Government of France - Culture and Communication Scholarships

Culture and Communication Scholarships

You will receive a monthly allowance of approximately 550 EUR per month, which is paid in 10 instalments from September to June (approximately 1,454 EUR to 6,335 EUR per year). The amount depends on your family’s income, which is divided into eight income bands: The lower your family’s income, the higher the grant. If you live 3,500 km or more from your place of study, have refugee status or are under state guardianship, you will receive two additional summer payments (up to approximately 7,602 EUR per year). Students in the French overseas territories receive an additional 300 EUR per year. High-achieving students may also be eligible for an achievement bonus of 900 EUR per year. You can claim this grant for up to 7 years whilst you are studying. The French Ministry of Culture funds this support for students in financial need, and the CROUS network of student services handles the payments.

Who can apply

• Field of study: You are studying art and culture at a higher education institution recognised by the Ministry of Culture, for example architecture, fine art, music, dance, theatre, film, cultural heritage or communication.
• Enrolment: You are a full-time student on your first degree programme. Apprenticeships and further education courses do not count towards this.
• Financial need: The amount of your grant is based on your parents’ taxable income from the year before last. It is adjusted to take into account the distance to your educational institution, the number of your siblings attending higher education, and any disability you may have.
• Age: If you are applying for the first time, the scheme applies from 28 in 1 September of the year of enrolment. Thereafter, you will receive the grant for as long as you do not take a break from your studies. The funding period is extended by one year for each child you are bringing up, and there is no age limit if you have a recognised disability.
• Nationality and residence: You are a French national, a citizen of the EU/EEA or Switzerland with a connection to France through work or residence, a non-EU national who has been living in France for at least 2 years, or a recognised refugee or stateless person.
• Not eligible: You are not eligible for this allowance if you are a civil servant, are registered as a jobseeker with France Travail, have an apprenticeship contract or a contract for vocational training, or are a pensioner.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted online via the ‘Dossier social étudiant’ (DSE), the standard French application form for student grants, at messervices.etudiant.gouv.fr. The application period runs from 1. March to 31 May of the year before you start your studies. Applications will no longer be accepted after 31 December. The CROUS will review your documents, send you a provisional decision and confirm this once you have enrolled.

How realistic are your chances?

This is a needs-based grant and not a selection process in which only a few places are awarded. If you are studying at a recognised school in the cultural sector, meet the age requirements and your family income falls within the specified income brackets, you will receive the grant. Your chances of success depend on you meeting the criteria and applying during the spring term. So it’s best to submit your DSE application early rather than waiting.