Government of France - Grants for international mobility

Grants for international mobility (France)

As part of your French studies, you will receive 400 EUR per month if you study or undertake a work placement abroad. Each stay must last at least 1 months and no more than 10 months. You may claim this grant several times during your studies, but the total duration must not exceed 10 months. Your university will inform you before your departure how many monthly payments you will receive. This depends on how long you stay abroad, how far away the country is and how high the cost of living is there. Your own university will pay out the funds monthly, with at least one payment potentially being made before your departure. This is a state grant provided by the French Ministry of Higher Education.

Who can apply

• Existing support: You are already receiving a means-tested grant (bourse sur critères sociaux) or an annual grant for cases of particular hardship (aide spécifique annuelle).
• Your degree: You are aiming to obtain a state qualification or an institutional qualification equivalent to a higher education qualification, recognised by the French Ministry of Higher Education.
• Where you go: Your stay abroad is either a study placement or an internship that forms part of your regular degree programme, whether as part of an exchange programme or an international internship. Erasmus+ students may also be eligible to take part, subject to certain conditions.
• Field of study: Open to all subjects.
• Nationality: Applicants of all nationalities are welcome to apply, provided they meet the above requirements.

How to apply

You should collect the application form from the International Relations Office at your own university and submit it there, together with your proposed study or work placement project abroad. There is no central online portal. The head of your university will make a decision based on the quality of your project and its alignment with the institution’s international strategy, and will also determine the amount of the monthly payments. Please contact the management well in advance of your departure, as the processing may take some time.

How realistic are your chances?

This funding is highly targeted. You must already be receiving a needs-based grant and have planned to study or undertake an internship abroad as part of your degree programme, meaning that the pool of eligible applicants is small. Each university has a fixed annual quota of places and decides for itself who will receive funding. You should therefore apply well in advance and submit a clear, well-thought-out proposal. If you meet the requirements and prepare in good time, your chances are good.