France Excellence Eiffel Scholarship for South Africans

Written by Keagan HendricksStaff Writer (Unisa Alumnus)

Reviewed & verified by Naledi KhumaloSenior Admissions and Bursaries EditorVerified

The France Excellence Eiffel Scholarship is a French government award that pays a monthly allowance and travel, insurance and housing services to international students on a Master’s or PhD programme in France. The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs funds it and Campus France runs it. The key difference from most scholarships is that you cannot apply for it yourself. A French university or school has to select you and submit your file to Campus France in Paris. Applications that students or foreign institutions send directly are rejected.

The last campaign, for study starting in 2026, opened on 1 October 2025. Campus France had to receive institutions’ applications by 8 January 2026, and results were published from 30 March 2026. Campus France South Africa says the Eiffel campaign opens each year in October. The French institution you apply through sets its own internal deadline, which is usually earlier than the Paris one.

Why the French institution applies on your behalf

The programme exists to help French institutions recruit strong foreign students, so the scholarship application follows the course application. Campus France South Africa describes two phases:

1. Choose a Master’s, engineering or doctoral programme in France and apply for a place. Contact the institution’s international relations office, or the programme’s contact person, to find out whether it nominates Eiffel candidates and what its internal deadline is. Any French higher education institution may take part.
2. If the institution decides to back you, it sends you the Eiffel application form, helps you complete it and submits it online to Campus France before the national deadline.

Because each institution shortlists its own candidates, you compete first inside your chosen school and then nationally against nominees from every other French institution. A panel of experts makes the final selection for the Ministry.

The age limits and the seven fields

The Eiffel programme targets future decision-makers in the private and public sectors. Master’s candidates may be up to 29 years old and PhD candidates up to 35. Campus France South Africa adds that the Master’s strand is aimed at applicants from developing countries, while the PhD strand is open to developing and industrialised countries alike. Study must fall in one of seven areas:

Monthly allowance, travel and the tuition question

From January 2026, a Master’s-level holder receives €1,200 a month. At doctoral level the Eiffel rules and Campus France South Africa give €2,000 a month, although one Campus France programme page states €2,100. On top of the allowance, Campus France provides or pays for:

• an economy-class flight from the international airport nearest your home to France, and back at the end, reimbursed against receipts up to 50% of the Ministry’s maximum rate for the country, plus second-class train or bus travel inside France to and from the airport
• temporary health insurance until you join the free French student social security scheme, then supplementary cover at no cost to you
• an offer of housing in a CROUS student residence or a private home, which you may turn down
• subsidised weekend trips and cultural outings for Eiffel holders

The Eiffel programme does not pay tuition. The implementation rules note, however, that French government scholarship holders are exempt from tuition charges for national Master’s and doctoral degrees and accredited engineering degrees at public institutions under the Ministry of Higher Education and Research. At a private school, or on a programme that is not a national diploma, you have to cover the fees yourself.

How long the award lasts

For a Master’s, the award runs for at most 12 months if you enter the second year (M2), 24 months if you enter the first year (M1), and 36 months for an engineering degree. It must start between 1 September and 30 November of the award year and cannot be deferred to a later year. Repeating a failed year suspends the scholarship. A PhD award runs for 12, 18 or 36 months from 1 September. The 36-month option is only for new candidates entering the first year of a doctorate who are not already studying in France. Shorter PhD awards can be split into stays of at least six months, which suits joint supervision with a South African university.

Holders must send Campus France their enrolment certificate and proof of health cover at the start, report their academic progress twice a year, and give notice before any internship, trip abroad or gap year. The scholarship is suspended during optional internships and gap years.

Local help and other French routes

Campus France South Africa advises on choosing a programme and on visas. Its Eiffel page covers the South African angle, and the office answers questions at southafrica@campusfrance.org or on WhatsApp at +27 62 129 6865. The official rules are on the Campus France Eiffel programme page. The French Embassy in South Africa also funds study in France, covered on our Embassy of France scholarship page, and our France Excellence Europa page covers another French government Master’s award. Local options are on the postgraduate bursaries list.

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