Home›Scholarships & Costs›Scholarships for Indian Students in France 2027
Scholarships for Indian students in France are not one funding system. They include French Embassy programmes such as France Excellence Charpak, institution-nominated France Excellence Eiffel awards, Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters, university excellence scholarships, tuition exemptions, co-financed awards, corporate and foundation funding, doctoral contracts and research fellowships.
The correct strategy is to match the scholarship to your study level, programme, application route, nationality, age, academic profile and funding gap. A famous scholarship can still be irrelevant if you are applying at the wrong level or through the wrong route.
2027 status — 14 September 2026: several 2027 calls are not yet published. Charpak 2026 routes are already closed or, for some sub-programmes, were not opened. The France Excellence Eiffel 2027 campaign has not yet been published on the central Campus France page. Do not reuse 2026 deadlines as 2027 deadlines.
On this page
Which France Scholarship Fits You?
| Your profile | Best first routes to investigate | What to verify immediately |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Class 12 / bachelor applicant | Charpak Bachelor, university excellence awards, tuition exemptions | Whether the 2027 Charpak Bachelor call opens; age limit; prior admission requirement; full cost after award |
| Indian master’s applicant | Charpak Master, Eiffel, Erasmus Mundus, university scholarships | Direct vs institution-nomination route, programme eligibility, scholarship deadline before admission deadline |
| Exchange student | Charpak Exchange, Erasmus+/home-university mobility funding | Institutional partnership, session-specific call, duration and whether thesis/research activity is excluded |
| Short research internship | Charpak Summer Training | French host invitation, internship length, what the stipend does not cover |
| PhD applicant | Eiffel Doctorate, doctoral contracts, Raman–Charpak, lab/project funding | Whether you need full doctoral admission/funding rather than a taught-course scholarship |
| Postdoctoral researcher | MOPGA and research calls | Career-stage eligibility, host-lab requirement and thematic scope |
France Scholarship Routes Compared
| Scholarship route | Level | Who submits? | Key current benefit / feature | Main trap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France Excellence Charpak Bachelor | Bachelor | Student | Current programme page lists €860/month plus government-scholarship benefits | 2026 applications were not accepted; do not assume 2027 opens until officially announced |
| France Excellence Charpak Master | Master | Student | Current page lists €860/month plus visa/Campus France fee exemption and support | You must have applied for French admission first; renewal is not automatic |
| Charpak Summer Training | Short research/internship | Student | Current page lists €700/month for up to 2 months | Travel, medical/travel insurance and accommodation are not covered |
| Charpak Exchange | Bachelor/Master exchange | Student | Current pages list €860/month plus fee-waiver/support benefits | Requires a valid institutional exchange relationship; some 2026 sessions were not opened |
| France Excellence Eiffel | Master/Doctorate | French institution only | Central programme provides monthly living support and direct services | Direct student submissions are ineligible; internal university deadlines are earlier |
| Erasmus Mundus Joint Master | Master | Student to consortium | Current EU framework can provide €1,400/month for up to 24 months | Programme-specific consortium deadline and multi-country mobility |
| University / school scholarship | Varies | Automatic or separate | Can cover tuition, stipend or both | Admission does not automatically mean scholarship |
| Doctoral contract / research funding | PhD/research | Candidate via lab/school/project | Often employment-style research funding | Not interchangeable with a taught master’s scholarship |
Current Call Status: What Is Actually Open for 2027?
