Scholarships & grants
Scholarships are financial grants offered to students on the basis of various criteria such as academic merit, financial need, field of study, etc. Research and apply for as many bursaries as possible to maximise your chances of receiving financial aid. Here are the main grants for which you may be eligible.
Féron-Vrau Scholarship
The Féron Vrau scholarship is designed to finance the first year of a Bachelor’s degree for 20 successful applicants. This scholarship is renewable for years 2 and 3, subject to the following criteria being met: attendance at classes, maintaining a satisfactory overall average grade, not retaking a year, and active involvement in the school, community or social life.
French or foreign high school students who are eligible for CROUS scholarship levels 6 and 7 (with a family income of between €0 and €50,000 according to the previous year’s tax assessment) and who are planning to enrol in a Bachelor’s degree are eligible for this scholarship.
For application deadlines and further information, visit the Féron-Vrau Scholarship page on the University website.
ESPOL Scholarship
The ESPOL Scholarship is open to current and future students enrolling for a 2nd and 3rd year of Bachelor’s degree, 1st and 2nd year of Master’s degree at ESPOL. It may be combined with other scholarships, but is incompatible with those already covering tuition fees.
The selection criteria are based on academic excellence ( 15/20 minimum) and the suitability of the student’s career plan with ESPOL’s courses. The scholarship amounts, ranging from €1,000 to €2,000, are paid after enrolment, but are withdrawn if the student fails to complete the academic year. In line with our policy of inclusion, we invite students with a disability declared to the CPSU and the MAH to apply, even if they do not exactly meet the criteria (point 2), as their application will be studied sympathetically.
To find out how to apply and the application deadlines, please consult the ESPOL Scholarship regulations.
Scholarships based on social criteria
The higher education grant based on social criteria offers a valuable opportunity for students facing financial difficulties to pursue their higher education studies. Designed to supplement family support, this grant helps young people who face financial obstacles in their academic pursuits. Accessible under certain conditions, it offers significant financial support, on several levels, to cover the costs associated with student life. Beyond its financial aspect, the BCS is a real gateway to higher education, helping to promote equal opportunities and access to education for all.
France Excellence Eiffel scholarship
The France Excellence Eiffel scholarship programme aims to attract the best foreign students to French higher education institutions for their Masters and PhD studies. Eiffel scholarships provide funding for the duration of the programme and the monthly amounts vary according to the level of study, with additional services such as international transport, finding accommodation, etc.
Eligibility requirements include foreign nationality, a maximum age of 30 for Masters level and 35 for PhD level, with priority given to students already engaged in studies abroad. Applicants from emerging countries are also given priority. To apply, students are invited to contact the Campus France Service in their home country or the Cooperation and Cultural Action Department of the French embassy for advice and guidance on their study plans.
Other scholarships are available depending on your country of origin
There are many other scholarships available depending on your level of education, your situation and your country of origin. To find out about all the possibilities available to you and put all the chances on your side, we encourage you to look for opportunities online or with your government services. The Campus France website, for example, offers Campus Bourse, a grant search engine that gives you access to a wide range of grants depending on your situation.
Financial support
Students in financial difficulty
To support students in financial difficulty, the government offers two types of assistance. Firstly, the annual specific allowance is intended for students facing long-term financial difficulties. This aid is available subject to certain conditions, in particular being under 35 years of age on 1 September of the year of study, except in the case of recognition of disability by the CDAPH (Commission for the Rights and Independence of the Disabled). Students must meet the same criteria as for a grant based on social criteria, but must not already be receiving one. The amount of this allowance varies according to the level of the grant on social criteria and is decided by the director of the Crous.
One-off specific aid is available for students facing temporary financial difficulties. The maximum amount of this aid is equivalent to level 2 of the social criteria grant. Students can apply for this aid by contacting the Crous social services department in their region. The aim of these schemes is to support students in their university studies by offering them financial assistance tailored to their situation”.
‘Aide au mérite’
If you have achieved a ‘with highest honours’ mention at your high school diploma and are about to embark on your higher education career, you may be eligible for ‘Aide au mérite’, subject to certain conditions. This aid, which is complementary to the scholarship based on social criteria, varies according to the date on which you obtained your high school diploma: in 2023, between 2015 and 2022, or before 2015 (consult the public services website to find out about these variations). To qualify for this assistance if you have passed your baccalaureate in 2023, you must meet three criteria:
- receive a grant based on social criteria or a specific annual allowance for the current year,
- have obtained a ‘with highest honours’ mention in your baccalaureate,
- be enrolled in a higher education establishment at the start of the academic year in question.
You can apply by submitting a dossier social étudiant (DSE).
Personalised housing assistance
You can apply for personalised housing assistance (APL) from the Caf (the office responsible for your student accommodation) as soon as you become a tenant. This assistance helps to finance part of your rent and is adapted according to the amount of rent, your income and your family situation. You can find more information and run a simulation on the public services website.
International mobility assistance
If you are planning to follow a higher education course or do a work placement abroad as a student, you may be eligible for support for international mobility. This financial assistance is intended for students who meet certain conditions, including receiving a scholarship based on social criteria or an annual specific allowance and preparing for a national degree under the authority of the Ministry of Higher Education.
To apply, you need to submit an application form to your institution’s international relations department, together with a plan for your stay abroad. The duration of the eligible stay varies from 2 to 9 consecutive months. The amount of the allowance, set at €400 per month for the 2023-2024 academic year, is paid monthly by the institution. This aid can be combined with other schemes such as merit-based aid and grants based on social criteria.