The France Excellence Eiffel scholarship is the French government’s flagship award for international master’s and doctoral students, and the 2027 call is now open. Indian students who want a funded master’s or PhD in France have until 6 January 2027 to get their file submitted by a French higher education institution.
Eiffel pays a monthly allowance of EUR 1,200 at master’s level and EUR 2,000 at doctoral level, plus international airfare, insurance and travel support. It does not pay tuition fees, and a student cannot apply on their own – the French institution has to nominate and file the application on Campus France.
Eiffel Scholarship 2027 at a glance
Quick facts2026-27
| Scholarship from | French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, administered by Campus France |
| Last date to apply | 6 January 2027 (applications are filed by the French institution on Campus France) |
| Official website | campusfrance.org – France Excellence Eiffel |
What the Eiffel scholarship pays in 2027
The 2027 regulations set the monthly allowance at EUR 1,200 for master’s level recipients and EUR 2,000 for doctoral level recipients, effective 1 January 2026. On top of the allowance, the programme covers:
- International airfare in the least expensive class available, reimbursed on receipts up to 50% of the maximum rate set by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs
- Domestic travel support inside France
- Health insurance
- Assistance in locating housing
- Cultural activities organised for scholarship holders
Tuition fees and course fees are not paid by the Eiffel programme at either the master’s or the doctoral level, so the tuition has to come from the institution’s own fee waiver or from another source.
How long the Eiffel scholarship runs
- Master’s component: 12, 24 or 36 months of funding to complete a master’s-level degree
- Doctoral component: mobility periods of 12, 18 or 36 months. A maximum of 36 months applies to candidates entering the second or third year of a doctorate, and a maximum of 18 months to candidates entering the first or second year
- The funded study period must begin between 1 September and 30 November of the award year, and the start date cannot be postponed
Who is eligible for the 2027 Eiffel call
- Foreign nationals nominated by a French higher education institution or a national research organisation
- Master’s level applicants must be 29 years old or younger; doctoral level applicants must be 35 years old or younger
- Enrolment in a programme awarding a master’s degree (or equivalent) accredited by the French government, a nationally accredited engineering programme, or a doctoral programme with a dual degree or joint supervision arrangement with a partner institution abroad
- Only applications submitted by French institutions are accepted – individual applications are rejected
Eligible fields of study
Seven thematic areas are open under the 2027 call. Four are in technical and exact sciences and three in humanities and social sciences:
- Biology and Health
- Ecological Transition
- Mathematics and Digital Technology
- Engineering Sciences
- French History, Language and Civilization
- Law and Political Science
- Economics and Management
How Indian students apply for the Eiffel scholarship
- Shortlist the French master’s, engineering or doctoral programme you want, in one of the seven eligible fields
- Apply to the institution for admission, or contact its international office about an Eiffel nomination
- Submit the institution’s internal Eiffel file – most institutions set an internal deadline well before 6 January 2027
- The institution uploads the nomination on the Campus France Eiffel platform before the closing date
- Track the result from 12 April 2027, when Campus France starts publishing decisions
Because the deadline is the institution’s upload date and not the student’s, the practical last date for an Indian applicant is the internal deadline of the French university – usually December 2026 or early January 2027.
Important dates for the 2027 campaign
- October 2026: the 2027 call for applications opened
- 6 January 2027: last date for Campus France to receive applications, inclusive
- From 12 April 2027: publication of results
- 1 September to 30 November 2027: the funded period must start inside this window
Why the Eiffel award matters for an Indian master’s or PhD
Eiffel is a merit award aimed at future decision-makers, and it is one of the few French government awards open to all nationalities without a country quota. For an Indian student it removes the monthly living cost question – EUR 1,200 a month at master’s level or EUR 2,000 at doctoral level, plus airfare and insurance – while the tuition is usually handled by a fee waiver from the institution that nominates you.
Recipients also file an evaluation form at the end of the first semester and a performance report at the end of the academic year, or a doctoral committee report for PhD candidates, and they join the Eiffel Alumni community described in the regulations.
Frequently asked questions
No. Only applications submitted by French higher education institutions are accepted. You have to be nominated by the institution where you want to study.
The Campus France deadline is 6 January 2027, inclusive. Institutions upload the file, so your own deadline is usually earlier.
EUR 1,200 per month at master’s level and EUR 2,000 per month at doctoral level, effective 1 January 2026, plus airfare, insurance, travel support and housing assistance.
No. Tuition fees and course fees are not paid by the Eiffel programme at either level.
Up to 29 years old at master’s level and up to 35 years old at doctoral level.
Biology and Health, Ecological Transition, Mathematics and Digital Technology, Engineering Sciences, French History Language and Civilization, Law and Political Science, and Economics and Management.
Results are published from 12 April 2027.
Official links
- France Excellence Eiffel scholarship program – Campus France
- Eiffel programme rules, 2027 session (PDF)
Read the official regulations before you start: they carry the exact allowance rates, the age limits, the duration caps and the rule that the funded period must begin between 1 September and 30 November.
Also read: study abroad scholarships, post graduation scholarships and international scholarships for other open awards this cycle.
Related scholarship posts:
- Commonwealth Shared Scholarships 2027-28
- Oxford Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarship
- TU Delft Excellence Scholarship