As of 14 September 2026, students should prepare aggressively but avoid pretending that every 2027 call is live.
| Programme | Current official status | What a 2027 applicant should do now |
|---|---|---|
| Charpak Bachelor | Campus France India says applications for the 2026 session were not accepted | Monitor the official page; prepare admission and scholarship documents but do not invent a 2027 deadline |
| Charpak Master | 2026 selection is complete | Build admission applications now and monitor the 2027 call |
| Charpak Summer Training | 2026 call is closed | Identify a French host lab/institution early for the next cycle |
| Charpak Exchange Autumn | 2026 autumn call was not opened | Check the next session page rather than assuming an annual call |
| Eiffel | 2026 campaign is closed; 2027 central calendar not yet published | Contact target French institutions now because internal nomination deadlines can precede the central deadline by weeks or months |
| Erasmus Mundus | Programme-specific applications; the EU action continues | Shortlist relevant consortia and check each programme’s 2027 intake page |
| University awards | Institution-specific | Check the exact programme and international-scholarship page |
France Excellence Charpak: Complete Guide for Indian Students
France Excellence Charpak is the French government scholarship programme in India, run through the Embassy of France in India / Campus France India. The current programme family includes Bachelor, Master, Summer Training and Exchange routes.
Charpak Bachelor
The current Campus France India page describes Charpak Bachelor for Indian students admitted to full-time bachelor’s programmes in France.
| Current published rule | Meaning for 2027 planning |
|---|---|
| Indian citizen or OCI | Confirm the live 2027 nationality rule |
| Currently age 23 or younger at application | Do not use the age rule until you confirm it remains unchanged for 2027 |
| Must have applied for French admission first | Admission preparation comes before scholarship submission |
| Current benefit: €860/month | Useful living support, but still build a complete tuition/housing/travel budget |
| Visa and Campus France procedure fee exemption | Reduces process cost but does not eliminate all costs |
| Travel not covered | Flights and other stay costs need separate funding |
| 2026 applications not accepted | Do not assume the 2027 Bachelor route will open until Campus France India announces it |
Charpak Master
The current programme is designed for one to two years of full-time master’s study in France across fields of study.
- Indian citizens and OCI holders can be eligible under the current rules.
- The current age ceiling is 30 years or younger at application.
- You must have applied for admission to a French institution before applying for Charpak Master.
- Current published living allowance: €860 per month.
- Current benefits also include visa/Campus France procedure-fee exemption, social-security/additional-health-insurance support and assistance with affordable accommodation subject to availability.
- Travel is not covered.
- The scholarship can currently be renewed once on request, based on first-year results; renewal is not automatic.
Important selection rule: Campus France India states there is no fixed minimum CGPA/percentage cut-off for Charpak Master. Selection considers academic excellence, consistency, SOP quality and the overall profile.
Charpak Summer Training
This route is for Indian bachelor’s/master’s students undertaking a short internship or research project at a French laboratory or institution during their academic break.
- Current stipend: €700/month for a maximum of 2 months.
- A French host invitation is required.
- The applicant is expected to find and approach the host laboratory/institution.
- The current scholarship does not cover travel, medical/travel insurance or accommodation assistance.
- Projects longer than the funded maximum require the student to cover the additional period.
Charpak Exchange
Charpak Exchange supports students enrolled in Indian higher-education institutions who study in France for a semester under an institutional partnership.
- Current published stipend: €860/month.
- The Indian institution must have the required tie-up with the French host.
- Current pages distinguish Spring and Autumn sessions.
- Students doing a thesis/research project/internship as part of the exchange can face route-specific exclusions; read the live call.
Charpak SOP and AI-Use Warning
Campus France India’s current Charpak Bachelor and Master pages state that scholarship SOPs are checked for plagiarism and that use of AI tools is discouraged; applications with significant AI-generated content can be disqualified.
GradVix recommendation: use planning tools only to organise your thinking. The final Charpak statement should be written in your own words, grounded in your actual academic history, programme choice and career plan. Do not submit generic AI-generated scholarship prose.
France Excellence Eiffel: Institution Nomination Is the Core Rule
The France Excellence Eiffel programme is run by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and managed by Campus France. It supports selected international students at Master’s and Doctoral levels in priority disciplines.
