The Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Programme was established by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development to enable French higher education establishments to attract top foreign students to enrol in their master’s and PhD courses.
It helps to shape the future foreign decision-makers of the private and public sectors, in priority areas of study, and encourages applications from emerging countries at master’s level, and from emerging and industrialized countries at PhD level.
It helps to shape the future foreign decision-makers of the private and public sectors, in priority areas of study, and encourages applications from emerging countries at master’s level, and from emerging and industrialized countries at PhD level.
The Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Programme has two branches:
A master’s branch, which funds master’s courses lasting between 12 and 36 months and a PhD branch, which offers funding for PhD students to spend ten months in France, through joint supervision or dual enrolment (preferably in the second year of their PhD).
Areas of study
Eiffel scholarships are available in three main fields:
Engineering science at master’s level, science in the broadest sense at PhD level (engineering science; exact sciences: mathematics, physics, chemistry and life sciences, nano- and biotechnology, earth sciences, sciences of the universe, environmental sciences, information and communication science and technology);
Economics and management;
Law and political sciences.
Levels of study
French higher education establishments nominating candidates for the Eiffel Programme undertake to enrol them:
- Either in a master’s degree course;
- Or in a PhD programme, under joint supervision or dual enrolment, in partnership with a foreign higher education establishment.
Duration of the scholarship
Master’s level
The scholarship is awarded for a maximum of 12 months for entry at M2 level (equivalent: second year of a two-year master's course), for a maximum of 24 months for entry at M1 level (equivalent: first year of a two-year master's course), and for a maximum of 36 months for an engineering degree. It is awarded on the condition that the student fulfils the academic requirements of each year of the course.
Should the student wish to take an intensive language course beforehand, the Eiffel scholarship duration can be extended by a maximum of two months, if this is clearly indicated in the application. The Eiffel scholarship does not cover the cost of such language courses.
The scholarship can cover a period of training or a work placement outside the host establishment, lasting for no more than 25% of the total duration of the course, if such a training period or work placement forms an integral part of the course.
Optional work placements are not covered.
If the course includes an international academic exchange, the scholarship shall be suspended during the period spent abroad, without any possibility of extension.
If the scholarship holder signs an apprenticeship contract or a professional training contract, the scholarship shall be automatically terminated.
PhD level
The Eiffel scholarship is awarded for a maximum of ten months.
For scientific and economic disciplines, no language course is provided for and the scholarship duration cannot be divided up.
For law students, the ten-month scholarship can, with the consent of the selection committee, be split into two or three stays in France, of three or four months each.
These stays must take place over a maximum of three calendar years.
Only law students have the option of taking French lessons alongside their studies.
This must be clearly requested in the application.
Scholarships Benefits
Master’s level
The Eiffel scholarship includes a monthly allowance of €1,181, maintenance allowance of €1,031 and a monthly stipend of €150). In addition, the following expenses are directly covered:
- One international return journey;
- Social security cover;
- Cultural activities.
Scholarship holders may also receive an additional housing allowance, under certain conditions.
PhD level
The Eiffel scholarship includes a monthly allowance of €1,400. In addition, the following expenses are directly covered:
One international return journey (for students in law or political sciences who may make several trips, only one return journey shall be covered)
Social security cover;
Cultural activities.
Scholarship holders may also receive an additional housing allowance, under certain conditions.
For both master’s and PhD levels
In order to receive the first instalment of the monthly allowance, scholarship holders must have started their course of studies at the host establishment in France.
Tuition fees are not covered by the Eiffel Programme.
The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development expects the educational establishments, which gain greater international influence through this programme, to ensure scholarship holders benefit from the best financial conditions,
in accordance with the Quality Charter.
Students admitted to state-run educational establishments are reminded that, as French government scholarship holders, they are exempt from enrolment fees.
Eligibility
Nationality: this programme is reserved for candidates of non-French nationality.
Candidates with two nationalities, one of which is French, are not eligible.
Age: for master’s courses, candidates must be no older than 30 on the date of the selection committee meeting, i.e. born after 11/03/1984; at PhD level, candidates must be no older than 35 on the date of the selection committee meeting, i.e. born after 11/03/1979.
Origin of applications: only applications submitted by French educational establishments are accepted. These establishments undertake to enrol scholarship holders on the course for which they have been selected. Applications submitted by any other means shall not be considered. Furthermore, any candidate nominated by more than one establishment shall be disqualified.
Courses of study: scholarships are for students wishing to enrol on a master's course, including at an engineering school, and for PhD students. The Eiffel Programme does not apply to French-run master’s courses abroad, as non-PhD scholarship holders must complete at least 75% of their course in France. It does not apply to training under an apprenticeship contract or a professional training contract either.
Combination with other scholarships: foreign students who, at the time of application, have already been awarded a French government scholarship under another programme are not eligible, even if the scholarship in question does not include social security cover.
- Eiffel PhD scholarships: Establishments may nominate a candidate who was previously awarded an Eiffel scholarship at master’s level for a scholarship at PhD level. Candidates who have already been awarded an Eiffel scholarship once during their PhD cannot be awarded it for a second time. No application will be accepted for any student who applied previously but was rejected, even if the application is submitted by a different establishment or in another field of study.
Eiffel master’s scholarships: no application will be accepted for any student who applied previously but was rejected, even if the application is submitted by a different establishment or in another field of study. Students who have already been awarded an Eiffel scholarship at master’s level are not eligible to re-apply at master’s level.
Language skills: when pre-selecting non-French-speaking candidates, establishments must make sure that their language skills meet the requirements of the relevant course of study.
Students undertaking a course of study abroad take priority over those already living in
France.
Calendar
Application forms available online: week starting 20 October 2014.
Deadline for receipt of applications by Campus France: 9 January 2015.
Announcement of results: week starting 23 March 2015.
