Central Government Raman-Charpak Fellowship: €1,500 a Month for Research in France

10 November 2026, 11:15 PM • Harish Sharma • Category: All India Schemes

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News: Central Government Raman-Charpak Fellowship: €1,500 a Month for Research in France
Date: 10 November 2026, 11:15 PM
Author: Harish Sharma
Category: All India Schemes
Source: See the official portal for details — the link is inside the story.

Photo: Jorge Royan, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

For PhD students who dream of doing research in France, the Raman-Charpak Fellowship is a big opportunity. This fellowship is run in honour of two Nobel Laureates — India’s Prof C.V. Raman and France’s Prof Georges Charpak. It is a joint programme of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Indo-French Centre for the Promotion of Advanced Research (CEFIPRA). A selected Indian PhD student gets €1,500 a month and a return airfare for research in France. The fellowship lasts 2 to 6 months. Working in a French laboratory gives the student a chance to learn new techniques and connect with international researchers. The fellowship also builds long-term research ties between India and France, which have grown stronger over the years.

How much money is given

The Raman-Charpak Fellowship pays the following amounts and benefits.

Fellowship: €1,500 a month — for Indian fellows.
Airfare: one return ticket — economy class.
Insurance — for the fellowship period.
Visa and registration support — for the formalities of staying in France.
Seminar support: up to €500 — for attending a conference.
Duration: 2 to 6 months — for research in a French laboratory.

The money is paid in euros, so fellows should plan their stay in France with the exchange rate in mind.

Who can apply

This fellowship is for students doing a PhD in India.

The applicant must be an Indian national and registered for a PhD in India.
Age below 30 years.
A Master’s degree in science, technology or medicine.
A pre-confirmed invitation from a laboratory in France.
Fields: atmospheric, earth and environmental sciences, materials science, physical sciences, chemical sciences, engineering, biological, life and medical sciences, mathematical and computational sciences.
The applicant should have a good research record.

How to apply

Applications are made online on the cefipra.org portal. First get an invitation from a laboratory in France and consent from your PhD guide. Then fill the application on the portal and upload proof of PhD registration, the research proposal, the invitation letter and the guide’s recommendation. The call for this fellowship comes every year. The 2026 cycle opened in April-May and closed in June-July 2026 — applications for 2026 are no longer possible; the fellowship starts in October 2026. Check cefipra.org for the next cycle dates. Never pay anyone for applying.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: How much money is given under the Raman-Charpak Fellowship? A: €1,500 a month, a return airfare, insurance and up to €500 seminar support. Q2: For how many months is the fellowship given? A: For 2 to 6 months. Q3: Who can apply? A: Indian PhD students below 30 years of age, with a Master’s degree and an invitation from a French laboratory. Q4: Is the 2026 call open? A: No, the 2026 cycle closed in June-July 2026; check cefipra.org for the next cycle dates.