Scholarships
France offers significant scholarship opportunities for Indian students — led by the prestigious Eiffel Excellence Scholarship (full funding + EUR 1,181/month), French Embassy scholarships, and numerous university-specific merit awards. Combined with the CAF housing allowance (APL) available to all eligible students, France is among the most financially supported study destinations for ambitious Indian students. Prosper Overseas guides all France-bound students through available scholarship opportunities as a standard part of our service.
Eiffel Excellence Scholarship — Full Funding + EUR 1,181/Month
The Eiffel Excellence Scholarship (Bourse Eiffel Excellence) is the most prestigious French government scholarship for international master's and PhD students, awarded by Campus France on behalf of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The scholarship covers: full tuition fees at the French university; EUR 1,181/month living allowance for master's students; EUR 1,400/month for PhD students; return airfare to France; health insurance coverage in France; cultural activity allowances. India is one of Campus France's priority countries for the Eiffel Scholarship. The scholarship is highly competitive — typically awarded to students with exceptional academic records (top 5-10% of their cohort), strong research profiles, and compelling motivation. Applications are submitted through Campus France and nominated universities. Prosper Overseas provides comprehensive Eiffel Scholarship application guidance and motivation letter support.
French Embassy Scholarships for Indian Students
The French Embassy in India, through the French Institute in India (IFI) and Campus France India, administers several scholarship programmes specifically for Indian students, including: the Major Excellence Scholarship (for Grandes Écoles and selective master's programmes — partial funding); the Charpak Master's Scholarship (for Indian students selected by French universities for master's programmes — stipend + health insurance); and the Charpak Lab Scholarship (for short research internships in France). These scholarships are applied through the Campus France India portal and are separate from the Eiffel Scholarship. Prosper Overseas advises students on all French Embassy scholarship eligibility and application timelines.
Erasmus+ Scholarships
France is a major Erasmus+ participant. Indian students enrolled at French universities can access Erasmus+ mobility grants for study or internship exchanges at other European universities (EU member states and associated countries). Erasmus+ grants of EUR 250-700/month are available for outward mobility periods of 2-12 months. This is particularly valuable for French university students who wish to gain experience in another European country during their degree — for example, a business student at Sciences Po undertaking a semester at LSE or Bocconi with Erasmus+ funding.
Region-Specific Scholarships — Île-de-France, Occitanie
Several French regional governments offer scholarships for international students enrolled at universities in their region. The Île-de-France region (Paris area) offers the Île-de-France Regional Scholarship for international master's students. The Occitanie region (Toulouse, Montpellier) offers scholarships for students at its universities. Check individual university international offices for region-specific funding. The Campus France scholarship database (campusfrance.org) lists all available French scholarships by field, level, and region.
University-Specific Merit Awards
HEC Paris: HEC Paris Excellence Scholarships for outstanding international Grande École Programme students (partial fee waivers). Sciences Po: Sciences Po Scholarships and bursaries for students demonstrating financial need or academic excellence. Université Paris-Saclay: doctoral fellowships and master's excellence awards for competitive applicants. ESSEC: ESSEC Excellence Scholarship for top Master in Management international applicants. Sorbonne Université and other public universities offer bursaries for students facing financial hardship through CROUS financial aid (Aide d'urgence and Bourse CROUS sur critères sociaux). Prosper Overseas researches university-specific scholarship availability for each France-bound student.
Prosper Overseas Scholarship Guidance
Prosper Overseas assesses Eiffel Scholarship, French Embassy scholarship, and university-specific scholarship eligibility for every France-bound student as a standard part of our application service. We guide students through the timeline, documentation, and motivation letter requirements for each scholarship programme. Our France team has helped multiple Indian students build competitive Eiffel Scholarship applications and secure French Embassy scholarship support.