Do you have a PhD and research ideas on climate, health or society?
- ✔️ Want a 2-year paid research job at a French university?
- ✔️ Want to work on health, global change or sustainable transitions?
- ✔️ Want a programme with no nationality limits, open to Kenyans and Africans?
- ✔️ Want time to plan? Applications close on 26 February 2027.
Then the AToUT postdoctoral fellowships may be for you.
Find out if I qualify ›Check the official application and institution fees for this opportunity. LearnAbroad support is optional; its applicable fees will be explained before you engage us.
Current call· Requirements· Pay· How it works· Costs· FAQ
CURRENT CALL
2027 call: OPEN
- Places: 15 two-year fellowships in this first call. Two more calls are planned.
- Opened: 3 November 2026.
- Apply before: 26 February 2027. The official call does not give a time or time zone, so submit a few days early.
- Online interviews: 23–25 June 2027 (shortlisted candidates only).
- Results: late June or July 2027 (official documents give both).
- Fellowship starts: November 2027.
Checked on 5 November 2026 against the official University of Toulouse (TIRIS) call page, the Call for Application and the Guide for Applicants.
What are the AToUT fellowships?
AToUT is a postdoctoral programme run by the University of Toulouse in the south of France, through its TIRIS research initiative. It is co-funded by the European Union under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA COFUND).
Each fellow gets a 24-month, full-time employment contract in France with full social security. You work on your own research project in a Toulouse research unit, with a supervisor you choose. There are more than 140 research units to choose from.
Projects should fit one of three themes, or one of the university’s subject areas:
- Health and well-being
- Global changes and their impact on societies (for example climate change)
- Accelerating sustainable transitions (for example energy, food, cities)
Requirements: can you say yes to all of these?
- ✅ You will have a PhD by 26 February 2027. If you have defended but not yet received your certificate, you can still apply.
- ✅ You have not lived or worked in France for more than 12 months in the 3 years before the deadline. Holidays do not count.
- ✅ You can work in English or French at B2 level. Language training is offered if needed.
- ✅ You can name a host research unit and a supervisor in Toulouse for your project.
- ✅ You are not already permanently employed by your chosen host, and your project is not already funded by the EU.
- ✅ You can work on the project full time for 2 years.
The official guide says: “There are no restrictions regarding nationality, gender, or background.” Kenyans and other Africans can apply. There is extra support for refugees, disabled applicants and people with unusual career paths.
What the programme pays
- A salary of at least €3,393.58 a month before tax (about KES 497,000*).
- A mobility allowance and, if it applies to you, a family allowance.
- Money for research, training and travel linked to your project.
- Full French social security, including health cover.
*At €1 = KES 146.4 (Wise mid-market rate, read 5 November 2026). Your take-home pay will be lower after tax and contributions; the programme does not publish a net figure.
What you gain
- Two years of paid research at a major European university.
- An EU-funded fellowship on your CV, with training and mentoring.
- An international research network in France and Europe.
How it works
- Check you meet every requirement above.
- Find a host: pick a Toulouse research unit that fits your topic and contact a possible supervisor. Start early; this takes time.
- Write your proposal (up to 10 pages): your research question, methods, impact, budget use and how it fits the AToUT themes.
- Prepare your documents: CV, motivation letter, research experience, PhD certificate or defence certificate, and an ethics self-assessment.
- Apply online on the official University of Toulouse (TIRIS) portal before 26 February 2027. Check the official site for any application fee.
- Evaluation: at least two outside experts score each proposal on excellence, impact and how it will be carried out. About 30 people are shortlisted.
- Online interview in June 2027: a 10-minute presentation and 15 minutes of questions.
- Start in Toulouse from November 2027.
Costs: what to check
The programme: check the official fees
Check the official AToUT pages for any application or institution fees. If you are selected, you are paid a salary under a French employment contract. Visa and travel costs before you start are not explained in the official documents; check with the programme.
LearnAbroad’s help: optional
You do not need us to apply. If you want our help to prepare your application, we explain our applicable fees before you engage us. You only pay if you choose our help. Any such fee goes to LearnAbroad, not to the programme, and it does not affect who is selected.
How LearnAbroad can help
Our application help is optional. We explain the fees before you engage us:
- An honest check of whether you qualify, including the France residence rule.
- Help to find and approach a suitable host research unit and supervisor.
- Feedback on your research proposal, CV and motivation letter.
- Interview practice for the June online interview.
- If AToUT is not right for you, other funded PhD and postdoc options that fit.
Questions people ask
Can Kenyans and other Africans apply?
Yes. The official guide says there are no restrictions on nationality. The main limit is the France residence rule: no more than 12 months living or working in France in the 3 years before the deadline.
Is this only for climate research?
No. Projects can fit health and well-being, global changes and their impact on societies, or sustainable transitions, or one of the university’s subject areas. Climate and environment research fits well, and so do health and social science projects.
I am still doing my PhD. Can I apply?
Only if you will have your PhD by 26 February 2027. If you have defended but not yet received the certificate, you can apply. If you finish later, watch for the next AToUT call.
Do I need to speak French?
No. You need English or French at B2 level. The programme offers language training if needed.
Do I need a supervisor before I apply?
Yes, you must name at least one host research unit and supervisor in your application. The documents do not ask for a signed letter, but you should agree the plan with your supervisor before you submit.
Can I bring my family?
The programme pays a family allowance where it applies. Family visas follow French rules, so check them before you plan your move.
Will LearnAbroad apply for me?
No. You submit your own application on the official portal. If you choose, we can help you prepare it; we explain our fees first. We cannot promise selection; the programme chooses fellows.
Ready? Find out if you qualify
Fill in our short Get Started form. Tell us your PhD field and research idea. We review it and tell you honestly whether AToUT fits you, and what to do next.
Get started ›Check the official application and institution fees for this opportunity. LearnAbroad support is optional; its applicable fees will be explained before you engage us.
Related pages
Sources and disclaimer
Official sources: University of Toulouse (TIRIS) — AToUT call page, the Call for Application and the Guide for Applicants. Details checked on 5 November 2026. Some dates differ between the official documents; always confirm on the official site before you apply. Exchange rate: Wise mid-market rate, read 5 November 2026.
LearnAbroad (Liberty Learn and Work Abroad Immigration Consulting) is an independent advisory service and is not part of, or endorsed by, the University of Toulouse, the AToUT programme or the European Union. Check the official application and institution fees for this opportunity. LearnAbroad support is optional; its applicable fees will be explained before you engage us. Fellows are selected by the programme. We cannot promise selection.
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