The Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Program was established by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs to enable French higher education institutions to attract top foreign students to enroll in their masters and PhD programs.

It gives opportunity to the future foreign decision-makers of the private and public sectors, in priority areas of study, and encourages applicants from foreign countries up to 29 years old at master’s level, and applicants up to 35 years old at PhD level.

COVERED SERVICES

1 – Living allowance

Master level: Eiffel scholarship recipients receive a monthly allowance of €1,200 (from January 2026) in addition to certain direct services, as explained previously.
Doctoral level: Eiffel scholarship recipients receive a monthly allowance of €2,000 (from January 2026) in addition to certain direct services, as explained previously.

Method of disbursement

As a general rule, payments are made by bank transfer to an account in France in the name of the recipient.

The first payment is sent to the recipient via Western Union.

2 – Tuition and fees

Recipients of French government scholarships are exempt from tuition charges for programs leading to a national diploma (master, doctorate) or accredited engineering degree in public institutions of a scientific, cultural, or professional nature overseen by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, in accordance with article R719-49 of the national education code.
Except as set forth above, program costs are not covered by the France Excellence Eiffel program.

3 – Travel and transportation expenses

Arrival

Airfare in the least-expensive class available is covered by the scholarship.
The coverage includes the cost of travel between the international airports closest to recipients’ home abroad and their academic location in France.
Upon submission of receipts, the cost of airfare incurred by recipients will be reimbursed in an amount not to exceed 50% of the maximum rate set by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs for travel from the country concerned.
Recipients may also claim reimbursement of the cost of domestic travel to reach their academic location in France. Reimbursement will be based on the cost of second class train or bus travel from the arrival airport to the academic location.

Departure at end of program

Recipients have 12 months from the end of their scholarship to request their return ticket. Coverage of the return flight is dependent on receipt of the recipient’s academic results at the end of the final year of the scholarship. In the event that the return flight is not arranged at the end of the scholarship period, it is understood that the recipient no longer enjoys the status of a recipient of a French government scholarship, nor the guarantees linked to that status, during the period between the end of the scholarship and the recipient’s departure from France.
The scholarship covers return air travel in the least expensive class from recipients’ academic location to the international airport closest to their home abroad, including the cost of second-class train or bus travel to the airport from the recipient’s city of residence in France.
The cost of airfare incurred by recipients will be reimbursed, upon presentation of receipts, in an amount up to 50% of the maximum rate set by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs for travel to the country concerned.

4 – Health (medical) insurance

Eiffel scholarship recipients are enrolled by Campus France in a temporary health insurance plan until their coverage by the French national scheme (Sécurité Sociale) takes effect. The national scheme is mandatory and free of charge for all students enrolled in a French institution of higher education. Students can enroll at the following site: https://etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr/#/.
Recipients must submit to Campus France proof of coverage under the national scheme within two months of their arrival in France. Upon receipt of proof of coverage, recipients will be enrolled in a supplemental health insurance scheme at no cost to the recipient (excluding accompanying family members), thus ensuring optimal coverage of medical expenses during their stay.
Scholarship recipients from member states of the European Union holding a European Health Insurance Card need take no action. They will have access to care in France and be reimbursed for a share of their medical expenses as if they were in their home country. All they need to do is to send Campus France a copy of their EHIC so that Campus France can enroll them in a supplemental health insurance plan (at no cost to them).
Important: Campus France is authorized to suspend payment of scholarship allowances and provision of related services if recipients do not provide proof of their enrollment in the French national health insurance scheme by the start of the third month of their scholarship.

5 – Housing

Campus France offers recipients a choice of housing in student dormitories managed by CROUS (the national student housing agency) or in private homes. Recipients may choose to decline Campus France’s offer and to make their own housing arrangements instead.
The Eiffel program encourages host institutions to help scholarship recipients find suitable housing.

6 – Recreation and leisure

Campus France offers weekend outings to allow recipients to relax for a few days and meet other Eiffel recipients:

1. Short getaways of 3–4 days allow scholarship recipients to make touristic or cultural discoveries in a friendly and relaxed fashion. Offerings include visits to French cities and regions and trips to European capitals.
2. Shorter activities include sporting events, shows, exhibits, and recreational activities.
3. Calendars of offerings are updated every six months in recipients’ personal space on Campus France’s Eiffel program website.

HOW TO APPLY

Only applications submitted by French higher education institutions are accepted.

• You are a student interested in participating in the Eiffel program : click here