Excellence Eiffel Scholarship 2027
As a way to help French higher education institutions attract more international students, the French government decided to initiate a scholarship program that will help aspiring postgraduate students from different parts of the world earn their education in the country. This scholarship trains future experts and professionals in the fields of science and humanities, contributing to the holistic growth not just in France but also in these students’ home countries. The Excellence Eiffel Scholarship seeks to encourage more students to be passionate about research in order to foster communities fueled by innovative and breakthrough ideals.
Excellence Eiffel Scholarship Coverage
This government partially funded scholarship for international students covers the following:
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€1,181 monthly stipend for Master's students
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€1,800 monthly stipend for PhD students
Excellence Eiffel Scholarship Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for Excellence Eiffel Scholarship, you need to meet the following criteria:
- Enrolled in one of the eligible programs
- 25 years old and below for master's level
- 30 years old and below for PhD level
For detailed requirements, refer to the official eligibility page .
Eligible degree levels
Eligible programmes
Eligible nationalities
Important Notice
Disclaimer
Universities set up earlier deadlines for students to give time for application reviews. They may also have additional scholarship requirements for applicants. Please check specific university websites and adhere to their scholarship application guidelines, as you need to be nominated by a French higher education institution in order to be considered for the grant.
How to Apply
In this section, we'll provide a clear general overview of requirements and steps to guide you through the application process for Excellence Eiffel Scholarship.
To apply for Excellence Eiffel Scholarship, please follow these steps:
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Contact Campus France or the French Embassy's Cooperation and Cultural Action Department to guide you on your study plans.
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Inquire about the scholarship procedures and deadlines of your chosen French institution through their website, e-mail, or telephone number.
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Submit your application through the university's application portal system.
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Submit your application thorugh the university's application portal system.
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Wait for confirmation from the institution that you have been nominated and pre-selected to apply for the scholarship.
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Allow the institution to formally submit your application online according to the instructions provided by Campus France.
Important Note: The application procedures and required documents for Excellence Eiffel Scholarship may vary depending on your degree, program, nationality and other factors. For specific details regarding the requirements, kindly visit the official website of Excellence Eiffel Scholarship.
Application Deadlines
Now that you’re familiar with the application procedure, it’s time to know the application dates! Knowing the dates for Excellence Eiffel Scholarship will help you prepare early and it will also give you the time you need to put together a competitive application.
Here are the application deadlines for Excellence Eiffel Scholarship:
| Degree | Application deadline |
|---|---|
| Master's, PhD | Opens: |
Excellence Eiffel Scholarship Eligible Institutions
The eligible institutions for Excellence Eiffel Scholarship are listed below:
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P
S
U
Excellence Eiffel Scholarship Recipients
Meet students who have received Excellence Eiffel Scholarship and learn how they secured their award.
Scholarship Recipients and Their Study Backgrounds
These 33 published stories describe degree study supported by Excellence Eiffel Scholarship.
