Chapter 2 of Programme Vinci is run by the Université Franco Italienne / Università Italo Francese. It gives a one-off mobility grant to doctoral candidates writing a thesis in cotutelle between a French and an Italian university.
The candidate applies personally. The call is published every year; the 2026 round closed on 16 February 2026.
Benefits & funding
- €4,000–€6,000 per award; every winner in a round receives the same sum.
- Covers France–Italy travel and costs of activities strictly tied to the cotutelle research (2026 call); the programme overview page lists travel plus accommodation and meals in Italy.
- Spending counts from the call’s publication until one year after the thesis defence; awarded once per thesis.
- Can be combined with other funding that national doctoral rules allow and that does not block the mobility.
Eligibility
- Enrolled in a cotutelle doctorate at both a French and an Italian institution authorised to award a state-recognised doctorate.
- In the first or second year of the doctorate.
- A signed cotutelle agreement (or joint-doctorate framework agreement) providing a double or joint degree; co-supervised theses without one are ineligible.
- Holders of a Vinci Chapter 3 doctoral contract / borsa from an earlier call cannot apply.
- No nationality, residence or age rule is stated.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
“Seuls les doctorantes et doctorants inscrits en thèse en cotutelle auprès établissements d’Enseignement supérieur et de recherche français et italiens habilités à la délivrance du diplôme de Doctorat reconnu par l’Etat peuvent candidater. … Pour participer, la candidate ou le candidat doit être inscrit en première ou deuxième année de Doctorat et fournir les pièces justificatives suivantes :” Eligibility
Education required
PhD Enrolled
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Application process
- 1Apply online, in French and Italian, on the UFI/UIF platform while the call is open (2026: 15 December 2025 – 16 February 2026, 12:00 Paris time).
- 2Attach the signed cotutelle agreement and this year’s enrolment certificates from both universities.
- 3If the agreement is still being signed, email these documents to the secretariat of your country of first enrolment by the late-document date (2026: 29 May), or the application is excluded.
Program timeline
15 December 2025
2026 application platform opened
16 February 2026, 12:00 Paris time
2026 deadline
late cotutelle documents due
29 May 2026
End of June 2026
2026 results