The Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Programme in France, 2016-2017

Deadline: 8 January 2016
Open to: candidates of non-French nationality no older than 30 years
Scholarship: for Master’s courses: 1,031 EUR of maintenance allowance and 150 EUR of monthly compensation, a return trip, health insurance and cultural activities, for PhD courses : an allowance of 1,400 EUR,  a return trip, health insurance and cultural activities 

Description

The French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs offers Eiffel scholarships for international students annually. These scholarships are awarded for pursuing a master degree at French host higher education institutions and a PhD through a thesis joint supervision or co-tutorship with a foreign higher education institution partner. The scholarship supports for a maximum duration of 12 months for M2, a maximum of 24 months for M1, maximum duration of 36 months for an engineering science diploma and for a maximum duration of 10 months for PhD program. The three major areas of study covered by the Eiffel program are: Engineering sciences at Master level, sciences broadest sense at PhD level (engineering science; exact sciences: mathematics, physics, chemistry and life sciences, nano- and biotechnology, earth sciences, sciences of the universe, environmental sciences, information and communication science and technology), Economics and management and Law and political science. Scholarships are awarded for master’s degree course or PhD programme. 

Eligibility

To be eligible for the scholarships applicants must meet requirements below:

-Nationality: this programme is reserved for candidates of non-French nationality. Candidates with two nationalities, one of which is French, are not eligible.

-Age: for master’s courses, candidates must be no older than 30 on the date of the selection committee meeting, i.e. born after 07/03/1985; at PhD level, candidates must be no older than 35 on the date of the selection committee meeting, i.e. born after 07/03/1980.

-Origin of applications: only applications submitted by French educational establishments are accepted. These establishments undertake to enrol scholarship holders on the course for which they have been selected. Applications submitted by any other means shall not be considered. Furthermore, any candidate nominated by more than one establishment shall be disqualified.

-Courses of study: scholarships are for students wishing to enrol on a master’s course, including at an engineering school, and for PhD students. The Eiffel Programme does not apply to French-run master’s courses abroad, as non-PhD scholarship holders must complete at least 75% of their course in France. It does not Page 4 of 6 apply to training under an apprenticeship contract or a professional training contract either.

-Combination with other scholarships: foreign students who, at the time of application, have already been awarded a French government scholarship under another programme are not eligible, even if the scholarship in question does not include social security cover.

-Eiffel PhD scholarships: Establishments may nominate a candidate who was previously awarded an Eiffel scholarship at master’s level for a scholarship at PhD level. Candidates who have already been awarded an Eiffel scholarship once during their PhD cannot be awarded it for a second time. No application will be accepted for any student who applied previously but was rejected, even if the application is submitted by a different establishment or in another field of study.

-Eiffel master’s scholarships: no application will be accepted for any student who applied previously but was rejected, even if the application is submitted by a different establishment or in another field of study. Students who have already been awarded an Eiffel scholarship at master’s level are not eligible to re-apply at master’s level.

-Language skills: when pre-selecting non-French-speaking candidates, establishments must make sure that their language skills meet the requirements of the relevant course of study.

-Students undertaking a course of study abroad take priority over those already living in France.

Scholarship

For Master: The scholarship is attributed for a maximum duration of 12 months when registering for M2, a maximum of 24 months when registering for M1 and maximum duration of 36 months when registering for an engineering science diploma. It is awarded provided that the student fulfils the annual academic requirements of the curriculum.
For PhD: The Eiffel scholarship is attributed for a maximum duration of 10 months. 

-Master’s courses: Eiffel scholarship recipients benefit from an allowance of 1,181 EUR (1,031 EUR of maintenance allowance and 150 EUR of monthly compensation). In addition, the programme covers various expenses including a return trip, health insurance and cultural activities. Recipients may also be eligible for housing allowance.
-PhD courses: Eiffel scholarship recipients receive an allowance of 1,400 EUR. n addition, the programme covers various expenses including a return trip, health insurance and cultural activities. Recipients may also be eligible for housing allowance.
-Payment conditions: The scholarship is paid monthly by bank transfer on a French account opened by the recipient at the start of the course. Bank account details (RIB, IBAN) must be transferred to Campus France. 

How to apply?

The selection criteria are as follows:
– the excellence of the candidate, as demonstrated by his or her university career so far and the originality of his or her research subject;
– the international policy of the establishment nominating the candidate2 , its action in the geographical area in question, the excellence of the host department, the establishment’s compatibility with the candidate being nominated, its efforts to publicise the Eiffel Programme and its continued support of scholarship holders, especially through a partnership with France Alumni (https://www.francealumni.fr/en);
– the cooperation and partnership policy of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development, and in particular, the priority given to certain countries for this Programme.

 French higher education establishments pre-select candidates for the Eiffel Programme from among the foreign students to whom they have offered a place on a course of study. The establishments complete and submit applications for these candidates online. Each establishment can nominate no more than 40 candidates per field of study for a master’s scholarship. The establishments must send to Campus France, by recorded post with acknowledgement of receipt, a list of the applications submitted online. This document must bear the establishment’s stamp and the signature of the head of the establishment (university president or principal), or his or her representative. 

Deadline for receipt of applications by Campus France is January 9th, 2016.

Only the French higher education institutions may submit candidature files.

If you have any questions, check the Eiffel Programme guide or write to:  candidatures.eiffel@campusfrance.org.

The official web-page.