| Nationalities | Stories per nationality |
|---|---|
| Brazilian | 6 |
| Beninese | 4 |
| Indian | 3 |
| Burkinabé, Cambodian, Colombian, Moroccan, Vietnamese | 2 each |
| Argentinian, Austrian, Cameroonian, Czech, Hungarian, Lebanese, Malian, Pakistani, Turkmenistani, Ugandan | 1 each |
| Degree level | Stories | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s | 27 | Artificial Intelligence, Systems, and Data joint master’s; Biology and Health; Biotechnology; Cell Biology and Cancer, international Molecular and Cellular Biology master’s; Civil Engineering / Geomechanics and Underground (MSROE track); Contemporary Societies: Sociology, Politics, Culture; Cross-Border Disputes; Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence master’s; Development Economics; Econometrics and Statistics, Applied Econometrics track; Economic Analysis and Policy (EPOG+ second master’s); Engineering degree in Data Science; European Affairs — financial economics and European affairs management concentration; International Development; International Economic Policy; International Economic Policy,climate/environmentaleconomics/internationaltradefocus; International Economics; M1 Études du Développement (ECO); M2 Expertise économique du développement, Politiques publiques et projets (EPOLPRO); MSc International Commerce and Management; Management; Management, specialization in Applied Data Science; Master in Management (Financial Management & Control); Social Development; Social Sciences; Statistics, Applied Analysis and Decision Support (Master2); Two-yearLawmaster’s,M1BusinessLaw/M2InsuranceLaw; Wood Sciences |
| Double degree | 1 | Quantitative Economics double degree |
| Engineering degree | 5 | Actuarial Science and Finance, ENSAE–INSEA double-degree pathway; Energy and Embedded Systems double degree; Electromechanical Conversion and Systems Control; Engineering degree in Food Science and Technology; Engineering double degree; Industry 4.0, Applied Data Science/Machine Learning, Management and Chemical Engineering; Engineering; Artificial Intelligence and Cyber-Physical Systems |
| PhD | 1 | Wood Sciences |
Funding Reported by Recipients
| Recipient and degree/program | Reported coverage |
|---|---|
| Duong (2024–2026) — Master’s in International Economics at University of Orléans | EUR 1,181 per month. |
| Amalie Kolegar (September 2023–August 2025) — Master’s in Contemporary Societies: Sociology, Politics, Culture at Université Paris Cité | EUR 1,188 monthly, return airfare reimbursement, insurance and help finding accommodation. |
| Vanessa Desidério — Master’s in Cross-Border Disputes at Toulouse Capitole University | EUR 1,200 monthly for two years, including holidays; return international flight and access to an affordable residence place. She paid the rent and some programme-specific fees, while describing a tuition-fee exemption separately. |
| Hoslin ZOHOU — Degree studies in Engineering degree in Food Science and Technology at University of Caen Normandy | EUR 1,181 monthly, international travel, health insurance and cultural activities; reported a tuition-fee exemption at the host. |
| Charbel Paterson HOUNTONDJI — PhD in Wood Sciences at University of Lorraine | Reported EUR 2,000 per month during the PhD episode. |
Examples of Featured Recipients’ Application Backgrounds
| Recipient and degree/program | Scholarship/application route | Reported background and preparation |
|---|---|---|
| Duong (2024–2026) — Master’s in International Economics at University of Orléans | Excellence Eiffel Scholarship | International Business bachelor’s, GPA 3.77/4.00, with research on FinTech and Vietnamese banking. |
| Hoslin ZOHOU — Degree studies in Engineering degree in Food Science and Technology at University of Caen Normandy | Excellence Eiffel Scholarship | Agricultural Sciences bachelor’s and a master’s in Ecological and Sustainable Crop Protection, both with top-three class rankings; research and internship experience in entomology. |
| Charbel Paterson HOUNTONDJI — Master’s in Wood Sciences at AgroParisTech / Université de Lorraine | Excellence Eiffel Scholarship | Tropical Forestry bachelor’s with 16.95/20 and Highest Honors, followed by Forest Resources Management study in Benin; built a trajectory toward Wood Sciences. |
How Recipients Met Language Requirements
| Language requirement route | Stories / total funded degree-study stories | Recipients and examples |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS | 7/33 | 7.0 (Duong, Huong Giang); IELTS taken for the application (Andrey Lucas Dias Barros, Anita Halnazarova, and 3 others). |
| TOEFL | 4/33 | TOEFL iBT 91/120 (Vanessa Desidério); TOEFL 118/120 (Monash Taneja); TOEFL taken for the application (Ana Paula, Vatsalya Sohu). |
| French-language certificates | 6/33 | DALF C1 (Amalie Kolegar, Andrey Lucas Dias Barros, Krautch Sochara); DELF/DALF reported (Anita Halnazarova); DALF taken (Ana Paula); DELF taken (Caio Rocha). |
| TCF | 1/33 | TCF taken for the application (Aline Khoury). |
