Why look for scholarships beyond Eiffel and Erasmus?
The Eiffel programme is highly selective (fewer than 5% acceptance rate for master's applicants), and Erasmus+ primarily concerns students already enrolled at a European partner institution. If you don't meet those criteria, or if these grants don't cover your full costs, dozens of other lesser-known but fully accessible funding sources exist.
In France, international student funding is structured across several levels: national (French government, Campus France), regional (regional councils), institutional (universities), private foundations, and corporate funding. Mastering these levels allows you to combine multiple sources — what practitioners call scholarship stacking.
French regional scholarships
Regional councils hold dedicated budgets for higher education and international mobility. These grants are often accessible to international students enrolled in an institution in the region.
| Region | Programme | Indicative amount |
|---|---|---|
| Île-de-France | IDF International Mobility Grant | €500–€2,000/year |
| Brittany | Bourse Bretagne Mobilité | €800–€1,500/year |
| Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | Joint PhD co-supervision | Up to €18,000/year |
| Occitanie | Regional Student Mobility Grant | €600–€1,200/year |
| Normandy | Support for mobile PhD candidates | Variable |
To apply, visit your regional council's official website (e.g. iledefrance.fr, bretagne.bzh) or ask your university's international relations office. Deadlines vary but most open between January and March.
French private foundations
France has a highly active private foundation ecosystem supporting higher education. These structures are legally regulated and draw on private or corporate donors.
Fondation de France
With over 800 distinct funds, the Fondation de France is France's largest philanthropic actor. Some funds explicitly target international students in mobility, doctoral candidates in humanities and social sciences, or students facing financial hardship. Most funds are application-based with varying criteria. Official website: fondationdefrance.org.
Fondation Total Énergies
The TotalEnergies group foundation supports PhD candidates and master's students in energy, environment, and science. Applications are open to students of all nationalities, with priority given to students from developing countries. Official website: fondation.totalenergies.com.
L'Oréal Foundation — For Women in Science
Aimed at female researchers and PhD candidates, the L'Oréal Foundation offers grants of up to €15,000 per year. The FLAIR programme targets postdoctoral female researchers on mobility to France. Applications open each spring. Official website: loreal.fr/commitments/science-beauty/for-women-in-science.
AXA Foundation
AXA funds research projects and mobility grants through its doctoral and postdoctoral scholarship programme. Priority is given to risk science, global health, and data. Official website: axa-research.org.
Scholarships from foreign governments for France
Several foreign governments directly fund their citizens to study in France — independently of Campus France.
AUF Grant (Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie): The AUF funds doctoral and postdoctoral mobility for nationals of OIF member countries. See auf.org.
DAAD Grant (Germany): If you are a German national or previously studied in Germany, the DAAD funds research stays in France. See daad.de.
Grants from your home country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Many countries (Morocco, Senegal, Vietnam, Colombia, Mexico, etc.) have scholarship programmes for higher education abroad, often managed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Education. Contact your country's embassy or consulate in France.
Excellence grants from French institutions
French grandes écoles and universities often hold internal, under-publicised funds. The most accessible include:
- Sciences Po Paris: International excellence scholarship for master's students (up to €8,000/year)
- Université Paris-Saclay: Paris-Saclay International Master Scholarship (up to €10,000/year)
- Sorbonne University: Targeted support for co-supervised PhD candidates
- Engineering schools (CentraleSupélec, Mines Paris, etc.): Support funds for international students, variable amounts
The best approach is to contact your institution's Student Affairs Office or International Relations Department directly and ask explicitly whether financial assistance exists for international students.
Corporate and employer funding
Some French companies offer grants or co-funded positions directly to master's or doctoral students in their strategic fields.
CIFRE Contract (Conventions Industrielles de Formation par la Recherche): This ANRT (National Agency for Research and Technology) programme allows a company to co-fund a PhD with the State. The PhD candidate is employed by the company (minimum €2,044/month gross) and co-supervised by a university laboratory. Accessible to international students with a valid residence permit. Site: anrt.asso.fr.
Corporate foundation grants: Danone (Institut Danone), Michelin (Fondation Michelin), LVMH (LVMH Institute), and other large French groups fund master's students in their fields. Check the CSR pages of major French companies in your sector.
Recommended application timeline
| Period | Action |
|---|---|
| September–October | Research private foundation grants (Fondation de France, Total, L'Oréal) |
| October–November | Apply for corporate grants; start Eiffel dossier at institutional level |
| December–January | Submit Eiffel application (Campus France); apply for foreign government grants |
| January–March | Regional scholarships; internal university funds |
| March–April | Eiffel results; apply for CIFRE positions |
| May–June | Regional and foundation results |
Official resources
- Campus France — French Government Scholarships: campusfrance.org/en/french-government-scholarships
- Campus France — Other funding sources: campusfrance.org/en/other-sources-of-funding
- Scholarshipportal.eu: scholarshipportal.eu
- AUF — International Mobility Grants: auf.org
- ANRT — CIFRE: anrt.asso.fr
Meridiane helps you identify funding opportunities matching your profile and guides you through the administrative paperwork, from document verification to building your application file.