Fund your studies

France Excellence "Eiffel"

The Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Programme was established by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs to enable French higher education institutions to attract top international students to enrol in their master's and PhD programmes. It offers opportunities to future international decision-makers in the private and public sectors, focusing on priority areas of study.

Institutions apply on your behalf and can do so between october and january of the year prior to your enrollment. Each university has their own schedule however, so make sure to inquire about your prefered institution's own Eiffel selection process.

Find eligibility criteria and the application procedure on Campus France main website.

If you have any question, please contact Eiffel@campusfrance.org

France Excellence "Entente Cordiale" (UK only)

Check out the 2025 application schedule!

The Entente Cordiale Scholarship Scheme is a prestigious bilateral awards scheme offered to British postgraduate students who want to study in France and French students who want to study in the UK. 

The grant offers long term scholarships, short term scholarships and language scholarships. Funded for the most part by the private sector in both countries, the scheme provides funding for around 20 French and British students each year.

You can apply for an Entente Cordiale scholarship if you are:

1. a postgraduate student
2. a UK resident

Find eligibility criteria and the application procedure on the Franco-British Council's website.

 Maison Française d‘Oxford (UK only)

The Maison Française d'Oxford scholarship programme offers one-month scholarships for doctoral students enrolled at, or undergoing jointly supervised research (co-tutelle) with, a French university or institution of higher education.

Who can benefit?

1. Doctoral/PhD student in a French university;
2. Students undergoing a co-tutelle (jointly supervised research) with a French university.

Post-doctoral students will NOT be considered for this grant.

What is offered?

1. One-month scholarship (£250), from the 1st to the 30th/31st;
2. Coverage of accomodation costs;
3. Transport costs up to a limit of 200€.

Find eligibility criteria and the application procedure as well as other scholarship opportunities on Maison Française d’Oxford’s website.

International students in France have access to various forms of financial assistance, regardless of their status as exchange students or degree-seeking students. These aids can significantly help in managing living expenses and tuition costs during their stay in France.

Check out etudiant.gouv.fr for more up-to-date information!

CROUS Scholarships

The Centre Régional des Œuvres Universitaires et Scolaires (CROUS) offers scholarships to international students under certain conditions:

• Non-European students must have lived in France for at least two years and have a tax household in France for at least two years.
• European students must either have been employed in France during the reference year, have parents who received income in France, or have more than one year's continuous presence in France.

CROUS scholarships provide several benefits:

1. Exemption from university tuition fees
2. Exemption from CVEC (Student and Campus Life Contribution)
3. Access to €1 meals in some CROUS university restaurants
4. Priority in CROUS accommodation allocation

CROUS Housing

If you don't comply with the CROUS Scholarship criteria, you can still access CROUS Housing and Accomodation, but there are specific application phases and eligibility criteria to be aware of:

• Application Phase: International students can apply during the complementary phase, which typically begins in July. Applications are submitted through the CROUS portal (trouverunlogement.lescrous.fr) after creating a profile on messervices.etudiant.gouv.fr.
• Eligibility: Applicants must be enrolled as students in a French higher education institution.Your institution will inform you of the procedure. Certain categories of students, such as those pursuing Master's or PhD programs, may have specific access privileges. It's important to note that availability is limited, and applying early during the complementary phase increases the chances of securing accommodation.

Housing Assistance (APL)

The Caisse d'Allocations Familiales (CAF) provides housing assistance known as Aide Personnalisée au Logement (APL) to international students:

• Available to students renting accommodation in France
• Eligibility requires a valid residence permit for non-EU students
• The rental contract must be in the student's name
• Students must stay in France for at least 8 months

Emergency Financial Assistance

For students facing unexpected financial difficulties, emergency aid is available:

• Aimed at ensuring students can continue their studies despite serious situations arising during the academic year
• Requires a social assessment to confirm the situation

State-guaranteed Student Loans

The French government offers a state-guaranteed student loan program with the following key features:

1. Maximum loan amount: €20,000
2. Applicants must be of legal age and under 28 years old at the time of the loan application
3. Loan term: Between 2 and 10 years
4. Interest rates: Set freely by the partner banks
5. Possibility to postpone repayment until the end of studies

Unfortunately, the state-guaranteed student loan program in France is not widely accessible to all international students. To be eligible, applicants must meet one of the following criteria:

• Have French nationality
• Be a national of a European Economic Area (EEA) country
• For non-EEA nationals: Have resided in France continuously for at least 2 years

More information on the application process and partnr banks on service-public.fr.

The French Government

The French Ministry of Higher education and Research also awards scholarships to some foreign students, based on social criteria. To be eligible, students must have been residing in France for at least two years and be paying taxes in France. The Ministry also finances doctoral contracts managed by the Doctoral schools.

In France, public research is split between institutes of higher education and public organisations such as the CNRS (National Centre for Scientific Research) which covers all fields of research, the IRD (Institute for Research and  Development), the ADEME (Environmental and Energy Control Agency) and the IFREMER (French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea). In partnership with the regions, these public bodies finance research allocations for doctoral and post-doctoral students.

More information on their website.

Regional authorities

French regions and towns allocate scholarships to foreign students enrolled in programmes in their region.They also award doctoral and postdoctoral grants managed by the institutes of higher education and research. Regional scholarships may also be allocated to foreign students as part of exchange agreements with foreign institutes. Look into the specific programmes from your region.

Erasmus+

With the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union, Erasmus+ grants became limited to very specific programmes.

The Erasmus Mundus joint Master's offer is a study programme that awards scholarships to the world's best students for one or two years, regardless of their field of studies. To receive one, these students must take their master's programme in at least two countries participating in the programme. Several French institutes of higher education offer joint Master's programmes.

In the framework of bilateral agreements between institutes of higher education, Erasmus+ also offers mobility scholarships from and to France. They cover removal and accommodation costs. Find out more from the institute you are enrolled in.