Campus France Scholarship Guide 2027

What are Campus France scholarships?

Campus France is France's official agency for international student services, with offices in 130+ countries. France hosts more than 400,000 international students. "Campus France scholarship" is shorthand for several distinct funding streams — each with different rules, amounts and application paths.

The flagship is the France Excellence Eiffel Scholarship, run by Campus France for the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. The 2027 call opened on 2 October 2026, French institutions must submit their nominees by 6 January 2027, and results are due the week of 12 April 2027. You cannot apply for it yourself: a French institution has to put your name forward.

Why scholarships matter more in France

Since 2019, non-EU students at public universities pay differentiated tuition. Scholarship holders are exempt, paying EU rates or nothing. For 2026/27 the gap looks like this:

2026/27 totals at public universities, including the university library fee (source: Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and Université de Rouen fee tables). Amounts are set each year by ministerial order.

Campus Bourses: search 900+ programmes

Before applying anywhere, search campusbourses.campusfrance.org for funding by nationality, field and degree level.

Scholarship types

Six funding routes cover almost everyone who studies in France on a scholarship. They differ in who runs them, who can apply and how much they pay.

Eiffel master's: what's covered

The Eiffel package is more than the monthly allowance. Campus France pays several services directly on top of it:

• Monthly allowance: €1,200 a month for master's students (since January 2026).
• Registration fees: waived for national diplomas at public institutions. Training fees at private schools are not covered.
• International travel: your outbound flight and the final return flight, in economy class.
• Health insurance: temporary cover on arrival, then a free top-up mutuelle once you join French social security.
• Housing help: partial — Campus France may offer a CROUS or private residence room, but you are free to find your own.
• Cultural activities: weekend trips, sport and shows at student prices.

The honest truth nobody tells you

This is the reality from forums, Reddit and alumni groups — seven things worth knowing before you start.

1. The Eiffel one-shot rule

Rejected at a degree level? You are permanently barred from reapplying at that level. Not "try again next year." Only apply when your profile and institution choice are genuinely competitive.

2. You can't apply directly for Eiffel

Only French institutions can nominate candidates. Get admitted first, then convince the institution to put your name forward. If your target school doesn't participate, you're out of luck.

3. Paris housing is a documented crisis

There are 7 social housing places per 100 students. CROUS rooms vanish in minutes. The private market requires a French guarantor and payslips, and scams are rampant. Start searching the moment you are accepted.

4. CAF housing aid has been cut for most non-EU students

Since 1 July 2026, non-EU students who don't hold a French means-tested higher-education grant have lost APL housing aid — by most estimates 95% of non-EU students. That's €1,200–€3,000 a year extra. Recalculate your budget and read our CAF housing aid page.

5. The Études en France portal

It crashes before deadlines, has browser bugs, loses uploads and shows error messages in French only. Don't wait until the last day, don't use a phone, and save copies of everything.

6. French bureaucracy is real

You need a bank account for housing, an address for a bank account, and a titre de séjour for both. OFII, CVEC, Ameli — budget two weeks for paperwork, not sightseeing.

7. English-taught ≠ English-spoken

There are 1,600+ English-taught programmes, but landlords, bank tellers, doctors and prefecture staff speak French, and your lease is in French. Basic French before arrival is a survival strategy.

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Not set on France?

Compare with our other guides: Fulbright (U.S. and 160+ countries), Erasmus Mundus (joint master's across Europe), DAAD (Germany), Chevening and Commonwealth (UK), and MEXT (Japan).