Eiffel Excellence Scholarship 2027 in France

About

The France Excellence Eiffel programme is a scholarship of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, managed by Campus France. It helps French universities and schools attract top international students to master’s and PhD programmes. It aims to train future decision-makers in the public and private sectors. The 2027 call is for studies starting in the 2027-28 academic year.

Students cannot apply alone. A French higher education institution must choose you and submit your file to Campus France. Its deadline is 6 January 2027, but each institution sets an earlier internal deadline, some as early as November 2026. Results are sent by email to laureates and institutions in the week of 12 April 2027.

Host institution / country

Eiffel scholars study at a French university, grande école or engineering school in France. The programme covers state-recognised master’s degrees, engineering diplomas and doctorates.

Financial benefits

• Master’s: €1,200 per month
• PhD: a monthly allowance. The 2027 programme regulations state €2,000 per month, while the Campus France announcement for the 2027 call states €2,100. Confirm the current amount with your institution.
• Duration for master’s: up to 12 months (entry into M2), 24 months (entry into M1) or 36 months (engineering degree)
• Duration for PhD: 12 or 18 months with a co-supervision (cotutelle) agreement, or 36 months for new first-year students coming from abroad
• An international return economy flight, partly reimbursed, plus train or bus travel inside France
• Health coverage, including French social security and complementary health insurance (family members not covered)
• Help finding housing through Campus France, if you want it
• Discounted cultural and leisure activities, such as weekend trips, sports and shows
• Tuition fees are not paid. Scholarship holders are exempt from registration fees at some public institutions, so check with yours

Eligibility criteria

• Foreign nationality. Dual nationals who hold French nationality are not eligible
• Master’s: 29 years old or younger, according to the official guide
• PhD: 35 years old or younger, according to the official guide
• Master’s applicants must apply for the first time and must not have had an Eiffel master’s grant before
• Master’s applicants who are already studying in France are not eligible. PhD applicants in France can apply, but students abroad have priority
• PhD applicants must not have had an Eiffel grant for their doctorate
• Your programme must be in one of the eligible fields: biology and health, ecological transition, mathematics and digital, engineering sciences, French history, language and civilisation, law and political science, or economics and management
• You cannot hold another French government scholarship, an Erasmus+ grant or an AUF scholarship at the same time

Required documents

Your institution uploads these, so prepare them early:

• Copy of your passport or ID card
• CV in French or English (maximum two pages)
• Copies of your latest diplomas and transcripts for the last three years
• A language certificate, if you have one
• A professional project of one to two pages, in French or English
• The signed candidate declaration and commitment form
• For PhD: a thesis project of up to five pages, an opinion from an external expert with their CV, a financing plan for the thesis and the signed co-supervision agreement (for 12- and 18-month grants)

How to apply

1. Choose a master’s or PhD programme in an eligible field at a French institution.
2. Apply for admission to that programme.
3. Contact the institution’s international relations office. Ask about its Eiffel procedure and internal deadline.
4. Prepare your documents and sign the candidate commitment form.
5. Send your file to the institution before its internal deadline.
6. The institution selects its candidates and submits them online to Campus France by 6 January 2027. Files received after this date are not evaluated.

Selection process and timeline

• Seven expert panels, one per field, assess the files.
• They look at your academic excellence and, for PhD applicants, how innovative your research topic is.
• French embassies in your country are consulted, and the Ministry’s priority countries are taken into account.
• At least 70% of the grants go to the highest-scoring candidates. A waiting list is also created.
• Results: week of 12 April 2027.
• Studies must start between 1 September and 30 November 2027. Deferral is not allowed.

Tips for a strong application

• Contact the international office in September or October. Internal deadlines come well before January.
• Write a clear professional project. Explain how your studies in France fit your career plans.
• Keep your CV to two pages and focus on academic results and achievements.
• For a PhD, plan the co-supervision agreement and the external expert opinion early. They take time.
• Budget for tuition and arrival costs, since the grant does not pay fees.