France Excellence Eiffel Scholarship 2027/2028 – Master’s & PhD in France
The France Excellence Eiffel Scholarship, run by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, funds Master’s and PhD study at French higher education institutions for top international students, with priority given to seven fields including engineering, economics and management, law, and political science.
What it covers: A monthly allowance of €1,200 for Master’s students and €2,100 for PhD students, plus international and national transportation, health insurance, and housing assistance. Recipients admitted to public universities are typically also exempt from tuition fees through French Government Scholarship (BGF) status — making this effectively a fully funded award in practice.
Deadline: The 2027/2028 call opens 1 October 2026, with university internal nomination deadlines typically in November–December 2026, and the final Campus France submission deadline around 8 January 2027.
The Detail Most Applicants Miss: You Cannot Apply Directly
This is the single most important thing to understand before you start: only French higher education institutions can submit an Eiffel application — students cannot apply to Campus France themselves. You must first secure a French university willing to nominate you, and only one university can do so; if multiple institutions submit your name, your application is automatically cancelled. This means your real first step is contacting French universities directly in September, not waiting until the January deadline.
Detailed Eligibility Checklist
- Non-French nationality — dual nationals holding French citizenship are not eligible
- Master’s applicants: 29 years old or younger at time of selection
- PhD applicants: 35 years old or younger at time of selection
- Studying in France for the first time (for the Master’s track)
- Strong, coherent academic record and a clear “Professional Project” connecting your studies to your career goals
- Language proficiency meeting your chosen programme’s specific requirements
Step-by-Step Application Process
- Apply for admission to your target Master’s or PhD programme at a French institution — do this early, well before internal nomination deadlines.
- Once you have a strong admission case, ask that university’s International Relations office to nominate you for Eiffel — they will provide their own internal application form.
- Submit transcripts, CV, and a 1–2 page “Professional Project” essay explaining how studying in France fits your long-term career goals — this essay carries significant weight in the university’s nomination decision.
- If your university nominates you, they submit your complete file to Campus France by the January deadline — you do not submit anything to Campus France directly.
- Results are published from late March of the following year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I contact Campus France directly to apply? No — Campus France only accepts nominations submitted by French institutions, never direct student applications.
What if I want to apply to more than one French university? You can apply for admission to several, but only one may formally nominate you for the Eiffel scholarship — choose your best-fit institution carefully before requesting nomination.
Are Francophone African applicants at an advantage? Language familiarity and existing partnerships between French universities and Francophone African education systems can help, but the scholarship is open to strong candidates from both Francophone and Anglophone African countries.