| Cambridge English certificates | 2/33 | Cambridge C1 Advanced certificate (Amalie Kolegar); Cambridge FCE taken (Caio Rocha). |
| English-medium education or academic evidence accepted | 3/33 | Previous English-medium study or academic work accepted (Blanka Kelecsenyi, KRY Kimhok, Michael Gillesberger). |
| Prior French qualification accepted | 1/33 | Existing C1 French diploma accepted (Alejandra Meneses). |
Standardized Tests Reported by Featured Recipients
| Test | Stories reporting the test / total funded degree-study stories | Linked recipients and reported scores |
|---|---|---|
| GRE | 2/33 | 328/340 (Monash Taneja); GRE taken for the application (Vatsalya Sohu). |
| GMAT | 1/33 | 590 (Sparsh Bafna). |
Application Timelines Reported by Recipients
| Recipient and degree/program | Application or scholarship route | Reported application timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Amalie Kolegar (September 2023–August 2025) — Master’s in Contemporary Societies: Sociology, Politics, Culture at Université Paris Cité | Host-institution nomination | Contacted Campus France in September 2022 to understand the process; identified a mid-November institutional preselection deadline before the later national submission stage. |
What Recipients Pursued After Their Scholarship-Funded Studies
| Recipient | Scholarship-funded degree/program | Reported outcome or current status |
|---|---|---|
| Aline Khoury | Master’s in Social Development at Paris V Descartes — Faculté de la Sorbonne | Completed a PhD in Development Studies at University of Cambridge, financed through personal funds, smaller grants and consulting work. |
| Krautch Sochara | Master’s in Two-yearLawmaster’s,M1BusinessLaw/M2InsuranceLaw at Jean Moulin Lyon3University | Later pursued employer-funded study in International Tax Law at Leiden University. |
| Hajar Badraoui | Master’s in Statistics, Applied Analysis and Decision Support (Master2) at University of Caen Normandy | Began a CIFRE PhD at École Polytechnique in collaboration with TotalEnergies. |
| Aubeda Moussa (2023–2025) | Master’s in Civil Engineering / Geomechanics and Underground (MSROE track) at CentraleSupélec / Université Paris-Saclay / École nationale des ponts et chaussées | Pursued an industry-linked funded PhD on floating-wind-turbine anchors at Université Gustave Eiffel. |
| Charbel Paterson HOUNTONDJI | Master’s in Wood Sciences at AgroParisTech / Université de Lorraine | Progressed from the funded master’s into PhD research in Wood Sciences with a second Eiffel scholarship. |
| Andrey Lucas Dias Barros | Master’s in Biotechnology at Sorbonne University | Completed the master’s and reported work at a company developing technical projects connected to his thesis; plans to pursue biotechnology consulting. |
| Caio Rocha | Master’s in Artificial Intelligence, Systems, and Data joint master’s at Université Paris Dauphine, Mines Paris and ENS | Reported a job search focused on AI/ML Engineering and Data Science. |
Other Offers in Featured Applicants’ Journeys
| Recipient | Reported alternative | Decision described in the story |
|---|---|---|
| Amalie Kolegar (September 2023–August 2025) — Master’s in Contemporary Societies: Sociology, Politics, Culture at Université Paris Cité | France Excellence Europa scholarship offer. | Explicitly gave up Europa and retained Eiffel, citing its established reputation and long tradition. |
Interview Experiences Reported by Recipients
| Recipient and degree/program | Reported interview experience |
|---|---|
| Huong Giang — Master’s in Master in Management (Financial Management & Control) at IÉSEG School of Management | Passed the host’s CV screening and interview before institutional nomination for Eiffel. The host selection preceded the scholarship submission. |
Applicants Who Declined This Scholarship
| Applicant and intended degree/program | Offer from Excellence Eiffel Scholarship | Alternative chosen | Reason described in the story |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thi Thuan An Nguyen — Graduate study at PSL Research University | An Eiffel scholarship offer. | SI Scholarship for Global Professionals for a Marketing master’s at Stockholm University. | Sweden’s inclusivity, sustainability and innovation aligned with her academic and long-term ambitions. |
Teaching Languages Reported by Recipients
| Recipient and degree/program | Reported teaching language |
|---|---|
| Aline Khoury — Master’s in Social Development at Paris V Descartes — Faculté de la Sorbonne | French-taught master’s in Social Development. |
| Anita Halnazarova — Master’s in European Affairs — financial economics and European affairs management concentration at University of Lille | Described roughly 90% English instruction, alongside some French lectures and academic activities. |
| Andrey Lucas Dias Barros — Master’s in Biotechnology at Sorbonne University | All classes in French. |
What Excellence Eiffel Scholars Say
Advice and reflections from scholars about the Excellence Eiffel application process and programme.
