Programme Selection & Campus Bourses Guide
Choosing the right French programme is half the battle. Public university or grande école? English or French track? Paris or the provinces? Here is how to decide, and how to use Campus Bourses to find funded options.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
2 min read
Updated Oct 5, 2026
Start with your degree level
Bachelor's / licence (3-year programme)
Public universities are your best option, with low tuition: €178 a year for EU students and €2,902 for non-EU students in 2026/27. Apply via the Études en France portal, and consider Excellence-Major if you graduated from a French lycée abroad.
PhD (3-year research)
Find a supervisor first. A French PhD depends on your supervisor: search labs on HAL and contact professors directly. The Eiffel PhD (€2,000 a month) is the gold standard. Also consider CIFRE (industry-funded, at least €2,300 a month gross), a contrat doctoral (at least €2,300 a month gross in 2026) and ANR project funding.
Master's (1–2 year programme): pick by field
Engineering / science
Best option: grandes écoles such as Polytechnique, CentraleSupélec, Mines and INSA — Eiffel-eligible, with world-class labs. Also consider: research universities (PSL, Saclay, Sorbonne), which have strong research but less brand recognition in industry.
Business / management
Best option: business grandes écoles (HEC, ESSEC, ESCP) — Eiffel-eligible, English-taught, expensive but with scholarships. Budget option: Paris-Dauphine and TSE (Toulouse School of Economics), at public university prices.
Law / political science
Best option: Sciences Po (7 campuses) — Eiffel-eligible, with Émile Boutmy scholarships for non-EU students and income-based tuition for EEA residents. Also consider: Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and Paris 2 Panthéon-Assas, at public university prices.
Humanities / arts
Note: Eiffel covers only one humanities domain — history, French language and civilisation. For other humanities and the arts, focus on BGF, regional or institutional scholarships. Recommended: public universities (Sorbonne, ENS, Paris 8), with low tuition; apply for a BGF through your embassy.
Using Campus Bourses
Campus Bourses at campusbourses.campusfrance.org lists 900+ funding programmes. You can filter by:
Paris vs regions
| Paris | Regions | |
|---|---|---|
| Advantages | Top-ranked institutions, networking, cultural life, international community, more English-friendly | 30–50% cheaper, easier housing, better quality of life, more immersive French experience |
| Disadvantages | Housing crisis (7 beds per 100 students), rent €700–1,200 a month, bureaucracy overload, everything expensive | Fewer English-taught options, smaller international communities, less networking in some fields |
Check the French language requirements for your programme.