Before committing to a cotutelle doctoral program, you must ensure that you have the following elements, common to all doctoral students:

• a thesis project
• a thesis supervisor who is accredited (HDR) or authorized to direct a thesis (ADT) in a research unit of the University of Bordeaux
• a doctoral specialty
• a funding (depending on the doctoral school)

Does your doctoral project already include all these elements? You can proceed to step 2.

The following points are prerequisites for the establishment of a doctorate in cotutelle with the University of Bordeaux:

1. Start of the cotutelle doctoral program: Enrollment for the first year must be simultaneous in both institutions (same academic year).

2. Enrollment: The cotutelle doctoral student must be enrolled each year in both universities, but must pay the enrollment fees according to the terms described in the cotutelle doctoral program contract (generally in alternation, except for other terms decided by the institutions). Please note that tuition fees can vary considerably depending on the partner institution, so it is advisable to find out about the amount before the project begins.

3. Co-supervision: The cotutelle doctoral student is supervised by two thesis supervisors, both qualified to supervise a thesis, one in each partner institution.

4. Validation: The cotutelle doctoral program is formalized through a contract validated by the two administrations (at the University of Bordeaux, by the Graduate Research School) and signed by the two institutions before the end of the first year of the doctorate.

5. Duration of the doctorate: The cotutelle doctoral program lasts 3 years, with the possibility of an additional year if authorized by the doctoral school of the University of Bordeaux.

6. Time allocation: The doctoral project must provide for balanced periods between the partner institutions, with approximately 18 months of stay in each institution for a 3-year doctorate (not necessarily consecutive stays).

7. Funding: The cotutelle doctoral program raises the question of the funding of the doctorate (according to the requirements of the doctoral school), but also that of the funding of the international mobility of the doctoral student, which must be taken into consideration before the project begins.

8. Training: The cotutelle doctoral student must follow at least 50 hours of training at the University of Bordeaux (instead of 100 hours), divided according to the requirements of the doctoral school between disciplinary and transverse training, and including mandatory training.

9. Thesis: The cotutelle doctoral student will write a single thesis (English accepted).

10. Defense: The cotutelle doctoral studenr defends his or her thesis in either institution.

11. Diploma : Following the single thesis defense and on the favorable opinion of the jury, 2 doctoral diplomas are issued (one by each institution).

Does the cotutelle doctoral project satisfy all these conditions? You can proceed to step 3.

You can submit an application for admission to a doctoral program by following the procedure described on this page: https://college-doctoral.u-bordeaux.fr/en/The-doctorate/Enroll-Re-enroll

During the admission phase, don't forget to fill in the tab "cotutelle " on ADUM.

You have started to complete the application for admission to the doctoral school? You can proceed to step 4.

In parallel with the admission procedure to the doctoral school, the thesis supervisor at the University of Bordeaux, as the carrier of the cotutelle project, must contact the internationalization office of the Graduate Research School to present the cotutelle project: cotutelledoctorat@u-bordeaux.fr

At the University of Bordeaux, the cotutelle doctoral program procedures are coordinated by the internationalization office of the Graduate Research School, which is responsible for the expertise of cotutelle doctoral program projects, and then pilots the drafting, negotiation, validation and finally the signing of cotutelle contracts.

The cotutelle doctoral program contract is already signed, but an amendment is necessary.

• In the case of an extension: first contact the doctoral school, because an authorization of re-enrollment is necessary; upon confirmation of the authorization of re-enrollment, contact cotutelledoctorat@u-bordeaux.fr
• In the case of a modification (mobility calendar, place of defense...): contact cotutelledoctorat@u-bordeaux.fr