CDEFI - BRAFITEC Programme

What BRAFITEC gives you

BRAFITEC is funding an engineering exchange programme between France and Brazil. If you are a Brazilian student going to France, you will receive a monthly scholarship during your stay abroad. You will also receive a lump-sum travel allowance, a settlement allowance to help you settle in, health insurance and, in some cases, a local allowance. A period of study abroad lasts 4 to 12 months (one or two semesters). Some partnerships also lead to a dual degree over two years. The programme is run jointly by the Brazilian Higher Education Agency (CAPES) and the French CDEFI, the association of French engineering schools.

Who can apply

• Level: You are a student on an undergraduate degree programme (Bachelor’s degree), known in Brazil as ‘Graduação’. Master’s and PhD students are not eligible to take part in this exchange programme.
• Field of study: You are studying engineering. All engineering disciplines are eligible.
• Where you study: Your university is taking part in an approved BRAFITEC project. In total, over 50 Brazilian universities and around 100 French engineering schools are involved.
• Direction: The exchange programme works both ways: Brazilian students go to France, and French students go to Brazil.
• No double funding: You cannot combine this grant with any other scholarship for the same purpose, and you cannot receive the same type of grant twice.

How to apply

You do not apply directly to CAPES or CDEFI. Universities apply jointly with a partner school for an approved joint project. Once the project has been accepted by your home university, you apply internally through it, and the university decides who is awarded a place. For the current round, universities must submit their project proposals by 8 July 2026. The results will be announced by the end of 2026, and funding will commence in the spring.

How realistic are your chances?

Your chances depend on two factors: whether your engineering university is part of a recognised BRAFITEC project, and whether you are selected internally once this is the case. If your university is already a partner, only a few students apply for the places, so your prospects are good provided you clearly meet the requirements. If your university is not yet involved, you cannot take part on your own initiative; you should therefore check at an early stage whether a project exists.