You cannot submit directly
Only French higher-education institutions submit Eiffel applications. Direct applications from students or foreign institutions are ineligible.
| Step | Student action |
|---|---|
| 1. Choose programme | Identify a French master’s/doctoral programme that fits Eiffel’s current fields and your profile. |
| 2. Ask institution | Contact the international-relations/scholarship office and ask whether it nominates Eiffel candidates. |
| 3. Meet internal deadline | Submit whatever internal nomination file the institution requires. |
| 4. Institution decides | The institution chooses whether to support your Eiffel candidacy. |
| 5. Institution submits | The French institution submits to Campus France. |
Use 2026 only as a planning baseline
The central 2026 Eiffel campaign opened on 1 October 2025 and closed on 8 January 2026, with results from 30 March 2026. Those dates show the likely preparation season but are not confirmed 2027 dates. A university’s internal deadline can be substantially earlier than the Campus France deadline.
Current subject families
The 2026 central programme covered seven priority areas across science/technology and humanities/social sciences, including biology and health, ecological transition, mathematics/digital sciences, engineering sciences, history/French language/civilisation, law/political science, and economics/management. Recheck the 2027 regulations when released.
What Eiffel actually pays
Campus France’s current programme pages state that Eiffel provides monthly living support and additional services such as international/national transport, insurance, housing-search support and cultural activities. The central programme itself does not simply pay every tuition invoice.
French government scholarship holders in certain public national-diploma or accredited-engineering programmes may benefit from tuition exemptions under French rules, but private-school or other programme charges must be verified separately. Never treat “Eiffel winner” as “all tuition automatically covered.”
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters With France
An Erasmus Mundus Joint Master is not a normal single-university French master’s. It is an integrated multi-country consortium programme that can include one or more French institutions.
| Current framework | What it means |
|---|---|
| Joint international master | You normally study in at least two countries in the integrated programme. |
| 60/90/120 ECTS | Programme duration is typically one to two academic years. |
| Current EU scholarship formula | Up to €1,400/month multiplied by programme duration, with a maximum scholarship period of 24 months under the current action. |
| Application | Apply directly to the Erasmus Mundus consortium/programme, not through Charpak or Eiffel. |
| Deadline | Programme-specific; often earlier than ordinary French university deadlines. |
Verify every consortium institution and the final degree structure. If France is only one mobility destination, budget the entire multi-country programme rather than only the French semester.
University Scholarships, Co-Financed Awards and Tuition Exemptions
French universities, engineering schools and business schools can offer their own international excellence awards, fee waivers, foundation scholarships and co-financed schemes.
| Funding type | What to ask |
|---|---|
| Automatic merit award | Is every admitted student considered automatically, or only specific nationalities/programmes? |
| Separate excellence scholarship | What is the scholarship application deadline compared with admission? |
| Tuition waiver/exemption | Full or partial? One year or whole degree? Does it include mandatory charges? |
| Foundation/corporate award | Does the sponsor impose field, income, nationality or career conditions? |
| Co-financed scholarship | Which organisation pays tuition, stipend, travel or fees—and for how long? |
| Apprenticeship-linked funding | Is an apprenticeship contract guaranteed? If not, what is the fallback tuition plan? |
Campus France India also lists co-financed scholarship arrangements and institution/company funding. Use the provider’s current call rather than assuming a previously listed scheme remains open.
Campus Bourses: Build a Wider Scholarship Pipeline
Campus Bourses is Campus France’s official scholarship directory. It aggregates funding from governments, regional authorities, companies, foundations and higher-education institutions.
1. Filter nationality = India
2. Select exact study level
3. Select field of study
4. Open every relevant provider call
5. Check eligible programme/institution
6. Record deadline and who receives the application
7. Record benefit, duration and exclusions
8. Save the official call URL
9. Recheck before submission
Campus Bourses is a discovery directory—not proof that you have funding. The scholarship provider’s live rules control.
PhD, Research and Postdoctoral Funding
Raman–Charpak Fellowship
The Raman–Charpak Fellowship is a bilateral research-mobility programme. The current Campus France India page states that Indian applicants must be Indian citizens residing in India and registered for a PhD in a recognised Indian institution, with other academic/age conditions applying.
