Five Master’s Scholarships in France for African Students: 2027 Guide
- Study in
- France
- Levels
- Master's
- Funding
- Varies, from €12,000 a year to fully funded
- Covers
- Varies by scheme: tuition, living allowance, travel and visa costs
- Who can apply
- African and other international students admitted to a master's in France; each scheme has its own rules
- Run by
- Sciences Po and Mastercard Foundation, French government (Campus France), European Union, Université Paris-Saclay, ENS de Lyon
On this page
France has several funded routes for African students who want a master’s degree. This guide covers five that you can check on official pages: the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Sciences Po, the France Excellence Eiffel Scholarship, Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters, the Université Paris-Saclay International Master’s Scholarship and the ENS de Lyon Ampère Excellence Scholarship. Some pay your full costs. Others give you a monthly sum.
Status: Most 2027 rounds open between October 2026 and early 2027. The Eiffel call for 2027 is open until January 2027. Erasmus Mundus courses usually take applications from October to January. ENS de Lyon will post its 2027-2028 dates in November 2026. Sciences Po and Paris-Saclay have not posted 2027 scholarship dates yet (checked October 19, 2026).
Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Sciences Po
This programme pays tuition and living costs for a two-year master’s at Sciences Po in Paris, with housing reserved for scholars. It is for citizens of Sub-Saharan African countries who are under 35 when the master’s starts. You must show financial need and C1 level in English or French. Your bachelor’s must be from a university that partners with Sciences Po or the Mastercard Foundation. One-year, dual and joint master’s are excluded. The Sciences Po scholars page still shows its older timeline, in which the eligibility request closed at the end of November.
France Excellence Eiffel Scholarship
The French government funds Eiffel for master’s and PhD students. You cannot apply alone. Your French university applies for you. The Campus France 2027 call is open until January 2027. Read our full Eiffel Scholarship guide for the details.
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters
These are master’s run by groups of universities in Europe, and many include French universities. The EU says they are open to students from anywhere in the world. You need a bachelor’s, or you must be in its final year. Scholarships go to the best-ranked students and cover participation costs, with help for travel, visa and living costs. You apply to each course directly. Search the Erasmus Mundus catalogue for courses with a French partner.
Université Paris-Saclay International Master’s Scholarship
This gives €10,000 a year, paid monthly from September to June, plus up to €900 for travel and visa costs. You must be a foreign national under 30 in the year you apply, admitted to a Paris-Saclay master’s, and new to French higher education. The award lasts one year and can be renewed for a second year. Course coordinators choose who can apply. Last year they did so by 25 March 2026, and candidates applied by 31 March. See the Paris-Saclay scholarship page.
ENS de Lyon Ampère Excellence Scholarship
Ampère pays €1,000 a month for 12 months to strong international students in an ENS de Lyon master’s in sciences, arts, humanities or social sciences. EU and non-EU students can apply. The last round ran from 14 November 2025 to 23 January 2026. See the ENS de Lyon Ampère page.
Key details
| Scholarship | Value | Last known deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Mastercard Foundation at Sciences Po | Tuition and living costs | End of November (eligibility request) |
| France Excellence Eiffel | Government scholarship | January 2027 (institutions) |
| Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters | Participation costs, travel and living | Usually January, set per course |
| Paris-Saclay International Master’s | €10,000 a year | 31 March 2026 |
| ENS de Lyon Ampère | €12,000 for one year | 23 January 2026 |
How to apply
- Choose your master’s first. Every scheme here depends on admission to a course.
- Check each official page for the 2027 dates as they appear.
- Prepare your CV, transcripts, degree certificate, motivation letter and language results early.
- Apply for the master’s and the scholarship together where the scheme allows it.
Tips before you apply
- You cannot hold the Paris-Saclay award together with Eiffel or Erasmus Mundus funding, so plan which one you want most.
- Late, emailed or incomplete Ampère applications are not considered.
- If you are declared eligible for the Sciences Po scholars programme, you can get the €150 application fee waived.
- Apply to more than one scheme. Each one is very competitive.
Related guides
- Ndombe-Carrère International Scholarship 2026 for Cal Poly Humboldt Students
- Bold.org Scholarships International Students Can Apply For (November 2026)
- Edwards Scholarship 2026: 0 for First-Generation International Students in the US
Details are taken from the official Sciences Po, Campus France, European Commission, Université Paris-Saclay and ENS de Lyon websites, checked on October 19, 2026. Confirm the current rules there before you apply.
