What is a research allocation?

The term allocation de recherche (research allocation) is a fixed-term employment contract governed by French public law providing a salary to a doctoral student for the duration of his/her thesis over a maximum period of three years.

Students salaried under an allocation de recherche enjoy the status of non-tenured civil servants. Candidates applying for an allocation de recherche must be under 25 years of age at the end of the calendar year of their first university registration for doctoral thesis work. Exceptions to this provision may be made for students who are under 30 years of age on January 1st of the year of candidacy.

For additional information and details, see the following legal texts:
- Government Decree Nº 85-402 of 3 April 1985 (as modified)
- Ministerial Order of 31 March 1992 (as modified)
- Ministerial Order of7 August 2006
- Note by the Directorate of Legal Affairs (D.A.J.-B1-MLC/Nº582)