The current published Indian-fellow support includes €1,500/month, return airfare, insurance where required and other specified support under the live call. This is a research-mobility fellowship, not a full taught-degree scholarship.
Make Our Planet Great Again (MOPGA)
MOPGA supports selected young international researchers in environment/climate-related research fields at French host institutions when a call is open. It is a postdoctoral/research programme, not a bachelor’s or standard master’s scholarship.
Doctoral contracts and laboratory funding
For PhD study, funding may come through a doctoral school, research institute, funded project, industrial CIFRE arrangement or other employment-style contract. Campus France’s doctoral-funding guidance highlights funded thesis offers from doctoral schools, laboratories and research organisations.
Verify salary, contract length, tuition/registration costs, teaching duties, social protection and whether the funding covers the complete research period.
2027 France Scholarship Timeline for Indian Students
September 2026
- Shortlist recognised French programmes.
- Check Charpak eligibility by level.
- Ask target universities about Eiffel nomination.
- Identify Erasmus Mundus consortia.
- Search Campus Bourses.
- Request references and academic documents.
October–December 2026
- Watch for the Eiffel 2027 central call and institutional deadlines.
- Submit early university scholarships.
- Prepare Erasmus Mundus applications.
- Complete admission applications required before scholarship submission.
- Monitor Charpak 2027 announcements.
January–March 2027
- Complete open Charpak/university calls.
- Attend scholarship/admission interviews.
- Respond to document requests.
- Track results separately from admissions.
- Build a loan/sponsor fallback plan.
April–June 2027
- Compare confirmed awards with final programme cost.
- Accept the right offer only after net-cost calculation.
- Arrange remaining finance.
- Complete EEF/Campus France and visa processes.
Before departure
- Save the scholarship letter and payment schedule.
- Confirm what fees remain payable.
- Confirm first stipend payment timing.
- Carry enough cash/liquidity for arrival before any stipend begins.
Build One Scholarship Evidence File
├── 01 Live call + eligibility rules/
├── 02 Passport + identity/
├── 03 Transcripts + certificates/
├── 04 CV + chronology/
├── 05 Admission/application evidence/
├── 06 Programme-specific SOP/
├── 07 References/
├── 08 Language results/
├── 09 Projects/research/portfolio evidence/
├── 10 Awards + leadership evidence/
├── 11 Budget + funding gap/
├── 12 Scholarship result letter/
└── 13 Conditions + renewal rules/
How to Write a Strong France Scholarship SOP
A scholarship statement should not be a generic “France has world-class education” essay.
- Academic direction: What exact subject/problem do you want to study?
- Evidence: What coursework, projects, research, internships or work show readiness?
- Programme fit: Why this exact French programme, curriculum, laboratory or school?
- Career logic: What will you do with the qualification?
- Funding logic: Why does the scholarship materially enable the plan?
- France fit: Explain France only where it connects to the programme, language, research ecosystem or career path.
Charpak warning: current Campus France India pages state that SOPs undergo plagiarism checks and significant AI-generated content can lead to disqualification. Write the final statement yourself and ensure every claim is supportable.
Scholarship Interview Preparation
For scholarships that interview candidates, be ready to answer consistently with your written application.
- Why this specific programme?
- Why France?
- Why should the scholarship fund you rather than another strong applicant?
- What academic evidence supports your readiness?
- How will you fund the remaining cost?
- What happens if the scholarship is not renewed?
- What is your post-study career plan?
- What have you personally done—not merely joined—that demonstrates initiative or impact?
Can You Combine France Scholarships?
Never assume scholarships can be stacked. Compatibility is programme-specific.
