France Scholarship

How can you receive a scholarship from the French government?

Scholarships from the French government are awarded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for studies, training courses or internships, or language study vacations in France.

Most of the scholarships are granted by the Cooperation and Cultural Action Departments of the French embassies and consulates abroad. Regardless of their place of residence, applicants for these scholarships must, before their departure and sufficiently in advance, contact these Departments directly in their country of origin in order to obtain all of the necessary information with regard to the awarding of these scholarships and the additional dossiers.

 

Several different categories of scholarships

• Academic scholarships

The “academic scholarship” is awarded to students enrolled in the regular program of a French higher-education institution, with a view to obtaining a diploma from this institution.

• Training course awards

The “training course award,” which is for three to 12 months on average, is granted to individuals taking a training course, advanced training, retraining, or pursuing specialization studies relating to a professional activity. It can also be a scholarship for short-term language study or for short-term teacher training (three months), for training courses recognized by the Ministry of National Education.

• High-level visiting scientist fellowship

The “high-level visiting scientist fellowship,” generally lasting between one and three months, is granted in the framework of a high-level research and cultural, scientific, technical or industrial exchange program.

The fellowship awarded by the French government takes the form of one or several of the following services :

· Payment of social security coverage;

· Allowance for living expenses;

· Payment of training costs;

· Payment of all or part of travel and luggage transport expenses.

In addition, it should be emphasized that foreign students, when they are not scholarship recipients, enjoy the same low tuition fees for the universities and public institutions administered by the Ministry of National Education as French students (between €135 and €400 per year). Training costs for institutions are much higher (between €6,000 and €15,000 per year) and are covered by the government’s budget. Accordingly, every foreign student enrolled in these institutions receives aid in this amount each year.

Where can you find information?

These scholarships, fellowships and grants are administered primarily by two organizations :

- The CNOUS (Centre National des Oeuvres Universitaires et Scolaires / Ministry of Education organization responsible for student support on practical day-to-day matters)

Sous-Direction des Boursiers Etrangers et des Affaires Internationales (SDBEAI)

6, rue Jean Calvin

B.P. 4975222

PARIS CEDEX 05 FRANCE

Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 18 53 00

Fax: +33 (0)1 55 43 58 00

Email: sdbeai@cnous.fr

Website: http://www.cnous.fr

- EGIDE (Centre français pour l’accueil et les échanges internationaux / French center for welcoming foreign students and international exchange)

28, rue de la Grange aux Belles

75010 PARIS FRANCE

Tel.: +33 (0)1 40 40 58 58

Fax: +33 (0)1 42 00 70 08

Email: contact@egide.asso.fr

Website: http://www.egide.asso.fr

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also awards academic scholarships in the context of specific programs under the direct control of its departments in Paris (Direction Générale de la Coopération Internationale et du Développement / Directorate-General for International Development and Cooperation, Direction de la Coopération scientifique, universitaire et de recherché / Department for Scientific, University and Research Cooperation, Sous-Direction de la Coopération universitaire et scientifique / Academic and Scientific Cooperation Division, Bureau de la formation des étrangers en France / Office for Training Foreigners in France).

Eiffel merit scholarships

Created in 1999 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the “Eiffel merit scholarship” program is aimed at the top foreign students who wish to pursue their graduate studies in France, for the final two years of a degree program or for postgraduate studies, in three major fields: engineering sciences, economics-management, and law and political science.

Candidates must be put forward by the French institutions that have already accepted them for enrollment.

This program is also designed to support the international activities of French institutions, which thus have at their disposal a particularly attractive tool for identifying and selecting the top students who have enrolled in their course.

The Eiffel program is administered by EGIDE

Major merit scholarships

As of the start of the 2000 academic year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has created the Major program as a supplement to the AEFE merit scholarships (Agence pour l’Enseignement Français à l’Etranger / Agency for Teaching French Abroad), aimed at former foreign students of French secondary schools abroad.

The Major program makes it possible for students, whose AEFE merit scholarship is ending, to pursue their graduate studies in France after the first four years of university. Indeed, under certain conditions, it awards them scholarships for three additional years of study at the grandes écoles or universities until they have obtained a Master’s degree (baccalaureate + 5 years’ higher education)This program is administered by the CNOUS.

Academic scholarships for theological studies

The academic scholarship program for theological studies is aimed at students, monks and nuns in particular, who wish to take advantage of the theological education offered by French institutions.

For all inquiries, contact the Cooperation and Cultural Action Departments of the French embassies and consulates in the country of residence.

Fellowships for foreign resident physicians at the Collège de médecine des Hôpitaux de Paris

In partnership with Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP / Public Assistance of Paris Hospitals), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs offers one-year fellowships each year to young foreign physicians selected by the Collège de médecine des hôpitaux de Paris (CMHP). Candidates, who must be under the age of 35, must, in their country, have a level of competence equal to or greater than fourth-year interns at Hôpitaux de Paris.

In accordance with their nationality or status, certain foreign students can also apply for aid from the French Ministry of National Education.