Are you dreaming of studying in France, but are afraid you lack the finances to support your education there? As an overseas student, one of the primary concerns revolves around procuring enough finances to cover the tuition fees, living costs, travel charges, and additional expenses, for the duration of your studies in France. To ease your worries, let us make you aware of the fact that many of the top universities in France offer scholarships to international students. To nurture talent and attract students across the globe, these universities offer several need-based and merit-based scholarships to foreign students. In this blog, we will provide you with information regarding several scholarships that you can avail of as an international student who wishes to study in France.
Scholarships for Foreign Students in Leading French Universities
Let us get to know about the leading universities in France that aim to provide financial support to their international students, by offering different kinds of scholarships.
1. ENS Paris (Ecole Normale Superieure)
The first university on our list is none other than ENS Paris, one of France’s most specialized upper-level universities. It was founded in 1794.. ENS Paris chooses 30 of its most deserving international students from the Science or Arts and Humanities streams to be enrolled in its Masters program each year. Both new applicants and those accepted into the university’s undergraduate or graduate programs are eligible to apply for this scholarship. The ENS International Selection Scholarships offer a monthly grant of €1000 for 3 years, along with a room in one of the ENS campuses.
2. Sciences Po
A pioneer in the development of political science in France, Sciences Po is also known as the Paris Institute of Political Studies. It is a private and public university, built in Paris, in 1872. Named after its founder, the university provides the Emile Boutmy Scholarship meant for international students outside the EU. Students who complete three years of undergraduate study at Sciences Po are eligible to receive between €6500 and €14210 annually while postgraduate students are offered €13100 annually.
You will be required to submit proof of income, documents that explain your family’s circumstances (such as your parent’s income tax returns pay slips, divorce certificates unemployment proof, insurance, alimony, child support or pensions, and death certificates,) and your language proficiency test results, as part of the scholarship application process.
3. Paris-Saclay University
Going forward you ought to take a look at Paris-Saclay University if you are hoping to pursue technical studies. It was established in 2019, following the union of four French technical institutes. For its students enrolled in Masters programs who are 30 years of age or younger ,it offers the IDEX scholarships. This scholarship will cover your postgraduate studies at the university for €10000 per year plus an additional €1000 for travel and visa costs. Based on your online application for your master’s program, the university will send you an email inviting you to apply for the scholarship.
4. ENS De Lyon
ENS De Lyon is a type of prestigious elite publicly funded higher education institution in France. It was established in 1880. It offers the Ampere Excellence Scholarship for its students enrolled in its postgraduate courses in Exact Sciences, the Arts, and Human and Social Sciences (except FEADéP Master’s programs and a few Master’s programs). Only students from Romania, Canada, the USA, and India, can apply for this.
For 12 months, you will receive €1000 a month under this scholarship. A motivation letter and resume must be submitted as part of the application process. You may also be asked to submit extra paperwork related to research projects LORs language certificates etc., depending on the course of study you have chosen.
5. ESC Clermont Business School
One of the most suitable choices for you, if you wish to enroll in one of France’s best B-schools is ESC Clermont. Founded in 1919, ESC Clermont is a member of the Consortium of Graduate Schools of Management. You can benefit from ESC Clermont Early Registration Scholarship which reduces tuition by 5% if you pay your program deposit in advance. An additional 5% tuition fee reduction is given, for full fee payment before the program starts.
To award high-potential students with a precarious financial situation, Clermont School of Business Foundation provides the Social Scholarship which offers a 5% to 20% reduction on tuition fees. Apart from your financial condition, your academic performance, behavior, and attendance will also be taken into consideration, to be granted this scholarship.
6. HEC Paris
Another prestigious B-school in France is the HEC Paris which came into being in 1881. It is situated in Pariss Jouy-en-Josas, an outer suburb in southwest France. You should think about applying for one of the HEC Paris’ Excellence and Diversity scholarships worth €1,000,000
if you are an international student enrolled in an MBA program. Along with your profile, work history, GMAT score, and the results of your two interviews with HEC Paris MBA alumni, you must submit an essay to be considered for this scholarship.
7. Polytechnique Institute of Paris
Engineering aspirants are in for a treat here at the Polytechnique Institute of Paris. It’s in Palaiseau and was built in 2019. The Excellence Scholarships are available to students who have a strong desire to enroll in the institute’s Bachelor of Arts program and have exceptional academic aptitude. The scholarship is valued at €4800 per year, for 3 years. Its Polytechnic School also grants the Women in Science Scholarships (€4,800, per year, for 3 years) to its female undergraduate students.
8. EDHEC Business School
Yet another highly-recognized B-school in France is the EDHEC Business School, which was built in 1906. It has several campuses within France in Lille, Nice, and Paris, as well as in the UK, and Singapore. To reward excellence and foster diversity in its MBA and EMBA cohorts across all campuses, EDHEC’s generous and transparent scholarship policy can potentially reduce your tuition fees by 15-40%.
Apart from this, the institution also offers the Make an Impact Scholarship for its Masters in Management and Master of Science applicants, which covers 25% of their tuition fees. To apply for this scholarship, you need to submit a 1000-1500 word essay, along with your application, with emphasis on your career plan.
The essay should describe your prior experience, explain how studying postgraduation at EDHEC B-school will contribute to your career plan, and your motives for making an impact on UN sustainable development goals throughout your career.
9. Grenoble Institute of Technology
A renowned French engineering and management school, the Grenoble Institute of Technology was founded in 1900. The Grenoble INP Foundation offers master’s degree students scholarships worth €5000 per semester, for a maximum of two semesters. If you are an international student under the age of 28, you are eligible to apply for this scholarship. Candidates will be selected based on their LORs and scientific project transcripts.
10. Paris College of Arts (PCA)
The Paris College of Arts is worth considering for students who want to pursue a career in art and design. It was established in 1981 and holds accreditation from the Paris France-based US National Association of Art and Design (NASAD). Graduate musicians and visual artists who want to pursue further artistic education in Paris are awarded the Harriet Hale Woolley Scholarship by PCA. It is awarded in partnership with the US Foundation. It offers students with €10,000 stipend, a rent-controlled live-in artist workshop or music studio at the Foundation of the United States, and access to on-site performance and exhibition facilities.
Conclusion
Thus we saw how some of the most prestigious, highly-ranked universities in France offer various kinds of need-based and merit-based scholarships to its international students. These scholarships help students fulfill their academic goals, without worrying about finances. Such scholarships play an important in nurturing the talent of several foreign students. By offering such scholarships, universities in France foster an inclusive environment, as they can attract students from various types of ethnicities, and backgrounds.
While awarding such scholarships, universities in France place a strong emphasis on an applicant’s academic score, and behavior, as well as the way how you write a resume, LOR, motivation letter, SOP, etc. If you also wish to study in France , at a university that offers scholarships, you can contact reputed study-abroad consultants. We, at Contentholic , are known for our expert career counseling , and academic writing services and have one of the best SOP and LOR writers in India. So, do feel free to reach out to us.
