15/05/2026: this article is under construction.

If you are from India and looking for scholarships in order to study in France, please take a look at this article.

We also invite you to check these websites out:

• CampusBourses, which is a scholarship search engine handled by Campus France,
• The ESSEC’s Registrar office website, especially if…
  1. If you are a student in a French lycée accredited by the Agence de l’enseignement français à l’étranger (AEFE), you might apply for the France Excellence-Major scholarship,
  2. If you have a valid residence permit, have been living in France for at least the past two years and have been part of a French tax household for at least the past two years, use the simulator of the CROUS bourse, as you might eligible to it.

• Scholarships granted by the French government: France Excellence Charpak
  • France Excellence Charpak -- Bachelor scholarship
  • France Excellence Charpak -- Master Scholarship
  • France Excellence Charpak -- Summer Training Scholarship
  • France Excellence Charpak -- Exchange Scholarship
• Other scholarships
  • Legrand Empowering Scholarship Programme
  • Amba Dalmia Scholarship

Scholarships granted by the French government: France Excellence Charpak

Through France Excellence Charpak, Campus France offers four different types of scholarships to Indian students willing to study in France.

France Excellence Charpak -- Bachelor scholarship

This scholarship is available for full-time bachelor’s degree programs in France only. Students already pursuing a bachelor’s in France can apply for funding for the second or third year.

Costs covered by the scholarship:

Once selected, the student receives the status of French government scholarship holders (Boursier du Government Français) along with:

• Monthly living allowance of €860,
• Exemption of visa (if applying from India) and Campus France Procedure fees,
• Student social security and additional health insurance ("mutuelle"),
• Meal discount at university restaurants ("restaurants universitaires" du CROUS) with meals at €1,
• Assistance through Campus France to find affordable student accommodation in France (priority access to CROUS residencies, subject to availability),
• Access to social and cultural activities organised by Campus France.

The scholarship does cover neither the travel expenses from India to France or within France, nor other expenses related to awardee’s stay in France.

Application requirements:

To be eligible, applicant must:

• be an Indian citizen or hold an OCI card,
• be 23 years old or younger at the time of application,
• be currently enrolled or have completed studies at an Indian senior secondary school. Applicants who have studied abroad are eligible, but preference will be given to those who have completed their education from an Indian school,
• have applied for admission to a French institution prior to applying for the scholarship,
• ensure the course takes place in France. If part of your studies in ESSEC (one semester or more) takes place in another country, such as ESSEC APAC or ESSEC Africa, the scholarship will not cover that period.

Knowledge of French is an asset but not mandatory to apply for the scholarship.

Application submission and timetable:

Please note that you cannot apply for this scholarship before applying to ESSEC or any other French institutions.

To get help with these procedures, please contact your nearest Campus France office in India.

You must submit an online application on this platform with the following documents:

• A passport size photograph,
• A copy of your passport,
• A Curriculum Vitae (maximum 2 pages),
• A copy of admission/acceptance letter from ESSEC,
• Scanned copies of marksheet and passing certificate of Higher Secondary School (XII) and Secondary school (X),
• A French language certificate, if any (DELF/DALF)
• A letter of recommendation (optional).

During the process, you might be asked to fill information out about ESSEC: find the relevant information in the following article: ESSEC Contact Person versus scholarship application

The deadline for the application submission is usually in the beginning of March.

Useful links for further information:

Any questions shall be addressed to: scholarship.france@institutfrancaisindia.in

Link to the Charpak Bachelor scholarship webpage

France Excellence Charpak -- Master Scholarship

This scholarship is designed for one to two years of studies in France at the Master’s degree level for all streams and fields of study. Students already pursuing a Master’s degree in France can apply for funding for their second year.

Costs covered by the scholarship:

Once selected, the student receives the status of French government scholarship holders (Boursier du Government Français) along with:

• Monthly living allowance of €860,
• Exemption of visa (if applying from India) and Campus France Procedure fees,
• Student social security and additional health insurance ("mutuelle"),
• Meal discount at university restaurants ("restaurants universitaires" du CROUS) with meals at €1,
• Assistance through Campus France to find affordable student accommodation in France (priority access to CROUS residencies, subject to availability),
• Access to social and cultural activities organised by Campus France.

The scholarship does cover neither the travel expenses from India to France or within France, nor other expenses related to awardee’s stay in France.

Application requirements:

To be eligible, applicant must:

• be an Indian citizen or hold an OCI card,
• be 30 years old or younger at the time of application,
• be currently enrolled or have completed studies at an Indian institution of higher education. Applicants who with a degree from a foreign institution are eligible, but preference will be given to those who have completed their education from an Indian institution,
• have applied for admission to a French institution prior to applying for the scholarship,
• ensure the course takes place in France. If part of your studies in ESSEC (one semester or more) takes place in another country such as ESSEC APAC or ESSEC Africa, the scholarship will not cover that period.

Knowledge of French is an asset but not mandatory to apply for the scholarship.

Please note that PhD students or students that already have been awarded the Charpak Master scholarship are not eligible.