For example, the current Charpak Bachelor/Master rules state that the Embassy can revoke or discontinue the award if the recipient receives another French government scholarship, an Erasmus scholarship or certain AUF funding. Charpak can also be affected by apprenticeship/professional-training arrangements or periods abroad depending on the route.
| Before combining funding | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Government + government scholarship | Does either programme prohibit concurrent awards? |
| Scholarship + tuition waiver | Is the waiver automatically compatible or treated as another scholarship? |
| Scholarship + Erasmus mobility | Does the scholarship suspend during mobility? |
| Scholarship + apprenticeship | Does signing an employment/training contract cancel the award? |
| Scholarship + external foundation grant | Must you disclose it and does it reduce the stipend? |
Get compatibility in writing before accepting two awards.
Calculate the Real Funding Gap
A scholarship should be evaluated against the total degree cost, not against tuition alone.
| Budget line | Example question |
|---|---|
| Tuition/programme fees | Is the scholarship paying, waiving or ignoring this? |
| Living expenses | Does the monthly stipend realistically cover the city? |
| Housing deposit | Do you need 1–2 months of rent before the first stipend? |
| Travel | Are India–France flights included? |
| Visa/EEF/VFS | Which fees are waived and which remain? |
| Insurance | Is additional cover included? |
| CVEC/mandatory charges | Does the award exempt or reimburse them? |
| Second year | Is renewal automatic, competitive or unavailable? |
| Emergency fund | What if stipend payment begins after arrival? |
Use the Cost of Studying in France for Indian Students 2027 guide to calculate the full budget.
Simple funding-gap formula
Total degree cost − confirmed scholarship value − confirmed tuition waiver − family funds − confirmed education loan = remaining funding gap.
Do not count scholarship applications, expected part-time income or unapproved loans as confirmed funding.
Scholarship Scam and Red-Flag Checks
| Red flag | Correct action |
|---|---|
| “Guaranteed Eiffel nomination for a fee” | Eiffel nomination comes from the French institution, not a private agent. |
| “Pay us to secure Charpak” | Use the official Campus France India/Institut Français scholarship platform and instructions. |
| Old PDF presented as 2027 rules | Find the live 2027 call. |
| Scholarship email from unrelated domain | Verify against institution/government contact details. |
| Scholarship amount larger than official page | Use the provider’s current official benefits section. |
| “Full scholarship” but tuition excluded | Read the covered-services section before accepting. |
| Pressure to pay deposit immediately | Check scholarship result date and refund policy first. |
Common France Scholarship Mistakes
| Mistake | Why it fails | Better action |
|---|---|---|
| Using a 2026 deadline for 2027 | Calls can shift or not open | Use the live 2027 call only |
| Applying directly for Eiffel | Direct applications are ineligible | Secure institution nomination |
| Applying for Charpak before French admission application | Current Bachelor/Master routes require prior admission application | Coordinate admission first |
| Submitting generic AI-written SOP | Weak authenticity; Charpak currently warns of AI/plagiarism checks | Write specific personal evidence in your own voice |
| Counting a scholarship application as money | Budget remains unfunded until award is confirmed | Maintain a fallback plan |
| Assuming scholarship covers tuition and travel | Benefits differ sharply | Build a line-by-line funding table |
| Ignoring renewal rules | Year 2 can become unaffordable | Check duration and renewal conditions |
| Applying to an unverified course because it has a scholarship | Funding does not make a weak qualification worthwhile | Verify the programme first |
Ultimate France 2027 Scholarship Checklist
Eligibility
- Indian nationality/OCI rule checked
- Age rule checked
- Study level eligible
- Programme/field eligible
- French institution recognised
- Live 2027 call saved
Application route
- Direct vs institution nomination understood
- Admission prerequisite completed
- Internal university deadline checked
- Scholarship deadline separated from admission
- Official portal identified
Evidence
- Transcripts complete
- CV accurate
- SOP written personally
- References requested
- Language results available
- Projects/research documented
Money
- Monthly stipend confirmed
- Tuition coverage confirmed
- Travel coverage confirmed
- Fee waivers confirmed
- Renewal rule understood
- Remaining funding gap financed
After award
- Scholarship letter saved
- Compatibility with other awards checked
- First payment timing confirmed
- EEF/visa exemptions checked
- Housing/arrival cash protected
- Academic conditions understood
Build a Scholarship Tracker, Not a Wish List
Use separate columns for eligibility, programme, scholarship type, application owner, deadline, admission prerequisite, documents, benefit, exclusions, result date, renewal and remaining funding gap.
