Eiffel and Campus France Eligibility Requirements 2027

Eiffel Excellence Scholarship

Eiffel has the strictest rules of any French government award. These are the conditions for the 2027 call, which closes for institutions on 6 January 2027.

• Age limits. Master's: 29 at most, born after March 1997. PhD: 35 at most, born after March 1991.
• Nationality. Non-French citizens only; dual nationals who hold French citizenship are not eligible. The ministry gives priority to certain countries when selecting; in 2019–20 only 9% of Eiffel scholars were European.
• Academic level. Master's (M1 or M2), an engineering diploma, or a PhD in cotutelle or co-supervision with a foreign partner university (not required for the 36-month PhD award). No licence/bachelor's level. Institutions must explain how they pre-selected you from all their admitted foreign students.
• Fields. Seven domains: biology and health; ecological transition; mathematics and digital; engineering sciences; history, French language and civilisation; law and political science; economics and management.
• Prior study in France. Master's candidates already studying in France are not eligible. PhD candidates in France can apply, but those studying abroad get priority. A past Eiffel award at a level rules you out at that level; a former Eiffel master's scholar can still be nominated at PhD level (except for the 36-month award).
• One-shot rule. Rejected once at a degree level means you are permanently barred from reapplying at that level, even through another institution.
• No double funding. Eiffel cannot be combined with another French government scholarship, an Erasmus+ grant or an AUF scholarship.

BGF (Bourse du Gouvernement Français)

• Age limits. Vary by embassy. Typically under 35, but some countries have no limit.
• Nationality. You must be a citizen of the country where the French embassy administers the BGF. Quotas are country-specific.
• Academic level. All levels — licence, master's, PhD and short courses — depending on the embassy programme.
• Fields. Usually broader than Eiffel. Many embassies accept all fields; some prioritise development-relevant sectors.

Excellence-Major

• Who can apply. Top graduates of French high schools abroad (lycées français) with a "mention Très Bien" at the baccalauréat.
• Nationality. Non-French nationals who graduated from AEFE network schools abroad.
• Duration. 5 years: a 3-year licence plus a 2-year master's, renewed annually based on academic performance.
• Fields. All fields accepted, no restrictions.

Regional scholarships

Institutional scholarships

General academic requirements

• Master's: a completed bachelor's degree, finished or provably near completion by the September start.
• PhD: a completed master's degree. There is no direct bachelor's-to-PhD path in France.
• Licence (bachelor's): a secondary diploma equivalent to the French baccalauréat. Country-specific equivalency tables apply.

The GPA question

France uses a 0–20 scale: 10 is a pass, 14 is good and 16+ is exceptional. Your grades are converted with country-specific tables. Eiffel publishes no minimum GPA, but it is very selective, so institutions nominate their strongest candidates.

Quick comparison

Common disqualifiers

• Already studying in France. For the Eiffel master's award, you cannot already be studying in France. PhD candidates in France can apply but have lower priority.
• French nationality. Dual nationals with French citizenship are ineligible for Eiffel and most Campus France scholarships.
• Over the age limit. Eiffel has strict birth-date cut-offs: after March 1997 for master's and after March 1991 for PhD in the 2027 call.
• Wrong field (Eiffel). Programmes outside the seven Eiffel domains, such as the arts, are not eligible.