Application submission and timetable:

Please note that you cannot apply for this scholarship before applying to ESSEC or any other French institutions.

To get help with these procedures, please contact your nearest Campus France office in India.

You must submit an online application on this platform with the following documents:

• A passport size photograph,
• A copy of your passport,
• A Curriculum Vitae (maximum 2 pages),
• A copy of admission/acceptance letter from ESSEC,
• Scanned copies of marksheet and passing certificate of Higher Secondary School (XII), Bachelor's and Master's degrees (including those of completed semesters of the ongoing degree),
• A French language certificate, if any (DELF/DALF)
• A letter of recommendation from the current Indian university/employer or from the institution last attended.

During the process, you might be asked to fill information out about ESSEC: find the relevant information in the following article: ESSEC Contact Person versus scholarship application

The deadline for the application submission is usually in the end of March.

Useful links for further information:

Any questions shall be addressed to: scholarship.france@institutfrancaisindia.in

Link to the Charpak Master scholarship webpage

France Excellence Charpak -- Summer Training Scholarship

This programme is for Indian students enrolled in an Indian institution at the Bachelor’s or Master’s degree level, planning to undertake a short term internship or research project at a French laboratory or institution during their academic break (between May and August).

Costs covered by the scholarship:

Once selected, the student gets:

• Maximum two monthly living allowance of €700 provided by the French Institute in India,
• Student visa fee waiver (if applying from India),
• Waiver of Campus France procedure fees (if applicable).

The scholarship does cover neither the travel expenses from India to France or within France, nor other expenses related to awardee’s stay in France (accomodation assistance, medical expenses, travel insurance...).

If a student opt for an internship for more than 2 months, the French Institute will provide benefits for a maximum of 2 months. For any exceeding duration, the expenses will have to be borne by the awardee.

Application requirements:

To be eligible, applicant must:

• be an Indian citizen residing in India at the time of the application,
• be 30 years old or younger at the time of application,
• be currently enrolled in an Indian institution of higher education at Bachelor's or Master's level,
• be in possession of an invitation letter from a French laboratory or institution where the research internship or project will be carried out. Candidates must approach the laboratory or institution on their own, as per their research interests before applying for the scholarship.
• the duration of the research internship or project must not be less than 1 month and must not exceed 2 months. If the duration exceeds 2 months, the awardees will have to cover the expenses for rest of the duration by themselves.

Knowledge of French is an asset but not mandatory to apply for the scholarship.

Application submission and timetable:

Please note that you cannot apply for this scholarship before applying to ESSEC or any other French institutions.

To get help with these procedures, please contact your nearest Campus France office in India.

You must submit an online application on this platform with the following documents:

• A passport size photograph,
• A copy of your passport,
• A Curriculum Vitae (maximum 2 pages),
• A copy of admission/acceptance letter from ESSEC,
• Scanned copies of marksheet and passing certificate of Higher Secondary School (XII), Bachelor's and Master's degrees (including those of completed semesters of the ongoing degree),
• No objection certificate (NOC) from the Indian university attesting to your status as a student and declaring that it has no issues with you carrying out an internship or research project in France ("NOC format Charpak Lab.docx" document attached to this article)
• Scanned copy of your invitation letter from the French higher education institution / laboratory. The invitation letter must mention the exact duration of your internship or research project. If you have not received the letter before the deadline, you can attach an email correspondence to prove that you will get it later.  ("Invitation letter format Charpak Lab.docx" attached to this article),
• A French language certificate, if any (DELF/DALF),
• Document of employment / internship record, if any,
• A letter of recommendation from the current Indian university (optional).

Useful links for further information:

Any questions shall be addressed to: scholarship.france@institutfrancaisindia.in

Link to the Charpak Summer Training scholarship webpage

France Excellence Charpak -- Exchange Scholarship

This scholarship is for Indian students from all fields and streams of study, enrolled in an Indian institution at the Bachelor's or Master’s degree level, who wish to undertake a study exchange semester programme in France (for a period of one to six months). 

Costs covered by the scholarship:

Once selected, the student receives the status of French government scholarship holders (Boursier du Government Français) along with:

• Monthly living allowance of €860,
• Exemption of visa (if applying from India) and Campus France Procedure fees,
• Student social security,
• Assistance through Campus France to find affordable student accommodation in France (subject to availability).

Application requirements:

To be eligible, applicant must:

• be an Indian citizen or hold an OCI card,
• be 30 years old or younger at the time of application,
• be currently enrolled in an Indian institution of higher learning that has a tie-up with the French institution where the applicant will pursue an exchange semester,
• be accepted for a study exchange semester. Students who are undertaking a thesis, research project, or internship as part of their exchange are NOT eligible to apply,
• be nominated by their home institution to participate in the exchange programme.

Application submission and timetable:

First, interested students must inquire with their Indian institutions about MoUs or partnership agreement with ESSEC before starting the application procedure.

