West African graduates, add France to your list. The France Excellence Eiffel Scholarship — the French government’s flagship award for outstanding international students — has opened its 2027 campaign, and applicants from Liberia, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and across Africa are eligible for master’s and PhD study in France.
What is the Eiffel Scholarship?
The programme was created by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and is run by Campus France. Its goal is to help French universities attract the world’s top foreign students and train future decision-makers in the private and public sectors. The 2027 campaign opened on 2 October 2026.
What does it cover?
Eiffel scholars receive a monthly allowance of €1,200 at master’s level and €2,100 at doctoral level (rates from January 2026). On top of the allowance, the programme provides international transportation, national transportation, insurance, help with searching for housing, and cultural activities. Please note that tuition fees are not covered by the Eiffel programme itself, so check the fees of your chosen institution — public university fees in France are comparatively low, and French government scholarship holders benefit from exemptions for programmes leading to a national diploma.
Who can apply?
You must be a foreign national (not a French citizen), aged 29 or under for a master’s application or 35 or under for a PhD application, with an excellent academic record. The seven eligible fields are Biology and Health, Ecological Transition, Mathematics and Digital, Engineering Sciences, History, French Language and Civilisation, Law and Political Science, and Economics and Management. Master’s funding runs 12 to 24 months (up to 36 months for an engineering degree), and doctoral funding up to 36 months.
How to apply — read this carefully
Students cannot apply to Campus France directly. A French higher education institution must submit your application for you. That means your first step is to choose a French university, contact its international office, and ask to be put forward for the Eiffel Scholarship. Institutions face a final deadline of 6 January 2027 to send applications to Campus France, and each university sets its own earlier internal deadline — so starting in October gives you a real advantage. Results will be announced during the week of 12 April 2027.
Official application and information page: https://www.campusfrance.org/en/franceexcellenceeiffelscholarshipprogram
Need help with your application?
Isaac Explains helps students across Liberia, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and beyond prepare strong scholarship applications — documents, essays, deadlines and submission support. Follow Isaac Explains for daily scholarship and immigration updates, and book a consultation here: https://www.isaacexplains.com — let’s get your French university outreach started this week.
