MOPGA Visiting Fellowship 2027 in France: Eligibility, Benefits and How to Apply

MOPGA 2027 is a visiting fellowship from the French government for early-career researchers working on climate change and environmental topics. MOPGA stands for Make Our Planet Great Again. It funds a 12-month research stay at a French research institution, starting in September 2027. Applications close on 15 December 2026.

This guide explains who the fellowship is for, what it covers, the eligibility rules, how to prepare and how to apply. Some amounts below come from reports of the 2027 call and should be confirmed in the official call document. It was last checked against the Campus France website on 4 October 2026.

MOPGA Visiting Fellowship 2027 at a glance

What is the MOPGA fellowship?

France launched MOPGA to support research on the climate questions raised at the United Nations climate conferences. This call brings young researchers from abroad to work with French research institutions for a year. It is a postdoctoral fellowship. It is not a scholarship for a master’s or a PhD.

What does it cover?

The fellowship funds a 12-month research stay. The amounts reported for the 2027 call are a monthly allowance of 2,500 euros and a settling-in allowance of 500 euros, together with health insurance, civil liability insurance and repatriation cover. Fellows also have the status of French government scholarship holders, which gives access to Campus France support services. We took these amounts from reports of the call and not from the Campus France page itself, so confirm them in the official call document.

Who can apply?

• You hold a doctoral degree awarded less than five years before the deadline. Your thesis must have been defended between December 2021 and December 2026.
• You hold only foreign nationality. All nationalities are eligible except French.
• You have not held a MOPGA fellowship before.
• Your research project is on climate change or environmental topics and will be carried out in France.

Documents you need

The required documents are listed in the MOPGA 2027 call for applications on the Campus France website. Read that document first, because it also sets out the research topics and the format of the project description.

How to prepare

• Check your dates. The PhD window is strict: December 2021 to December 2026.
• Find a host. The stay takes place at a French research institution, so identify a team that works on your topic and agree the project with them.
• Match the call’s topics. Build your project around one of the research themes in the call.
• Write a clear one-year plan. Say what you will do in 12 months and what results you expect.

Timeline

How to apply, step by step

1. Read the MOPGA 2027 call for applications on the Campus France website.
2. Check that your PhD date and nationality meet the rules.
3. Contact a French host institution and agree your project.
4. Prepare the documents listed in the call.
5. Submit your application before 15 December 2026.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying with French nationality, including dual nationality.
• Proposing a project outside the call’s topics.
• Applying when your PhD was defended before December 2021.
• Leaving contact with the host institution until December.

Is the MOPGA fellowship right for you?

It suits you if:

• you defended your PhD between December 2021 and December 2026;
• your research is on climate change or an environmental topic;
• you can identify a French research team to host you;
• you can spend 12 months in France from September 2027.

Look elsewhere if:

• you do not yet hold a doctorate;
• you hold French nationality;
• you have already held a MOPGA fellowship;
• you want a master’s or PhD scholarship, in which case see our guide to scholarships in France.

How to find a French host laboratory

The stay takes place at a French research institution, so you need a host team. Start two to three months before the deadline:

1. Search for French laboratories working on your topic. National research organisations and universities list their research units online.
2. Read recent papers from two or three teams and choose the closest match.
3. Email the team leader with your CV, a one-page project outline and a clear statement that you are applying for the MOPGA visiting fellowship.
4. Agree the project together, and ask for the letter or form the call requires from the host.

A host who has helped shape the project writes a stronger letter. Our guide on how to email professors has a template you can adapt.

How to write the research project

• Fit the call: name the research theme from the call that your project belongs to.
• State the question and why it matters for climate or the environment.
• Explain the method and the data, models or facilities you will use at the host laboratory.
• Plan 12 months: divide the year into stages with a clear output for each, such as a dataset, a paper or a model.
• Show the benefit of the stay: what you gain from the host and what the host gains from you.

Follow the template and page limit in the call. Our research proposal template shows how to structure each part.

Your CV and publications

As an early-career researcher you will be judged on your record so far. List your doctorate with its defence date, your publications in one consistent style, conference talks, awards and any research funding you have obtained. Put your own name in bold in author lists. Our research CV template gives the order to use.

A preparation plan

1. September and October: read the call and shortlist French laboratories.
2. October: contact host teams and agree your project.
3. November: write the project, update your CV and collect the host’s letter.
4. Early December: complete the application and check each document against the call.
5. By 15 December 2026: submit.

After you apply

Campus France and its partners assess the applications after the deadline, and results are announced before the fellowships start in September 2027. If you are selected, Campus France guides you through your visa and arrival, and your host laboratory helps with practical matters such as office space and registration. Start looking for housing early, especially in Paris and other large cities, where rents are high.

Living and working in France

Many French laboratories work in English, particularly in the sciences, but daily life is easier with some French. A few weeks of basic French before you arrive will help with housing, banking and administration. Ask your host team which language they use in meetings and whether the institution offers French classes for visiting researchers.

Other funding for early-career researchers

MOPGA has a narrow window and a specific theme, so it is sensible to apply elsewhere at the same time. On our site, the EUI Jean Monnet Fellowships in Italy are for scholars more than five years past their doctorate, and the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships fund research stays in Switzerland for those who meet the age limit. Your host laboratory may also know of national or European grants that fit your project, so ask them when you discuss the application.

If you are not selected

Ask your host team whether they can still receive you through another scheme or on a project grant. A project that was shaped with a host is rarely wasted: the same proposal, adjusted, can be submitted to other calls. Check whether you will still be inside the five-year window if you plan to apply to MOPGA again, because the dates move forward each year.

Keep a copy of the full application and the host laboratory agreement. You will need both for the visa and for your arrival formalities, and they are a good starting point for any other call you apply to.

Frequently asked questions

Can PhD students apply for MOPGA?

You need to have defended your thesis by December 2026. The fellowship is for researchers who hold a doctorate.

Which nationalities can apply?

All except French.

How long is the fellowship?

12 months, starting in September 2027.

Which fields are covered?

Climate change and environmental topics. The call lists the exact themes.

Can I apply again if I held MOPGA before?

No.

Where to apply

Read the call on the official Campus France MOPGA 2027 page. See our MOPGA Visiting Fellowship page, and our guide to scholarships in France for master’s and PhD funding.