Then, a student must submit an online application on this platform with the following documents:

• A passport size photograph,
• A copy of your passport,
• A Curriculum Vitae (maximum 2 pages),
• A copy of admission/acceptance letter from ESSEC,
• Scanned copies of marksheet and passing certificate of Higher Secondary School (XII), Bachelor's and Master's degrees (including those of completed semesters of the ongoing degree),
• A French language certificate, if any (DELF/DALF),
• Document of employment / internship record, if any,
• A letter of recommendation from the current Indian university (optional),
• No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Indian institution.

During the process, you might be asked to fill information out about ESSEC: find the relevant information in the following article: ESSEC Contact Person versus scholarship application

Results for the Spring session are published in November.

Results for the Autumn session are published in June.

Useful links for further information:

Any questions shall be addressed to: scholarship.france@institutfrancaisindia.in

Link to the Charpak Exchange scholarship webpage (Spring)

Link to the Charpak Exchange scholarship webpage (Autumn)

Other scholarships

Legrand Empowering Scholarship Programme

The Legrand Empowering Scholarship Programme is designed for Indian students aspiring to pursue a Master’s programme at one of the French higher education institutions. 

Legrand is the global specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructure. Based in Limoges in France, Legrand operates in 90 countries and has a market presence in over 180 countries. Legrand offers a wide range of products in the categories of Energy distribution, Wiring devices, Home Automation, Structured Cabling, UPS, Lighting Management Solutions, Cable Management and Industrial application products.

Please note that this scholarship is not necessarily renewed every academic year: please check Campus France webpage on the Empowering Scholarship Programme for more information.

Costs covered by the scholarship:

The scholarship covers:

• a monthly stipend of INR 59,500,
• visa and Campus France fees waiver.

The scholarship award can be renewed for a second year and will be subject to students’ academic performance and attendance record in the first year of master studies.

Application requirements:

To be eligible, applicant must:

• be an Indian citizen living in India,
• be 30 years old or younger at the time of application,
• have good academic records (senior secondary & UG),
• have secured admission to ESSEC starting from September of upcoming academic year,
• have a first degree or diploma or professional qualification in their specialisation,
• belong to low-income families (annual income should be less than INR 8 lakh from all sources).

Please note that preference will be given to:

• differently-abled,
• students from LGBTQ community,
• single mother children,
• martyred armed forces personnel children.

Application submission and timetable:

You must submit an online application on this platform with the following documents:

• A passport size photograph,
• A copy of your passport,
• A Curriculum Vitae (maximum 2 pages),
• A copy of admission/acceptance letter from ESSEC,
• Proof of educational qualifications (scanned copies, attested by a gazette officer) – High school and university marksheet and passing certificate/degree
• Statement of Purpose, stating clearly in detail what you want to do in the France or project you plan to undertake and how you will put it to use on returning to India.
• Document proof of family income. Supporting document could be - ITR or Form 16 (as applicable) for last 2 years // Income/Salary Certificate // Pension certicate // Retirement certificate, if parent is retired
• A French language certificate, if any (DELF/DALF),
• Document of employment / internship record, if any,
• A letter of recommendation from the university (optional).

Applications are usually open from April to May. The results are usually sent in June.

Useful links for further information:

Any questions shall be addressed to: scholarship.france@institutfrancaisindia.in

Link to the Legrand Empowering Scholarship Programme page on Campus France's website 

Amba Dalmia Scholarship

The Amba Dalmia scholarship offers financial support to talented young women who wish to pursue higher studies in France in various fields such as Music, Theatre, Sports, [...] Oenology, Culinary studies, Tailoring, Stitching and Fashion. 

Please note that this scholarship is not necessarily renewed every academic year: check Campus France webpage on the Amba Dalmia Scholarship for more information.

Costs covered by the scholarship:

The scholarship grants:

• a monthly stipend to support their living expenses in France,
• assistance provided by the Embassy of France in India, including access to social security, visa and Campus France fees waiver and other services.

The scholarship is awarded for a maximum duration of one year or for the duration of the project in France, and is not renewable.

Application requirements:

To be eligible, applicant must:

• be an Indian citizen,
• be 18 years old or older at the time of application,
• be a female student or professional who has preferably completed her high school or graduation from an Indian institution & has demonstrated consistently remarkable academic record,
• have applied for/secured admission in a French higher education institution.

Knowledge of French is an asset but not mandatory to apply for the scholarship.

Any applicants who have obtained another scholarship from the French government or an Erasmus Mundus scholarship are not eligible.

Once selected, candidates may be called for an online interview.

Application submission and timetable:

You must submit an application by filling out this online form and attach the following documents:

• A passport size photograph,
• A copy of your passport,
• A Curriculum Vitae,
• A motivation letter (please find 2025 template attached to this article),
• A copy of admission/acceptance letter from ESSEC or proof that progress towards acceptance has been made,
• Proof of educational qualifications – High school and university marksheet and passing certificate/degree (of all semesters, completed or ongoing),
• Internship documents or Portfolio submission where appropriate.

Applications are usually open from end of April to end of June, and results may be published in end of July.

Useful links for further information:

Any questions shall be addressed to: scholarship.france@institutfrancaisindia.in

Link to Campus France webpage on the Amba Dalmia Scholarship