Eiffel Excellence Scholar, Huong Giang from Vietnam, Pursues a Master’s in Management at IÉSEG School of Management in France

Hi, my name is Huong Giang, and I’m from Vietnam. In 2023, I was awarded the France Excellence Eiffel Government Scholarship to pursue the Master's in Management program (Financial Management & Control) at IÉSEG School of Management in France. I always consider finance as the backbone of every economy; therefore, given my academic and working background in finance and banking, I deeply desire to deepen my financial expertise and contribute to Vietnamese economic growth by gaining international exposure.

Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Details

I was awarded the Eiffel Excellence Scholarship, which is funded by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and granted through IÉSEG School of Management. The scholarship includes a monthly allowance of €1,181, along with several added services such as international transportation, national transportation, insurance, housing searches, cultural activities, etc.

As far as I know, from January 2026, the monthly allowance will increase to €1,200 for Master's students, which is great news for those who want to apply for this prestigious scholarship.

Were You Offered any Other Scholarships?

Yes, in addition to the Eiffel Excellence Scholarship, I received multiple scholarship offers throughout my study journey.

Graduate Level Scholarships:

CMA scholarship - Program of IMA with IÉSEG School of Management (2024): more than €1,500 in value

French-Vietnamese School of Management (CFVG) (2022, 2023): 30% and 50% of the tuition fee of the MBA program for being in the top 3 and top 2 students

Undergraduate Level Scholarships:

Nguyen Van Dao Scholarship – FPT University (2015 to 2019): 100% tuition fee

Children of Dust – Apax English & Start-up experience Vietnam (2018): 50 million VND in value

Educational Background

Before studying abroad in France, I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Finance and Banking at FPT University, where I graduated as the Valedictorian with a GPA of 9.14/10. During my undergraduate years, I had been exposed to a wide range of academic subjects related to business matters and curricular activities that sharpened my knowledge and skills, especially knowledge in corporate finance and other related skills.

After that, in 2022, I joined the MBA program at the French-Vietnamese School of Management (CFVG), which is the partner school of IÉSEG School of Management in Vietnam.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to IÉSEG School of Management?

How Did You Find Information About the Eiffel Excellence Scholarship and Institutions?

Actually, I had always had a dream of studying abroad since I was in high school, so I knew about this scholarship through Vietnamese Facebook fanpages and groups. Then, when I researched, prepared, and enrolled in the MBA program at the French-Vietnamese School of Management (CFVG), a double-degree program that I could spend time studying abroad at a partner school (in this case is IÉSEG School of Management), I got further information about the Eiffel scholarship through Campus France’s website, CFVG’s webinars, and alumni networks.

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

I took the IELTS test and got an overall band score of 7.0 (C1 level) in 2021 to be qualified for the application, and the TOEIC test with a score of 925 in 2023 for graduation requirements.

With language tests in general, I think one of the important factors is regular practice. My previous studying environment and working place required me to learn and communicate in English day by day, which allowed me to become familiar with the language. Besides, I often read news, articles, and listen to podcasts on several subjects to broaden my vocabulary beyond my academic field. It’s also crucial to practice the test format as much as possible. For some reason, I only had 2 months and 2 weeks of preparation for the IELTS and TOEIC tests, respectively. So, I think it will be better if you plan and prepare your language test within 3 to 6 months to gain a higher score. One last thing, the preparation period is boring sometimes, learning and practicing with a partner helped me exchange ideas and learn from each other, and increase motivation for taking the test. So, you can consider that, especially if your partner had already taken the tests before, his feedback and advice would be more valuable.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to the Eiffel Excellence Scholarship?

As I mentioned before, I knew about government scholarships (Eiffel Excellence and other scholarships) for quite a long time before applying, so I believe most scholarships have the same criteria, in which strong academic records and extra-curricular activities are two essential factors. Therefore, during my undergraduate years, I always focused and put effort into my academic journey to achieve high performance, as well as actively took part in extra-curricular activities and contests. I also built good relationships with professors and managers who could speak to my academic potential and skills that matched with scholarship requirements.

My journey might be a bit different from others, as I enrolled in a double-degree program; however, I think the application process for the Eiffel scholarship might be the same because applicants must be nominated by a French education institution. Therefore, before applying for the scholarship, I passed IÉSEG’s selection rounds (CV screening and interview) with all of my effort and showed them my potential as a scholarship holder. I also connected with scholarship alumni and asked for their review and feedback for my application profile (CV, Personal Plan) months before the deadline to be more proactive in preparation.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

I believe there are some elements that make my application stand out:

• Excellence and strong academic records in both undergraduate and graduate programs.
• Actively engaged in several extra-curricular activities with high achievements.
• Relevant working experience with great performance.
• A clear and concise Personal Plan that delivered my unique story, which reflected my background and future goals.
• Genuine and persuasive Letter of Recommendations from a professor and a manager who worked with me for a long time (more than 3 years).

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

If I could go through the process again, I would dedicate more time to the IELTS test preparation to get a higher result and apply for other similar scholarships to increase the chance.

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

My advice is to start preparing early; focus on building a strong academic record, gain relevant experience through internships, working environment, engage in extracurricular activities that show leadership and initiative, and build networks with professors, colleagues, and alumni. Be authentic and strategic in your motivation letter, clearly connecting your background, goals, and how the scholarship will help you achieve them. Try to finish your profile months before the deadline and ask for feedback for improvements from your connected alumni. Finally, don’t be discouraged by the competitiveness; perseverance and preparation truly pay off.