Coordinate scholarships with the France University Application Timeline 2027
Continue the France 2027 Planning Cluster
Official Sources Used
| Official source | Used for |
|---|---|
| Campus France India — France Excellence Charpak | Charpak programme family and route definitions. |
| Charpak Bachelor | Current benefits, eligibility and 2026 call status. |
| Charpak Master | Current benefits, eligibility, selection and renewal rules. |
| Charpak Summer Training | Research-internship funding, host requirement and exclusions. |
| Charpak Exchange | Exchange benefits, eligibility and session status. |
| Campus France — France Excellence Eiffel | Institution nomination, programme structure and current benefits. |
| Erasmus+ — Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters | Current scholarship formula, duration and programme structure. |
| Campus France — Scholarships for foreign students | Campus Bourses and wider funding ecosystem. |
| Raman–Charpak Fellowship | Research fellowship eligibility and benefits. |
Last checked: 14 September 2026. Scholarship calls, eligibility, benefits, deadlines, renewal rules and compatibility conditions can change. Use the live 2027 provider call as the final source.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main scholarships for Indian students in France in 2027?
The main routes to monitor include France Excellence Charpak, France Excellence Eiffel, Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters, university excellence awards, tuition exemptions, co-financed scholarships and research funding such as Raman–Charpak. The exact 2027 calls must be checked when published.
Is Charpak open for 2027?
As of 14 September 2026, the main Campus France India pages do not yet publish a complete 2027 Charpak calendar. Some 2026 routes are closed and some were not opened. Monitor the official Charpak pages rather than reusing a previous-year deadline.
How much does Charpak Master pay?
The current Campus France India page lists a living allowance of €860 per month plus specified French-government-scholarship benefits. Recheck the live 2027 call before applying.
Can I apply to Eiffel myself?
No. France Excellence Eiffel applications are submitted exclusively by French higher-education institutions. A student must first secure the institution’s support and meet its internal nomination process.
Does Eiffel pay all tuition fees?
Do not assume so. The central Eiffel programme focuses on living support and specified services. French-government-scholarship status can lead to tuition exemptions in certain eligible public national-diploma programmes, but private or other programme fees must be checked separately.
How much can an Erasmus Mundus scholarship provide?
Under the current Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters framework, the individual scholarship formula can be €1,400 per month for the programme duration, up to a maximum of 24 months. The exact consortium and intake rules control.
Can I combine Charpak with Erasmus Mundus?
Current Charpak rules state that the award may be revoked or discontinued if the recipient receives another French government scholarship, an Erasmus scholarship or certain other funding. Always obtain written compatibility confirmation before accepting multiple awards.
Do I need admission before applying for Charpak?
For the current Charpak Bachelor and Master routes, you must have applied for admission to a French institution before the scholarship application.
Can I use AI to write my Charpak SOP?
Campus France India’s current Charpak Bachelor and Master pages say AI use is discouraged and significant AI-generated content can lead to disqualification. Write the final statement in your own words using genuine, verifiable evidence.
Are there full scholarships for studying in France?
Some awards can be highly comprehensive, but “full scholarship” must be verified line by line. Check tuition, monthly stipend, travel, visa/EEF fees, insurance, housing, mandatory charges and renewal rather than relying on the label.
Where can I find additional France scholarships?
Use Campus Bourses, the official Campus France scholarship directory, then verify every opportunity on the provider’s live official page. Also check the international-scholarship page of each target French institution.
Should I wait for scholarship results before applying to universities?
Usually no. Many scholarships require an admission application first or use an earlier parallel calendar. Build admission and scholarship timelines together and maintain a fallback funding plan.