The scholarship, established by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, is granted to master's and Ph.D. students. Recipients receive a monthly stipend of €1,181 (US$1,275) for master’s students and €1,800 for Ph.D. students.
The scholarship also covers visa fees, round-trip airfare between Vietnam and France, social security, supplemental insurance, housing allowance, and tuition or registration fees at public universities.
One unique aspect of this scholarship is that candidates cannot apply directly; they must be nominated by a French university, said Nguyen Viet Anh, Deputy Director of the Vietnam France Exchange HCMC, an educational consultant.
If a university accepts the candidate, it submits a nomination to the scholarship authority. "You can only apply once in your lifetime if your university agrees to support your application and submit it to the review board," Anh said.
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Nguyen Viet Anh (L), Deputy Director of the Vietnam France Exchange HCMC (VFE), at a semiar discussing how to win scholarship to studying in France, Oct. 13, 2024. Photo by VFE |
Each year, around 300 scholarships are awarded, with approximately 10% allocated for Ph.D. candidates and the rest for master's candidates.
The application process includes submitting a CV, academic transcript, motivation letter, study/research plan, language certificates, and letters of recommendation from former lecturers or managers. Among these, the first three elements are the most critical.
Although the scholarship does not specify a minimum GPA requirement, a high rank can be a decisive factor.
"Achieving a top 3-5% rank in your field or university is a significant advantage," said Anh, who received the Eiffel Excellence Scholarship in 2017 after graduating as the top student in Economics and Management from Mohamed V University in Rabat, Morocco.
Do Thi Ngoan, now an Economics student at CY Cergy Paris University and a scholarship recipient, also highlighted the importance of academic ranking.
Ngoan, who graduated as the top student of the Business Administration Institute at the University of Economics, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, with a GPA of 3.78/4, emphasized that high ranking helps candidates stand out to both universities and the scholarship review board.
"Sometimes, your GPA may not be very high due to the nature of your field, but if you rank at the top of your school, department, or class, it still demonstrates excellence," Ngoan said. She also suggested requesting a confirmation of rank from the university if needed.
The motivation letter should clearly explain why the candidate choose their field and destination. For example, Ngoan targeted schools known for their academic and research focus, as well as countries with lower study costs, making France the most suitable destination.
In her letter, Ngoan highlighted her academic achievements and research experience and explained her choice of Economic Analysis at the master’s level due to her interest in subjects like Mathematics and Econometrics.
She also included her career goal of working in policy analysis at non-governmental organizations, emphasizing how the program would help her achieve this.
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Do Thi Ngoan poses for a photo in Paris as studying at CY Cergy Paris University. Photo courtesy of Ngoan |
To increase their chances of being nominated, both Anh and Ngoan underscored the importance of language proficiency, writing skills, and strong recommendation letters.
While French is not mandatory, candidates should aim for a DELF B2, DALF C1, or TCF score of 400; or an IELTS score of 6.5 or higher for English-taught programs.
Ngoan herself had an IELTS score of 6.5 but no French certificate.
It is also advisable to prepare a list of backup universities. "It's crucial not to apply to two universities at the same time, as your application will be automatically disqualified if both nominate you," Anh warned.
If a university nominates a candidate, they cannot reapply for the scholarship. However, if not selected, they may try again in the following years.
According to Anh, a panel of seven experts representing different fields evaluates applications based on three criteria: academic excellence, the international policy of the proposing university, and France’s diplomatic policy with the candidate’s home country.
This year, the program began accepting applications on Oct. 1. The deadline for French universities to submit nominations is Jan. 8, 2025, with results expected to be announced about three months later.