Eiffel Scholarship (France) Guide

What the Eiffel Scholarship is

The France Excellence Eiffel Scholarship Programme is a scholarship set up by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs to help French higher education institutions attract talented international students to their advanced degree programmes.

It is a competitive, merit-based award aimed at students seen as future leaders in the public and private sectors. The scholarship is awarded to study at a French institution and is widely recognised as one of France's flagship international scholarships.

Who is eligible

The Eiffel programme is open to international students (non-French nationals) and supports study at master's and doctoral (PhD) level in France. Selection is based on academic excellence and the strength of the candidate's profile, judged against the programme's priority fields.

There are conditions on age and on prior scholarships, and these are set out — and updated — in the official call each year. Eligibility, priority subject areas and any age limits should always be checked on the official Campus France Eiffel pages before you apply, because they can change between campaigns.

• For international (non-French) students
• Supports master's and PhD level study in France
• Merit-based, with priority fields defined in each year's official call

How the application works — through the institution

A crucial feature of the Eiffel programme is that students cannot apply directly. Only French higher education institutions may submit Eiffel applications, and they nominate the candidates they wish to put forward.

In practice this means you first secure (or apply for) admission to a French institution, then ask that institution's international relations office whether it will nominate you for the Eiffel scholarship and what its internal deadline is. The institution assembles and submits the file to Campus France on your behalf.

What it covers and key dates

The Eiffel scholarship provides financial support towards living costs and may include other benefits associated with the award, but the precise components, monthly allowance and any travel or insurance elements are defined in the official programme rules and can change between campaigns.

The campaign runs on an annual cycle, typically opening in the autumn with an institutional submission deadline early in the following year and results announced in spring. Because the exact amounts and dates change each year, confirm them on the official Campus France Eiffel pages rather than relying on figures from elsewhere.

Practical tips and cautions

Because the institution drives the application, timing matters: contact your target French institution early — well before the official deadline — to ask if it participates and how its internal selection works. Missing the institution's internal cut-off means missing the scholarship.

No agent or website can guarantee you an Eiffel scholarship, and you should not pay any third party to "secure" one; selection is competitive and decided through the official process. This is general information, not personalised advice — verify all current eligibility, components and deadlines on the official source.