One who pursues a French program should expect to gain some level of proficiency in the language. Whether the program focuses on conversational ability or literary studies depends on the institution, so students should pay attention to curricula during the application process.

Requirements for the PhD program often involve the student having already obtained a Master’s degree. Additionally, a thesis or dissertation primarily consisting of original academic research must be submitted. In some countries, this work may even need to be defended in front of a panel.