Eiffel Excellence Scholarship (also called France Excellence Eiffel) is a programme run by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, aimed at attracting outstanding foreign students to pursue Master’s and Doctoral (PhD) degrees in France. It covers fields such as Sciences & Technology (including engineering, ecological transition, digital sciences, health & biology) and Humanities & Social Sciences (law, political science, economics, management, history & French civilization). Apply now for France Eiffel Excellence Scholarship 2026.
Scholarship Details
- Degree Level: Master – PhD
- Host Country: France
- Type of Scholarship: Fully Funded
- Last Date: 08 January 2026
- Application Fee: 100 Euro
Scholarship Benefits
- Monthly Stipends
- Masters: 1180-1200 Euro per month
- PhD: 1800 Euro per month
- Free Housing
- Free Medical Insurance
- Tuition Fee Wavier
- Part Time work allowed (20 hours / week)
Available Fields
- Sciences & Technology
- Humanities & Social Sciences
Eligibility Criteria
- Age Limit
- Master: 29 Years
- PhD: 35 Years
- Must be non-French nationals. Dual nationals with French citizenship are not eligible.
- Candidates should not already be studying in France (for Master’s). Must apply for first time for the program. Must apply to eligible programmes at French institutions.
- PhD projects often require co-supervision or lab affiliation. If cotutelle / co-supervision, official agreements/certificates may be needed. If already enrolled in PhD, requirements for length remaining etc.
Required Documents – Eiffel Excellence Scholarship
- Passport
- Master & Bachelors Degree
- Master & Bachelors Transcript
- IELTS or English Proficiency Certificate
- Motivational Letter
- Recommendation Letters from previous teahers
How to Apply – Eiffel Excellence Scholarship
Here is the typical process to follow (check your university’s procedure too, since there can be institution-specific variations).
1. Research and Choose Your Programme & University
- Identify which French higher education institution offers the Master’s or PhD programme in your field of interest.
- Check if that programme is eligible under the Eiffel scheme. Sometimes only specific Master’s/engineering/PhD programmes are eligible.
2. Prepare Your Academic & Supporting Documents
3. Apply to the Master’s / PhD Programme
- Even if your aim is the scholarship, you must apply for admission into the programme via the standard admission procedure of the university. Being admitted (or being in process) is often a prerequisite.
4. University Pre-selects / Nominates Candidates
- The university evaluates all prospective students who want the Eiffel Scholarship and selects whom to nominate. Only nominated applications get forwarded to Campus France.
5. Submission by the Institution via Campus France
- The university (or the institution) submits the Eiffel Scholarship application package through the Campus France Eiffel application system. Students do not submit directly to the scholarship authority.
6. Wait for Results
- After submission, there is a review process by committees. If selected, you will be notified (often via the university).
Tips to Improve Your Chances
- Choose a programme and university that fit well with your past academic background and future plans. Coherence matters a lot in the motivation letter.
- Demonstrate academic excellence: top grades, class ranking, prizes, scholarly publications if any.
- Ensure your thesis proposal (for PhD) or project statement (for Master’s) is clear, innovative and international in outlook.
- Get strong recommendation letters that can vouch for both your academic ability and potential.
- Pay attention to language requirements: If the programme is in French, a good level in French may be required; if in English, check what proof is needed.
- Start early: internal deadlines at universities are often earlier than the official deadlines. Don’t wait until the last minute.
- Keep all documents ready and well translated if required. Use good formatting; combine PDFs properly; name your files clearly.