ESSEC Business School/TOTAL - Total´s International Scholarship Program

What the TotalEnergies International Scholarship covers

You will receive a full scholarship for a Master’s degree programme in France, taught in English at a leading French engineering school, business school or university. It covers all costs: your travel expenses, tuition fees and living costs (accommodation, meals and study materials) for the entire duration of your studies, which is usually 1 to 2 years. You will also receive support with visa and residence permit applications, health insurance as part of the French government scholarship, and (for Nigerian scholarship holders) a 60-hour French language course before your departure. The programme is run by the energy company TotalEnergies, which has been funding it since 2004. In Nigeria, it is offered in collaboration with NNPC Limited.

Who can apply

• Where you go: You are studying in France at one of our partner universities, such as Mines Paris, the IFP School, HEC or ESSEC.
• Degree level: You are a recent university graduate and are applying for a Master’s degree programme.
• Fields: Engineering (including applied sciences), Earth Sciences (all areas of geology) or Management Sciences (business administration, accountancy, law and similar subjects). Your Master’s programme should build on your previous degree.
• Grades: You hold an excellent university degree. In Nigeria, this means at least a ‘Second Class Upper’ degree obtained no more than five years ago.
• Nationality: You live in one of the more than 50 countries in which TotalEnergies operates. Each country has its own quota, which is set by the respective national subsidiary. In Nigeria, you must also have completed the compulsory NYSC service.
• Languages: You have a basic knowledge of English and/or French.

How to apply

You can apply online via your local TotalEnergies branch or the scholarship portal. In Nigeria, the application deadline is 31 January. The selection process takes place in your home country. It comprises an aptitude test under exam conditions, followed by an interview for shortlisted candidates. Once selected, you must apply for admission to one of the partner universities yourself. Your scholarship will only come into effect once you have been admitted.

How realistic are your chances?

This is a selective scholarship. More than 150 scholarship holders are selected worldwide each year, but the places are divided into small national quotas, meaning that in a country such as Nigeria, only around 10 scholarship holders are selected annually. You will be competing against the best graduates in your field and will need to pass an aptitude test and an interview. If you have excellent grades in one of the three eligible fields of study, meet your country’s eligibility criteria and apply early enough to secure a place at university, your prospects are good.