"This prestigious scholarship provides €1,181 per month and is specifically designed for top international students pursuing graduate studies in France."
"The scholarship provides a monthly living allowance of around €1,200, along with support for administrative expenses and a round-trip airfare to my home country."
"Overall, the experience in the Master’s in Social Development at Paris V Descartes - Faculté de la Sorbonne was pleasant and enriching."
"My experience at the University of Caen Normandy has been highly enriching. The academic environment is rigorous and supportive,"
"This document is crucial for securing the grant, and while it is optional, I really recommend that every applicant include it in their application."
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Excellence Eiffel Scholarship, eligibility, funding, and applications.
No, it is best described as a generous government scholarship rather than a blanket full-tuition award. The program provides a monthly allowance plus services such as transportation, insurance, housing support, and cultural activities, but the Eiffel program itself does not cover tuition fees. Some recipients still describe their overall package as fully funded because the stipend and benefits make study in France financially possible, and some universities may add their own support. According to KRY Kimhok, “Although it did not cover tuition fees, this financial support was very helpful in allowing me to focus on my studies and research.” Maya Mallak also noted, “The Eiffel Scholarship does not cover tuition fees if the institution is private.”
The scholarship provides a monthly allowance of €1,200 for Master’s students and €2,100 for doctoral students, plus services such as international transportation, national transportation, insurance, housing-search support, and cultural activities. Many recipient stories from earlier cohorts mention €1,181 or €1,188 because they received the scholarship before the January 2026 increase. For example, Huong Giang wrote that the scholarship includes “a monthly allowance of €1,181” plus “international transportation, national transportation, insurance, housing searches, cultural activities, etc.” Amalie Kolegar likewise highlighted reimbursement for flights, housing help, insurance, and trips around France.
For the 2026 campaign, the program is aimed at top international students entering Master’s, engineering, or joint doctoral programs in priority fields. These include biology and health, ecological transition, mathematics and digital sciences, engineering sciences, history/French language and civilization, law and political science, and economics and management. The call also encourages applicants up to age 29 at Master’s level and up to age 35 at PhD level. As Duong put it, the award is “specifically designed for top international students pursuing graduate studies in France.”
You cannot apply directly on your own. French higher education institutions must submit Eiffel applications, and direct applications from students are not accepted. This matches recipient experience. Maya Mallak advises that “The Eiffel Scholarship requires nomination by the institution,” which is why applying early and telling your target school that you want funding is so important. Amalie Kolegar also explained that for Eiffel, “the first round of selection is done by universities.”
It depends on the school and the program. Some Eiffel recipients study entirely in English, while others are in French-taught degrees. For example, KRY Kimhok said, “My classes were conducted in English,” while Alejandra Meneses explained that her classes were “conducted primarily in French.” At Vatsalya Sohu’s program at Sciences Po, students “can choose to take all their courses in English.” Even when the academic program is English-taught, several recipients still recommend learning basic French for daily life, internships, and integration.
Recipient stories repeatedly emphasize a clear academic narrative, strong grades, a focused motivation letter, and recommendation letters from people who know your work well. KRY Kimhok said he prepared “a clear motivation letter” explaining his academic journey, career goals, and why France fit his plans, and he also asked professors for recommendation letters. Alejandra Meneses stressed that applicants should “contact the university directly,” while Vatsalya Sohu recommends speaking to past scholars and refining essays early.
There are many degrees that are open to international students right now — find yours.
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