Teaching

If possible, it is suggested that you try to teach during your PhD, or the first years of post-doc.

There are various reasons why you should :

• It looks good in your curriculum. You may build on it whatever your future choices are.
• It is a requirement to apply for an assistant professor position in France (see the official site of CNU - section 34 ).
• It is a (small) income during your thesis.

Speaking in front of an audience is difficult. Teaching will help you develop the skill, including improvising in unexpected situations. It is a required skill for any scientist, in particular during national or international meetings.

A teaching background is often required before applying to a teaching position, including at college level.

To apply for an assistant professor position in France, you must be registered on the "listes de qualification". Registration is decided for 4 years by the CNU upon a review of your resumé. A minimum of 40 hours of teaching at University level is mandatory.

During your thesis you may apply for "missions complémentaires" at any University of your choice. This addendum to your doctoral contract provides for a regular income and (in principle) some help and formation for your first teaching experience. If possible, this is the best choice. It must be compatible with your contract (check), and your application must be accepted. Applications are usually during spring time, before you get the answer to your application to a PhD grant if you wish to teach during your first year. Acceptance will be conditional to your getting a grant but you MUST / apply nevertheless ! The PhD student who has a teaching mission ensures a maximum of 64h of courses/tutorial classes/practical exercises (usually in french) per year during the duration of the PhD.

Universities give a teaching mission in priority to PhD students who are registered with them to facilitate administrative procedures. There are more candidates than opportunities, so you can apply in several universities and resign after if you have many positive answers. The grant of the doctoral contract is : 2300€ for a research mission alone, XXXX€ for a research and teaching mission (excluding taxes).

Links for applications (Updated May 21, 2026) :

• Teaching mission at SU. Applying, Conditions (dead line : XX XX, 2026)
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• Teaching mission at l’Observatoire de Paris (dead line : June 16th 2026 - 17:00pm)

• Teaching mission at Paris-Saclay (june 28, 2026)

• Teaching mission at l’Université de Paris Cité (deadline : June 26, 2026)

If you don’t secure additional teaching positions, you can generally find teaching assignments at various institutions. There are no set rules for this. They are simply subject to a limit of 64 hours of "tutorial equivalent" teaching per year.

You can also undertake other types of assignments : science outreach, projects promoting results from research laboratories or companies, or doctoral consulting roles in public or private institutions. You can find the call for applications here, which describes the activities and objectives of the science outreach program at the Palais de la Découverte and the Cité des Sciences.

Finally, if you were unable to teach during your PhD, you can try to do so during your postdoctoral fellowship. Generally, contracts are flexible enough to include this clause. However, it is not always automatic. Remember to check before signing.