MOPGA Fellowship 2027 in France: €2,500 Monthly Grant

The MOPGA Fellowship 2027 gives early-career international researchers €2,500 per month for a 12-month research stay in France. France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE) funds the programme with MESRE, while Campus France manages the fellowship. Applications close on December 15, 2026. The funding is attractive, but eligibility alone will not carry your application. You need a recent PhD, a project within an eligible MOPGA research theme, and a French host laboratory that can support your proposed research.

MOPGA 2027 Visiting Fellowship Program: Quick Overview

Item	Details
Host Country	France
Institution	French host research institution or laboratory
Program Name	Make Our Planet Great Again (MOPGA) 2027
Degree Level	Postdoctoral / early-career researcher
Funding Status	€2,500 monthly + €500 settling-in allowance + health coverage
Duration	12 months
Deadline	December 15, 2026
Eligible Nationalities	All foreign nationalities except French nationality
Application Method	Online through Campus France SMApply

What Is the MOPGA 2027 Fellowship?

The Make Our Planet Great Again programme supports international researchers who want to conduct research in France on major environmental and climate challenges.

MOPGA does not fund an isolated personal project. You need a French host laboratory, a scientific supervisor and a project that fits both the programme themes and the laboratory’s research direction.

• MOPGA supports international researchers conducting research in France.
• Campus France administers the fellowship and pays fellows directly.
• French host laboratories provide the scientific environment required for the project.
• Scientific experts and a scientific committee evaluate applications in two stages.

For another postdoctoral route with a different research focus, see University of Konstanz Zukunftskolleg Postdoctoral Fellows 2027.

Eligible MOPGA Research Themes

Your research project must fit one of five broad areas:

• Earth system sciences
• Climate change and sustainability sciences
• Energy transition
• Societal challenges related to environmental issues
• Human, animal and environmental health under the One Health approach

The programme gives particular consideration to innovative approaches that use advanced technologies within these themes.

One Health applicants need to check the scope carefully. Your project must connect human health with animal health, ecosystems or both. Research that focuses only on medicine or human health does not qualify.

Humanities and social sciences researchers can also apply. Your department or academic discipline does not decide eligibility. Your research question must clearly fit one of the five MOPGA themes.

Who Can Apply for MOPGA 2027?

You need a recent PhD, foreign nationality and a genuine plan to undertake research mobility to France.

You must:

• Hold a PhD defended between December 2021 and December 2026 inclusive.
• Hold foreign nationality. French nationals cannot apply.
• Apply for international mobility to France.
• Not reside and work professionally in France when you apply.
• Never have received a MOPGA fellowship before.

Campus France allows an eligibility extension for maternity leave. The eligibility period can extend by 18 months per child or by the actual maternity-leave duration when the applicant provides supporting documents.

MOPGA does not fund Master’s or PhD students. If you are still at those levels, consider France Excellence Eiffel Scholarship.

Required Documents for MOPGA 2027

Prepare the following documents:

1. CV with publication list, maximum 4 pages
2. Doctoral degree certificate or official proof of degree
3. Host scientific supervisor’s CV, maximum 2 pages
4. Supervisor support letter, co-signed by the laboratory director, or accompanied by a separate laboratory director commitment letter
5. One to three recommendation letters
6. Passport or national identity document copy

The host letter matters more than a simple invitation email. It must confirm that the laboratory can provide the scientific environment and resources your project needs and that your research fits the laboratory’s objectives.

If your goal is doctoral rather than postdoctoral funding, compare Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2027/28.

MOPGA Research Proposal Requirements

You can submit your application in English or French.

Campus France asks you to provide:

• Project title
• Six keywords
• Research project summary, maximum 2,000 characters
• Background and motivation, maximum 2,000 characters
• Scientific objectives, maximum 2,000 characters
• Methodology and timeline, maximum 4,500 characters
• Relevance to the MOPGA initiative, maximum 2,000 characters
• International collaboration and/or expected impact for your country of residence or origin, maximum 2,000 characters

These character limits include spaces.

This structure tells you something important about the selection process. Campus France does not only want scientific novelty. It also asks you to explain why your project belongs inside MOPGA and how the research creates value beyond the French host laboratory.

How to Apply for MOPGA Fellowship 2027

Step 1: Define your research project.
Build a clear research question that fits one of the five MOPGA themes before contacting laboratories.

Step 2: Find a French host laboratory.
Use French research laboratory directories, the Research in France Portal or existing academic contacts. Focus on scientific fit rather than university name alone.

