Alternatives: When Campus France Scholarships Don't Work Out
Eiffel rejected you? BGF not available in your country? Don't panic. France has dozens of funding routes most applicants never discover, and studying abroad doesn't have to mean studying in France. Here is your Plan B, C, D and beyond.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
2 min read
Updated Oct 5, 2026
Scholarship comparison matrix
| Scholarship | Amount | Level | Fields | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eiffel | €1,200–2,000/mo | M + PhD | 7 priority domains | Very high |
| BGF | ~€700/mo | All | All | Medium |
| Regional schemes | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies |
| Sciences Po (Émile Boutmy) | €18,500/yr off tuition | M | Social sciences | High |
| HEC scholarships | Partial to full tuition | M | Business | High |
| EXOFI (tuition waiver) | Tuition only | All | All | Lower |
| Erasmus Mundus (France-based) | €1,400/mo | Joint M | Varies | Very high |
Regional scholarships
Île-de-France (Paris region)
The region's student grants mainly fund mobility for students already enrolled in the Paris region. We found no current regional award for new international students, so check iledefrance.fr and your institution before counting on one.
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (Lyon/Grenoble)
The CMIRA programme funds international mobility linked to institutions in the region (Lyon, Grenoble, Clermont-Ferrand). Who qualifies and how much it pays change from year to year. Deadline: varies; check auvergnerhonealpes.fr.
Occitanie (Toulouse/Montpellier)
Mobility grants for international students. Toulouse is France's aerospace capital; Montpellier is strong in medicine and sciences. Deadline: check laregion.fr/bourses.
Hauts-de-France (Lille)
International mobility grants. Lille is a major student city with lower costs than Paris and cross-border access to Belgium and the UK. Deadline: check hautsdefrance.fr.
Other funding sources
Many governments fund study abroad. Check your ministry of education for bilateral agreements with France.
Industry-funded doctoral contracts: at least €2,300 a month gross in 2026, co-supervised by a company and a university. Apply via ANRT.
University-funded PhD positions at a minimum of €2,300 a month gross since 1 January 2026. Apply directly to doctoral schools.
Fondation de France, Fondation L'Oréal (women in science) and many field-specific foundations.
Beyond France, compare Erasmus Mundus, DAAD in Germany and VLIR-UOS in Belgium.
Campus Bourses lists 900+ programmes. Search by nationality, field and level.