The Fyssen Foundation Postdoctoral Study Grants support early-career researchers working on cognitive mechanisms across disciplines including ethology, paleontology, archaeology, anthropology, psychology, epistemology, logic and sciences of the nervous system. The 2026 competition is closed.
Current Status: CLOSED / 2026 SELECTION COMPLETED
Applications Opened: 2 February 2026
Deadline: 31 March 2026 at 12:00 noon French time
Maximum Award: €45,000 per year
Last Verified: 17 September 2026
This page has been updated for the official 2026 cycle. Applicants should not rely on older 2025 deadlines, eligibility dates or application instructions.
Fyssen Foundation Postdoctoral Grants at a Glance
| Item | 2026 Information |
|---|---|
| Programme | Fyssen Foundation Postdoctoral Study Grants |
| Research focus | Cognitive mechanisms and related interdisciplinary research |
| Maximum funding | €45,000 per year |
| Initial duration | 12 months |
| Possible continuation | Up to 24 months, subject to Scientific Committee approval after review of the first-year report |
| 2026 deadline | 31 March 2026 at noon French time |
| Current status | Closed |
Who Was Eligible for the 2026 Call?
The current Fyssen Foundation guidance sets out the following core conditions:
- First postdoctoral fellowship: the applicant must begin their first postdoctoral fellowship with Fyssen financial support.
- Age: applicants must be no more than 35 years old on the closing date.
- Host-laboratory timing: if the recipient has already joined the host laboratory, they must have been there for no more than three months as of 1 September 2026.
- PhD completion: applicants must hold the doctorate before the fellowship starts. Where the thesis had not yet been defended at application stage, the 2026 call allowed completion by the end of 2026 under the programme conditions.
Applicants should use the eligibility wording published for the specific annual call rather than relying on older summaries that may include outdated PhD-age rules.
Mobility Rules
International mobility is central to the programme:
- researchers holding a foreign PhD may carry out the funded project in a laboratory in France;
- researchers holding a French PhD may carry out the project in a laboratory abroad, excluding the country involved in a cotutelle arrangement.
Research Areas
The Fyssen Foundation funds postdoctoral work concerning cognitive mechanisms in areas including:
- Ethology
- Paleontology
- Archaeology
- Anthropology
- Psychology
- Epistemology
- Logic
- Sciences of the nervous system
The programme is particularly relevant for projects examining the biological and cultural bases of animal and human behaviour, cognition, reasoning and related mechanisms.
Funding Amount
The Foundation provides an annual grant of up to €45,000. The official programme page states that this support is intended to cover costs connected with hosting, the researcher’s stay and health insurance.
For projects hosted in France under a fixed-term employment arrangement, additional host-institution co-funding may be required depending on the institution’s salary scale. Applicants should verify this directly with the host laboratory or its human-resources/research-partnership office.
Duration and Start Window
The fellowship is initially awarded for 12 months. A second year, bringing the total duration to up to 24 months, may be approved by the Scientific Committee after examination of the first-year scientific report.
For the 2026 cycle, the fellowship could begin from 1 September 2026 at the earliest and by early January 2027 at the latest.
2026 Application Timeline
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Online application forms available | 2 February 2026 |
| Applications closed | 31 March 2026 at 12:00 noon French time |
| Results | Mid-July 2026 |
| Earliest fellowship start | 1 September 2026 |
| Latest expected start | Early January 2027 |
How the 2026 Application Worked
The 2026 application was completed online. Required materials included the application form, host-laboratory invitation letter, referee letters and a research project prepared according to the Foundation’s instructions.
The old hard-copy mailing instructions that appeared in earlier summaries should not be used for the 2026 cycle.
What Should Applicants Do Now?
The 2026 competition is closed. Researchers interested in a future Fyssen call should monitor the Foundation’s official site for the next confirmed application window and should not assume that the 2026 dates will automatically repeat.
Researchers seeking other current opportunities can also explore CareerAidHub’s Postdoctoral Fellowships hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Fyssen Foundation Postdoctoral Grant 2026 still open?
No. Applications closed on 31 March 2026 at noon French time.
How much funding does the Fyssen Foundation provide?
The maximum grant is €45,000 per year.
How long does the fellowship last?
The initial award is for 12 months. A second year may be approved after scientific review, allowing support for up to 24 months.
What is the age limit?
Applicants must be no more than 35 years old on the closing date.
Can a foreign PhD holder work in France?
Yes. The programme supports holders of foreign PhDs undertaking their postdoctoral project in a laboratory in France, subject to the current mobility and eligibility rules.
Official Source
Last verified by CareerAidHub: 17 September 2026. Future applicants should confirm the next call directly on the Fyssen Foundation website.
