French Government - Copernic Scholarship

Copernic Excellence Programme (Collège des Ingénieurs Paris)

You will receive a French government scholarship of about 760 EUR per month for 12 months to spend a year in Paris. The scholarship covers your tuition fees, social security contributions and living costs. It is run by the Collège des Ingénieurs in collaboration with the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and leading French universities such as Sciences Po and the École des Mines. The year is divided into two halves. First, starting in October, there is a six-month management training programme covering accounting, finance, law, marketing, strategy, economics and negotiation skills. This is followed by a six-month paid work placement at a French company. Partner companies include L’Oréal, Renault, Air Liquide and ArcelorMittal, and around two in three placements lead to a permanent job offer.

Who can apply

• Degree: You have completed a five-year university degree (at post-master’s level) in engineering, economics or law.
• Where you come from: They come from Central or Eastern Europe, Russia and the CIS states, Turkey, Albania, Egypt or Tunisia.
• Age: You are under 30.
• Language: You speak French to an advanced level.
• No prior French grant: You have never previously received a scholarship from the French government.
• Work experience: A few years’ professional experience would be an advantage, but is not essential.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted in French to the Institut Français in your country and to the Copernic Programme by email by 16 March. You will need to provide certificates, copies of your qualifications, two references and a CV. If you are shortlisted, you will sit a French language test and attend a motivational interview before a panel comprising representatives from the programme, the French Embassy and the Institut Français, usually in April or May.

How realistic are your chances?

This award is highly selective. Only engineers, economists and lawyers under the age of 30 from certain countries who have an advanced knowledge of French are eligible to apply, so the pool of suitable candidates is small. If you clearly meet these requirements and pass the French test and the interview, your chances are good. The entire application must be written in French, which already rules out many applicants.