Conseil départemental de l'Orne - Higher Education Scholarships

What you get

The Orne Department (Conseil départemental de l’Orne) helps students from the Orne region to fund their higher education studies in France or abroad. There are two types of support. A departmental scholarship provides a variable amount, which depends on your family’s income and – if you are studying abroad – on the duration of your stay. A interest-free honour loan grants a one-off 305 EUR to 1,220 EUR. You must repay this in three equal annual instalments, interest-free, once you have completed your studies. The grant is paid in two instalments: 60% at the start and 40% in the second semester, once you have provided proof that you have actually attended your course.

The department also funds stays abroad under the Erasmus programme or similar schemes (for a minimum duration of 4 months) as well as compulsory unpaid work placements abroad (for a minimum of 6 weeks). Only one scholarship may be received per academic year; however, the honour loan may be combined with one of the other forms of funding.

Who can apply

• Where your family lives: Your family must live in the Orne department.
• Financial need: Your family’s monthly per capita income (the ‘quotient familial’) must not exceed 570 EUR for studies in France and 1,058 EUR for studies abroad.
• Field of study: All fields of study are eligible for funding. For training programmes in the health and social care sectors (nursing, social work, childcare assistant, special educational needs and similar), a separate programme with its own application form applies.
• Type of school: If you are studying at a public institution (university, IUT, lycée), you are only eligible for the ‘Honor’ loan. If you are studying at a private higher education institution that is not eligible for state funding, you may be able to receive the departmental grant and, possibly, the loan.
• Study abroad: Your degree programme must require a period of study or an internship abroad, which must be confirmed by your university. An internship abroad must be unpaid.
• Lost your national grant: You can still apply even if your government grant has been reduced because you have changed degree programme or repeated a year.

How to apply

You should submit your application to the Conseil départemental de l’Orne (Bureau de la gestion administrative et des politiques éducatives), providing evidence of your family’s income and circumstances. For health and social care, you must submit the form by 22 November 2024, or by 4 April 2025 for the February 2025 intake.

How realistic are your chances?

This grant is strictly targeted: your family must live in the Orne department, and your per capita income must remain below a low threshold. This keeps the pool of eligible applicants small, meaning that only a few people are competing for it. If you meet these conditions and can demonstrate your need, your chances are good. As this is a local scheme, clear, well-reasoned applications are preferred over elaborate ones.