision and specialized skills, who can produce path-breaking research as well as teach general survey courses. To help them acquire the necessary teaching skills, doctoral students usually work as supervised teaching assistants and, often, as instructors of their own courses, which are taught in French, English and other languages used in the different campuses of Sciences Po. In addition to academic and teaching positions, our doctoral students obtain employment in government, higher education administration, think tanks and other non-academic research organizations, museums, cultural institutions, journalism, publishing houses and elsewhere in the private sector.

Professional development for PhD students

In order to achieve our educational objectives, we offer a variety of research seminars that doctoral students are asked to attend, and contribute to, throughout the programme. A mandatory yearlong seminar is organized for first year students, whose residence in the Paris area is therefore required. Each doctoral student works closely with their main supervisor at Sciences Po; she/he can also be proposed a second supervisor, who can be based at Sciences Po or in one of our many partner institutions. This supervision provides doctoral researchers with the necessary guidance for their research, and helps them develop the confidence to work independently. We strongly encourage intellectual exchange among doctoral researchers and faculty, and invite the two to collaborate in the organization of research seminars and various teaching activities. Each year, we invite numerous visiting professors from around the world, offering PhD candidates further opportunities to discuss their research with specialists in their field.

The doctoral candidates accepted in the programme –between 4 and 7 each year – are all granted a 3-year scholarship and normal enrolment fees are waived. Further aid after the third year can be offered thanks to teaching positions and other forms of financial support. Completion of the program typically takes 3-5 years, depending on a variety of factors, the field of research, language requirements, and location of primary sources.

Doctoral students are encouraged to present papers at scholarly conferences, submit articles for publication in peer-reviewed journals and join scholarly networks, apply for fellowships and grants – including the many offered thanks to

Our partnerships with European, American, Asian and African universities and research centers

Doctoral students can apply for research funds at the Doctoral School and the Centre of History towards the costs of fieldwork, conferences and other activities.

• Discover our young doctors who received prestigious distinctions for their research
• Meet the Director of the Doctoral programme in History
• Your Doctorate at Sciences Po

How to apply?

There are two deadlines, in January and May,  open to Master students from Sciences Po and other academic institutions.

Doctoral candidates must identify at least one member of the Centre for History who can supervise their research, and indicate his/her/their name(s) in their personal statement. A 2/3-page CV and the research project must also be uploaded.

Doctoral candidates may also provide a writing sample, a master thesis chapter or a research paper.

Doctoral candidates should also have two referees. They can address a request for an academic recommendation through the Admission page.

The research proposal must be written in French or English; it should not exceed 3000 words (excluding a bibliography of 20-25 titles). The proposal should clearly indicate the purpose and relevance of the research, the approach and methodology, and the list of archival sources on which it will be based. A section of the proposal must explain why the doctoral candidate is applying to Sciences Po.

Doctoral candidates can be interviewed, in Paris or via videoconference, in February or June.

The criteria applied in the selection will be the academic record of the applicant, the quality and originality of the research proposal, the potential fit with supervision at Sciences Po, and the availability of primary sources.

Visit the web page of doctoral admissions

Conditions of the Doctoral Research

All admitted candidates are awarded doctoral funding or must secure approved external funding.

Those admitted with a Sciences Po doctoral contract receive a monthly salary for three years. The amount is set by national legislation on doctoral funding. From 1 January 2026, it will be 2300 euros gross (before social security contributions and income tax). Doctoral students can also teach at Sciences Po up to 64 hours a year, with an hourly wage of 65 euros gross per hour as of 1 September 2025.

In addition, doctoral students can apply for various internal and external forms of financial support.

During their first year, doctoral students must attend a series of seminars organized by the Centre for History.

The Doctoral research is supervised by a permanent member of the Faculty and a supervising committee within the Centre for History. The supervisor can decide, in agreement with the doctoral candidate and the head of graduate studies, to add an additional, external supervisor.

Doctoral students are members of the Centre for History. They are given desk space and privileged access to the Archives of the Centre as well as to Sciences Po Research Library, one of the largest in history and the social sciences in continental Europe.

Contacts

• David Todd
  Head of doctoral studies in History
  Professor of Modern History at the Sciences Po Centre for History
   
• Clémentine Scott
  Administrative Officer
  Tél : +33 (0)1 45 49 59 23