ENS Paris-Saclay International Selection Scholarship
The ENS Paris-Saclay International Selection is one of France's most prestigious awards for international undergraduate-to-Master's applicants. Selected international students receive a €1,000-per-month stipend (around LKR 345,000/month) for up to 3 years (typically covering the final year of a Bachelor's plus a 2-year Master's), full tuition waiver, subsidised on-campus housing, and full access to ENS's research labs. ENS Paris-Saclay is one of France's elite Grandes Écoles — a research-intensive institution producing 4 Nobel laureates and 10 Fields Medallists. Selection is highly competitive: typically 30-40 international students are admitted globally each year across all disciplines. Open to applicants in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mechanical / Electrical / Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Economics, English, History, Sociology, Philosophy, and Sport Science.
The round for September 2026 entry closed on 7 January 2026. The award runs on an annual cycle tied to admission, so expect a comparable deadline in early January for the following year. Confirm the current date with École Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay before planning around it.
École Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay
University-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Value
€1,000/mo + Tuition + Housing
Duration
Up to 3 Years
Awards
~30-40 per Year (Global)
info How this award actually works
Who awards it
École Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.
How you are considered
Through your admission application. Awards like this are usually assessed automatically from the application you already submit — there is typically no separate scholarship form to fill in.
What it covers
€1,000/Month Stipend + Tuition Waiver + Housing. This is a reduction in tuition, not a full ride. You still fund the remainder, plus living costs and the balance your visa requires you to show.
Where we come in
We make the admission application strong enough to be competitive — course choice, documents, references and deadlines. The funder makes the decision.
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
Outstanding Undergraduate Record
Selection is extremely competitive — typical applicants are in the top 5% of their undergraduate cohort with documented academic prizes, research output, or olympiad-level contest results. Sri Lankan applicants from Colombo, Moratuwa, Peradeniya engineering / science streams with research distinction are competitive.
Completing Bachelor's in 2026
Applicants must be currently in the third year of a Bachelor's degree (or equivalent — a 3-year undergrad in France maps to Sri Lankan / UK final year). The programme is structured to take you from final-year Bachelor's through a 2-year Master's at ENS or partner institutions in Paris-Saclay.
Non-French Citizen
The International Selection is restricted to non-French citizens. EU students apply on the same terms as non-EU. Sri Lankan citizens applying from Sri Lanka are eligible. The programme actively recruits from outside France's traditional Grande École applicant base.
French or English Proficiency
Most science / engineering Master's at ENS Paris-Saclay are taught in English. Humanities and Social Sciences typically require French B2-C1. Sri Lankan applicants in STEM disciplines do not need French for admission, though learning French during the first year is strongly encouraged for full participation in Paris life.
account_tree Application Process
Submit International Selection application
Apply via the ENS Paris-Saclay International Office portal (ens-paris-saclay.fr/en/international-selection) by 7 January 2026. Application includes: full transcripts (with English / French translation), ranking certificate, CV, statement of academic interests, two academic references, and a research project sketch (for science disciplines).
Eligibility check and pre-selection
Applications are pre-screened by the ENS International Office in January-February. Pre-selected candidates are forwarded to the relevant department (e.g. Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science) for academic review. Pre-selection cutoff is typically the top 20-30% of the international applicant pool.
Departmental interview by Zoom
Shortlisted candidates are invited for a rigorous 30-60 minute academic interview with the department, conducted by Zoom from Sri Lanka in March-April. Interview includes technical questions, research interest discussion, and motivation. This is genuinely the gatekeeper stage.
Final selection + French visa
Final scholars are notified in May. The award letter names the €1,000/month stipend, tuition waiver, and housing provision. You then apply for the French long-stay student visa (VLS-TS) at Campus France in Colombo, with ENS as sponsor.
Why ENS Paris-Saclay?
ENS Paris-Saclay is one of France's four elite Écoles Normales Supérieures — research-intensive institutions that have produced 14 Nobel laureates and Fields Medallists between them. The Paris-Saclay campus is at the heart of the French government's flagship 'Silicon Valley'-style research cluster, alongside Polytechnique, HEC, and 13 grandes écoles.
Top 5
France for Research
~35
International Selection / Yr
3 yrs
Total Funded Duration
Looking for a scholarship because of the cost?
Then start here instead. Scholarships are competitive, usually partial, and decided by someone else — they are the least reliable way to make studying abroad affordable. Your destination and course choice move the number far more, and both are entirely within your control.
Work out your real number
Tuition, living costs, visa funds and flights for your destination — so you know the gap you are actually trying to close.
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