PhD students in France: what did you do when your funding ended before finishing your thesis?

Hi everyone,

I’m currently finishing a PhD in France. My doctoral contract ends at the end of December 2026, but I’ll still need a few months afterwards to finish writing and prepare for the defence.

My supervisor suggested finishing while receiving unemployment benefits (chômage), but I would probably get around €1,200/month or slightly less. I live in Nice, so that would basically only cover my essential expenses.

My idea is to find a part-time job, or possibly a manageable full-time job, starting around January 2027. I’m not necessarily looking for something academic or CV-building. I mainly want something that gives me enough financial stability while still leaving me enough energy to finish the thesis.

I speak Spanish natively, English fluently, and French at around B2 level.

For those who were in a similar situation in France: what kind of work did you do? Was it realistically manageable alongside thesis writing?

I’ve heard that jobs like chargé·e d’études can be an option, but I’m a bit worried that something too cognitively demanding would take away the energy I need for writing.

I’d really appreciate hearing what worked for you.