How I Secured a Fully Funded Master's at Université Paris Dauphine, France Through the Eiffel Scholarship

I’m Caio, from Brazil. I’m an AI Engineer, and one of my goals is to give more value to people’s work and daily lives. Through volunteering or work, I focus on contributing positively to educational platforms, insertion programs, and the inclusion of immigrants. I completed a Master’s in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science in 2025 in Paris, inspired by people who encouraged me to apply for the Eiffel Scholarship.

Eiffel Scholarship Details

I got the Eiffel Scholarship, awarded by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, by sending an application by email in November to the Paris Dauphine University, asking to be an Eiffel candidate. I was accepted in the first round in February, then by Campus France in May. The amount was 1181€ for 12 months, including two-way plane tickets from Brazil to France, each up to 875€. The scholarship is merit-based according to academic track record, GPA, position in class ranking, and extracurricular activities. The only condition to keep receiving it during my studies in France was maintaining an average GPA, considering that I received a form to complete at the end of every semester to communicate my averages.

Educational Background

I moved to France in 2024 to pursue a joint Master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence, Systems, and Data between Université Paris Dauphine, Mines Paris, and ENS, graduating in 2025. In Brazil, I studied Computational Engineering at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, and completed a research scholarship in machine learning for biology, then in weather forecasting, which developed my skills in coding, writing scientific papers, and didactics, since I would teach courses to freshmen. This motivated me to join an online program in Data Science and AI for societal innovation and, shortly after, to work in the Center for Educational Assessment, in Juiz de Fora, contributing to an educational platform. I also took part in volunteering programs as an undergraduate.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to Université Paris Dauphine?

How Did You Find Information About Eiffel Scholarship and Université Paris Dauphine?

Campus France’s portal, Google searches, YouTube videos, university websites, other websites.

Did You Take Any Standardized Tests? If So, How Did You Prepare for Them?

Cambridge FCE and DELF. I studied through YouTube, podcasts, attended private lessons, and completed online mock exams.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the Eiffel Scholarship?

I created a Google Doc of AI Master's programs across Europe, mostly in France, and filtered for those with fully funded scholarships. For each one, I tracked prerequisites, tuition, duration, competitiveness, and the last website update. I gathered recommendation letters from three former professors, including my internship advisor, included my class ranking, asked for a simple Sports certificate from my sports coach, and rewrote my motivation letter and CV several times, according to feedback from calls and LinkedIn DMs with previous scholarship recipients. Other scholarships: Excellence Scholarships, Campus France M2, Erasmus Mundus, Study a Master's in Europe Scholarship, Chevening UK, and Orange Tulip.

How is Your Experience at Université Paris Dauphine?

Very positive.

How Do You Rate Université Paris Dauphine Academically?

PSL ranks among France's top academic institutions, and Dauphine, Mines Paris, and ENS are highly regarded, with graduates actively recruited by companies.

How Does Université Paris Dauphine Support International Students?

The Welcome Desk helps international students with administrative questions, organizes residence permit workshops in the start of every semester, promotes movie and game nights, and a free Seine River cruise.

Are Your Classes Conducted in English or French?

English, but with optional courses taught in French.

What Did You Pursue After the Eiffel Scholarship?

Job search in AI/ML Engineering and Data Science.

Would Potential Students Have Any Problems Not Knowing French?

No.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

The recommendation letters, GPA, class rank, and research projects, which I described in my motivation letter.

What Would You Have Done Differently if You Were Going Through the Process Again?

I would have focused my efforts only on France, since researching Master’s programs in several European countries took a lot of my time.

What Advice Would You Give Those Looking to Apply for a Similar Scholarship?

Focus on a handful of scholarships and countries. Putting together a strong application takes real preparation, so spreading yourself too thin hurts quality. Also, ask for recommendation letters addressed to a specific Master's program, since generic applications are often discarded.