French Government Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Programme for Study in France
The Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Programme was established by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development to enable French higher education establishments to attract top foreign students to enrol in their master’s and PhD courses.
It helps to shape the future foreign decision-makers of the private and public sectors, in priority areas of study, and encourages applications from emerging countries at master’s level, and from emerging and industrialized countries at PhD level.
The Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Programme has two branches:
- a master’s branch, which funds master’s courses lasting between 12 and 36 months;
- a PhD branch, which offers funding for PhD students to spend ten months in France, through joint supervision or dual enrolment (preferably in the second year of their PhD).
Areas of study
Eiffel scholarships are available in three main fields:
- engineering science at master’s level, science in the broadest sense at PhD level (engineering science; exact sciences: mathematics, physics, chemistry and life sciences, nano- and biotechnology, earth sciences, sciences of the universe, environmental sciences, information and communication science and technology);
- economics and management
- law and political sciences
Levels of study
French higher education establishments nominating candidates for the Eiffel Programme
undertake to enrol them:
- either in a master’s degree course;
- or in a PhD programme, under joint supervision or dual enrolment, in partnership with
a foreign higher education establishment.
Duration of the scholarship
Master’s level
The scholarship is awarded for:
- a maximum of 12 months for entry at M2 level,
- a maximum of 24 months for entry at M1 level,
- a maximum of 36 months for an engineering degree.
PhD level
The Eiffel scholarship is awarded for a maximum of ten months.
- For scientific and economic disciplines, no language course is provided for and the
scholarship duration cannot be divided up.
- For law students, the ten-month scholarship can, with the consent of the selection
committee, be split into two or three stays in France, of three or four months each.
- These stays must take place over a maximum of three calendar years.
- Only law students have the option of taking French lessons alongside their studies.
- This must be clearly requested in the application.
Eligibility
- Nationality: this programme is reserved for candidates of non-French nationality.
Candidates with two nationalities, one of which is French, are not eligible.
- Age: for master’s courses, candidates must be no older than 30 on the date of the
selection committee meeting, 6th of March 2017; at PhD level, candidates must be no
older than 35 on the date of the selection committee meeting, 6th of March 2017.
- Origin of applications: only applications submitted by French educational
establishments are accepted. These establishments undertake to enrol scholarship
holders on the course for which they have been selected. Applications submitted by
any other means shall not be considered. Furthermore, any candidate nominated by
more than one establishment shall be disqualified.
- Courses of study: scholarships are for students wishing to enrol on a master’s
course, including at an engineering school, and for PhD students. The Eiffel
Programme does not apply to French-run master’s courses abroad, as non-PhD
scholarship holders must complete at least 75% of their course in France. It does not
apply to training under an apprenticeship contract or a professional training contract
either.
- Combination with other scholarships: foreign students who, at the time of
application, have already been awarded a French government scholarship under
another programme are not eligible, even if the scholarship in question does not
include social security cover.
- Eiffel PhD scholarships: Establishments may nominate a candidate who was
previously awarded an Eiffel scholarship at master’s level for a scholarship at PhD
level. Candidates who have already been awarded an Eiffel scholarship once during
their PhD cannot be awarded it for a second time. No application will be accepted for
any student who applied previously but was rejected, even if the application is
submitted by a different establishment or in another field of study.
- Eiffel master’s scholarships: no application will be accepted for any student who
applied previously but was rejected, even if the application is submitted by a different
establishment or in another field of study. Students who have already been awarded
an Eiffel scholarship at master’s level are not eligible to re-apply at master’s level.
- Language skills: when pre-selecting non-French-speaking candidates,
establishments must make sure that their language skills meet the requirements of
the relevant course of study.
Benefits:
Master’s level
- The Eiffel scholarship includes a monthly allowance of €1,181 (a maintenance
allowance of €1,031 and a monthly stipend of €150). In addition, the following
expenses are directly covered:
- one international return journey;
- social security cover;
- cultural activities.
Scholarship holders may also receive an additional housing allowance, under certain
conditions.
PhD level
The Eiffel scholarship includes a monthly allowance of €1,400. In addition, the
following expenses are directly covered:
- one international return journey (for students in law or political sciences who
may make several trips, only one return journey shall be covered);
- social security cover;
- cultural activities.
Scholarship holders may also receive an additional housing allowance, under certain
conditions.
- For both master’s and PhD levels
In order to receive the first instalment of the monthly allowance, scholarship holders
must have started their course of studies at the host establishment in France.
Tuition fees
- Tuition fees are not covered by the Eiffel Programme.
Timeline:
- Opening of the call for applications: October 10th, 2016
- Deadline for receipt of applications by Campus France : January 6th, 2017
- Announcement of results: Week of March 20th, 2017
E-Mail: c
[email protected]
For more information, visit The French Government Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Programme 2017/2018 Website