Paris Descartes University - FSDIE Social Aid

FSDIE Social Aid

You will receive a grant of one-off payment to cover certain costs if you find yourself in temporary financial difficulty whilst studying. The amount depends on your needs: up to 100 EUR for food, up to 300 EUR for travel costs or digital equipment such as a laptop or a SIM card, up to 500 EUR for accommodation costs and up to 600 EUR for healthcare costs, or in difficult circumstances such as debt, a break-up or job loss. You will receive this grant once per academic year, not monthly. It is funded by the FSDIE, a fund at French public higher education institutions that is partly financed by the student contribution (CVEC), which everyone pays upon enrolment. It is administered by your institution’s student welfare department.

Who can apply

• University: You are enrolled at the university which manages the fund, for example at the Université Paris Cité (into which Paris Descartes has been integrated).
• Study level: All levels, from Bachelor’s to PhD.
• Field of study: Any subject.
• Nationality: Any nationality. Both French and international students are eligible to apply.
• State grant: You can apply regardless of whether you are already receiving state funding or not.
• Financial need: You are experiencing temporary financial difficulties. Income limits may apply. At some universities, the gross income of your parents or guardians must not exceed 20,000 EUR per household member, with an upper limit of 60,000 EUR.

How to apply

Download the application form, complete it and email your full set of documents as a single PDF file to the Student Affairs Department at your university. A panel will assess each application anonymously and will usually inform you of their decision by email within about a week.

How realistic are your chances?

This is emergency financial assistance, not an award that you have to apply for. The key factor is whether you are actually facing a short-term financial problem and can provide evidence of this. If you are enrolled and submit a complete application with the correct supporting documents, your chances are good. Incomplete applications will simply be rejected, so please ensure that all the necessary documents are included.