The France-South Africa Scholarship Programme is directed to students who intend to study in universities or higher education institutions in France for their Master’s degree or PhD.
The programme is open to students with citizenship of South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi.
The call for applications is open for students who intend to start their studies in France in September 2027. Due to the differences between the Southern and Northern hemisphere calendars, laureates will follow online French language courses offered by the network of the Alliances Françaises from February to July 2027.
This call for applications is open to all fields of study. Priority will be given to applications in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, including related humanities and social sciences disciplines.
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France South Africa Scholarship Programme Postgraduate Scholarship
Aim and Benefits of France South Africa Scholarship Programme Postgraduate Scholarship
France Excellence scholarship holder status, includes:
- Social security coverage and health insurance;
- Priority access to student housing;
- Exemption from visa fees;
- Support services provided by Campus France Paris;
- Exemption from the Student and Campus Life Contribution (CVEC);
- Conditional exemption from registration fees for programmes offered by public universities under the supervision of the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research, provided that no additional tuition fees apply.
- One return flight ticket between the recipient's country of residence and France.
- A monthly living allowance (900€ per month for Master's students and 1850€ per month for PhD students, subject to reassessment).
- Eligibility to apply for additional housing support from the French Family Allowance Fund (CAF), which may provide approximately 150€ per month depending on individual circumstances.
Please note that tuition fees are not covered by the scholarship. Applicants are therefore encouraged to consider tuition costs when selecting a programme.
Scholarship holders are exempt from tuition fees at public higher education institutions that apply the standard national tuition rates for non-European students. Applicants who require assistance identifying suitable programmes may contact Campus France for guidance.
Applicants may seek additional funding from other sources to help cover these expenses and must inform the Embassy of France if they obtain any additional funding.
Requirements for France South Africa Scholarship Programme Postgraduate Scholarship Qualification
The France–South Africa Scholarship Programme supports studies at Master's and PhD level in French higher education institutions located in France. Joint or international degree programmes are eligible, provided that at least one of the partner institutions is located in France. However, scholarship funding will only cover the period of study and research undertaken in France.
Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their chosen programme leads to a qualification officially recognised by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research. As the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) only evaluates qualifications once studies have been completed, it is important to verify the status of the qualification before applying.
Please note that many programmes labelled as Master of Science (MSc) are not nationally recognised Master's degrees in France unless explicitly stated otherwise. Applicants should therefore carefully check the accreditation and recognition status of their chosen programme.
General requirements
To be eligible for the France-South Africa Scholarship Programme, applicants must be:
- Born on or after 1 January 1997.
- A citizen of South Africa, Lesotho or Malawi.
- Dual French citizens are not eligible.
- Have achieved a minimum average of 60% in their most recently completed degree.
- For Master's applicants: plan to enrol in a French higher education institution to pursue a Master's degree. Applicants are not required to have secured admission at the time of submitting their scholarship application.
- For PhD applicants: plan to pursue a PhD at a French higher education institution and have identified a prospective supervisor or research laboratory in France. Applicants are not required to have a formal admission offer at the time of submitting their scholarship application.
Interview date, Process and Venue for France South Africa Scholarship Programme Postgraduate Scholarship
Applicants will be shortlisted on the basis of the quality of their file. Candidates whose applications have been pre-selected will be interviewed. In order to identify grant recipients, the Advisory board will consider:
- The candidate's skills and merit as indicated by his/her academic record and professional background.
- The quality of his/her study project, its coherence with his/her background, as well as the clarity and quality of his/her future career plans.
- For PhD applicants, the Advisory Board will favour PhDs under co-supervision and commitment of South African and French supervisors will be decisive.
- The level of proficiency in foreign languages and its adequacy with the chosen study programmes.
Deliberations and final decisions by the Panel are beyond dispute.
Documents Required for Application
The application file is to be submitted online only and must include:
For all applicants
- A complete application form (online).
- A passport copy (or ID if passport is not yet available).
- An up-to-date CV that also states the candidate’s entire academic history.
- A cover letter explaining motivations and interests in the planned academic project.
- Copies of all previous academic degree certificates.
- University transcripts (academic marks) of at least three years of studies.
For Master's level candidates
- List of identified study programmes that the student intends on applying to, including
- links to the programme webpages,
- the application dates for these courses
- and the tuition fees.
- A maximum of 3 study programmes is permitted, and should be entered by order of preference.
- Candidates do not have to be accepted into a study programme at time of application. However, for the scholarship to be confirmed, candidates will need to provide proof of acceptance for one of the study programmes indicated during their application. Proof of acceptance must be provided between February and July 2027.
- During the scholarship application process, candidates are encouraged to submit their email exchanges with their chosen higher education institutions in France in place of the acceptance letter.
For PhD applicants
- A supervisor commitment letter (from the supervisor or two supervisors, South African and French in the case of a co-tutelle) confirming their commitment.
In the case of co-supervision, this letter must indicate that a cotutelle agreement will be established, that enrolment will be at both universities, and that a degree will be awarded by the French higher education institution.
- A detailed description of the research project (2–3 pages), including a work plan.
In the case of co-supervision, include a schedule of the periods to be spent in France during the research, and the co-tutelle agreement if it has already been signed.
Optional documents
- Cost-sharing commitment letter from the corresponding organisation.
- Academic and/or professional recommendation.
- Language proficiency certificates: French (TCF, DELF, DALF, etc.).
All candidates will need to register on the website to apply online. They can connect any time before the deadline. It is compulsory to review and select "final submission" before the deadline. After the final submission, it will no longer be possible to modify the application. A delivery status notification will be sent by e-mail to the applicants after the final online submission of application. Incomplete applications or applications which fail to meet the deadline will be automatically rejected.
Applicants are strongly advised not to wait until the last minute to submit their application, in order to ensure sufficient time to prepare a complete and high-quality application and to gather all required documents.
Check also:
Erasmus Mundus Scholarship 2027
Global Korea Scholarship 2027
Application Deadline
October 8, 2026How to Apply
For more information, kindly visit France-South Africa scholarship webpage.
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