Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Programme
The France Excellence Eiffel Scholarship is the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs' flagship programme for attracting top international Master's and PhD students to French universities and grandes écoles. Unlike most scholarships, you don't apply directly — you apply for admission to a French institution first, and the institution nominates you to Campus France for the Eiffel award. It targets four priority fields: Engineering, Economics & Management, Law & Political Science, and Life Sciences.
French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs
Government-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Master's Stipend
€1,200/month
PhD Stipend
€2,100/month
Extras
Flights + Health + Cultural Activities
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
Non-French Nationality
You must be a non-French citizen. Dual French nationals are not eligible. Sri Lankan citizens qualify and Sri Lanka is on the priority country list for Eiffel.
Age Limit
For Master's: under 25 years old at the application deadline. For PhD: under 30. The age cap is strict — institutions cannot nominate you above the limit.
Academic Excellence
A strong academic track record is essential. Most successful Eiffel awardees have first-class Bachelor's degrees (Master's track) or a recent Master's with distinction (PhD track).
Nominated by a French Institution
You cannot apply directly. You must first apply for admission to a French university or grande école for an eligible programme, and that institution then submits your Eiffel application to Campus France on your behalf.
account_tree Application Process
Pick a French institution and programme
Identify French universities or grandes écoles offering Master's/PhD programmes in the four priority fields. Sciences Po, Sorbonne, Paris-Saclay, École Polytechnique, and HEC Paris are top Eiffel-nominating institutions.
Apply for admission
Submit your admission application to the French institution by their internal Eiffel deadline (usually October–December — typically much earlier than the regular admissions deadline so they have time to nominate you).
Institution nominates you
If the institution selects you for Eiffel nomination, they submit your application to Campus France by the official Campus France deadline (8 January 2026 for the 2026 cycle).
Results in late March
Campus France announces results around the end of March. Awarded students begin their programme in the following September/October.
Why Eiffel?
Eiffel funds study at France's most prestigious institutions — grandes écoles like Sciences Po, École Polytechnique, and HEC Paris are gateways to senior roles in EU institutions, international firms, and development agencies. Graduates can stay in France on a 12-month post-study work permit (APS) and progress to the EU Blue Card.
€18k+
Avg. Total Value (1-year Master's)
~400
Awards Granted per Year
4
Priority Disciplinary Fields
Similar Scholarships
Other curated opportunities for Sri Lankan students.
Holland Scholarship (NL Scholarship)
Dutch Ministry of Education / Nuffic
DAAD Master's Scholarship
German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters
European Commission