Research Laboratory Directories and the Campus France Research in France Portal

Step 3: Secure formal host support.
Discuss the project with a potential scientific supervisor and confirm that the laboratory can provide the expertise and resources your methodology requires.

Step 4: Prepare your application.
Keep every section within its official character limit. Collect recommendation letters, supervisor documents and laboratory confirmation early.

MOPGA Fellowship Application Form for Early Career Researcher

Step 5: Submit through Campus France SMApply.
Complete the online application before December 15, 2026. Campus France does not accept applications by email.

Apply Here for the MOPGA Fellowship 2027 Application Online

Successful researchers will begin their research stay in France between September and December 2027.

Careers Help Desk Counter Angle: What Strong Applicants Should Notice

The biggest mistake is treating MOPGA like a normal postdoc vacancy. It is not. You need to build a three-part case: a relevant environmental problem, a credible research plan and a French host that can actually support the work.

First, start with the problem, not the technology. Saying “I use AI,” “I work on advanced materials,” or “I model energy systems” does not establish MOPGA fit. Show which climate or environmental problem your method addresses and why that problem belongs inside the programme.

Second, choose the host for capability fit. A famous laboratory can still make a weak partner if it lacks the equipment, data or expertise your methodology needs. The support letter must confirm resources, so your host choice becomes part of the evidence behind your project.

Third, take the international-impact section seriously. Do not repeat your abstract. Explain what knowledge, collaboration, method or research capacity can move between France and your country of residence or origin.

For a Korea-based graduate funding route, see GIST Scholarship 2027.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Contacting laboratories before defining a MOPGA-aligned project
• Using a generic host letter that does not confirm resources or scientific fit
• Exceeding the official character or page limits
• Framing One Health as human-health research only
• Assuming international airfare forms part of the fellowship
• Submitting an application by email instead of the online platform
• Treating advanced technology as the research goal instead of a method for solving an eligible environmental problem

MOPGA 2027 Funding and Benefits

Each fellowship includes:

• €2,500 per month for 12 months
• €500 settling-in allowance
• Health insurance
• Civil liability insurance
• Repatriation assistance
• Supplementary health insurance after registration with French social security

The monthly allowance totals €30,000 over 12 months, before adding the €500 settling-in payment.

MOPGA does not cover international travel costs. A host laboratory may provide separate support, but applicants should not treat airfare as part of the fellowship package.

The fellowship lasts 12 months and is not renewable.

You also cannot combine MOPGA with a French employment contract, including a research or postdoctoral contract, or another individual funding award from a French government entity.

Successful applicants receive French Government Scholarship holder status under the research-stay framework. Campus France pays the fellowship directly, and the researcher and host institution sign a research stay agreement.

The host laboratory receives no MOPGA research funding. Applicants should therefore discuss any project-specific laboratory costs or resource requirements with the host team before submission.

Ready to Apply for the MOPGA Campus France Fellowships

The MOPGA Fellowship 2027 fits early-career international researchers with a recent PhD and a project connected directly to climate, sustainability, energy transition, environmental challenges or integrated One Health research. The programme provides €2,500 per month for 12 months, a €500 settling-in allowance and health-related coverage. Applications close on December 15, 2026. Do not leave the host search until the final weeks. Define your research problem first, identify a French laboratory with the right capabilities, secure formal support and keep every proposal section within the official limits. Apply through the official Campus France MOPGA 2027 page and complete your submission through the official Campus France application platform.

Official Source: MOPGA 2027: Visiting Fellowship Program for Early Career Researchers

MOPGA 2027 Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply if I defend my PhD after December 2026?

No. Your PhD defence must fall between December 2021 and December 2026 inclusive.

Can I apply without my final PhD certificate?

Yes. Campus France accepts official documentation confirming that your thesis defence has taken place when your final doctoral certificate has not yet been issued.

Does MOPGA 2027 pay €2,500 per month?

Yes. The fellowship provides €2,500 per month for 12 months, plus a €500 settling-in allowance.

Does MOPGA cover airfare to France?

No. The programme does not cover international travel costs. Your host laboratory may provide separate support.

Can humanities and social sciences researchers apply?

Yes. Researchers from these disciplines can apply when their proposed project clearly fits one of the eligible MOPGA research themes.

Can I apply without a French host laboratory?

No. Your application requires a French host scientific supervisor and formal laboratory support.

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