Applications are open for the Aix-Marseille University Eiffel Scholarship 2027, which supports outstanding international candidates pursuing eligible master’s or doctoral studies in France.
Before applying, pay close attention to the university’s internal deadlines. AMU’s main funding notice lists 11 November 2026 at 9:00 a.m. for master’s candidates and 25 November 2026 at 9:00 a.m. for doctoral candidates.
You must apply through the university. AMU first assesses your eligibility and academic record, then forwards selected applications to Campus France for the national competition. Therefore, university nomination does not guarantee a scholarship.
This guide explains the application timeline, eligibility rules, funding, documents and practical steps for preparing your application.
Aix-Marseille University Eiffel Scholarship 2027 at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Host institution | Aix-Marseille Université, France |
| Scholarship | France Excellence Eiffel |
| Study levels | Eligible master’s and doctoral studies |
| Academic year | 2027–2028 |
| Application opening | 2 October 2026 |
| Master’s internal deadline | 11 November 2026, 9:00 a.m. |
| Doctoral internal deadline | 25 November 2026, 9:00 a.m. |
| Master’s favourable preselection notification | By 11 December 2026 |
| Application route | Apply through AMU; the university submits nominated applications to Campus France. |
| Selection | University screening followed by national assessment |
| Tuition | Eiffel does not directly pay tuition fees. |
The November deadlines concern your application to AMU. Do not wait for the later national deadline, which applies to submissions from French institutions.
What Is the Eiffel Scholarship?
The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs created the France Excellence Eiffel programme to help French institutions attract excellent international students.
Campus France manages the programme, while participating universities identify and nominate suitable candidates.
For applicants to Aix-Marseille University, this creates two separate decisions:
- AMU decides whether to support and nominate your application.
- The national selection process determines whether you receive the Eiffel scholarship.
As a result, admission to a degree programme, university nomination and the final scholarship award are different stages.
You can also read the broader France Excellence Eiffel Scholarship 2027 guide to understand how the national programme works across participating institutions.
Application Deadlines
AMU’s supplied 2027 funding notice gives the following dates:
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Call opened. | 2 October 2026 |
| Master’s application deadline | 11 November 2026 at 9:00 a.m. |
| Doctoral application deadline | 25 November 2026 at 9:00 a.m. |
| Favourable decision for master’s preselection | By 11 December 2026 |
Treat the application times as French local time and submit well before the deadline.
Does the December notification confirm the scholarship?
No. The December date concerns AMU’s favourable decision for master’s candidates. Campus France still needs to assess the nominated application.
Consequently, do not make financial commitments on the assumption that university preselection guarantees national funding.
A deadline discrepancy applicants should check.
The Aix-Marseille School of Economics departmental announcement lists a different master’s submission date from the central AMU notice. It also gives a different birth-date cutoff.
If you plan to apply through AMSE, request written clarification from the department. Until it confirms otherwise, prepare to meet the earlier central deadline of 11 November 2026 at 9:00 a.m. and use the central eligibility requirements below.
Who Can Apply?
AMU publishes different eligibility conditions for master’s and doctoral candidates.
Master’s eligibility
According to the university’s supplied central notice, master’s candidates must:
- Not hold French nationality.
- Have been born after 31 March 1997.
- Live outside France when applying.
- Never previously have applied to Campus France for this scholarship.
In addition, you must satisfy the academic and language requirements of your chosen programme.
An excellent scholarship application cannot replace the qualifications needed for admission. Therefore, check the degree’s entry requirements before preparing the funding application.
Doctoral eligibility
The supplied AMU notice states that doctoral candidates must:
- Not hold French nationality.
- Have been born after 31 March 1991.
- Never previously have applied to Campus France for this scholarship at the doctoral level.
For doctoral applications, AMU gives priority to candidates living abroad over those living in France.
This differs from the master’s rule: residence in France does not appear as an automatic exclusion in the supplied doctoral eligibility table.
Use the exact birth-date requirement.
Avoid relying only on a simplified age statement such as “under 30″. The university gives a precise birth-date cutoff, which can affect eligibility near the age limit.
If your date of birth falls close to the boundary, ask AMU to confirm your eligibility before submitting.
Eligible Fields of Study
AMU lists seven eligible Eiffel subject areas:
| Science and technology | Humanities and social sciences |
|---|---|
| Biology and health | French history, language and civilisation |
| Ecological transition | Law and political science |
| Mathematics and digital technology | Economics and management |
| Engineering sciences | — |
These are broad scholarship fields. They do not mean that every AMU programme automatically qualifies.
First, identify a suitable degree or research project. Then confirm that the programme can support an Eiffel nomination for the 2027 intake.
For example, a candidate interested in economics should check the relevant school’s programme requirements and scholarship instructions rather than assume that any economics-related course qualifies.
What Does the Scholarship Cover?
Eiffel combines a monthly allowance with services that support the scholar’s stay in France.
Campus France’s student information page publishes a €1,200 monthly allowance at master’s level. It also describes transport, insurance, housing-search and cultural services, subject to programme conditions.
However, applicants should distinguish financial support from services that help arrange a stay.
| Support | What to understand |
|---|---|
| Monthly allowance | Helps meet living expenses during the approved scholarship period |
| Travel services | Apply under Campus France’s conditions. |
| Insurance | Coverage follows the programme’s arrangements. |
| Housing assistance | Help finding accommodation does not mean free accommodation. |
| Tuition | Eiffel does not directly cover tuition fees. |
What about the doctoral allowance?
Official information currently contains inconsistent doctoral figures: some Campus France pages show €2,100 per month, while other official implementation information gives €2,000.
Doctoral candidates should confirm the applicable 2027 rate with AMU or Campus France and use the amount stated in their award documentation when planning their budget.
Is Eiffel fully funded?
Eiffel provides substantial support, but “fully funded” can mislead readers if it suggests automatic payment of every expense.
In particular, the programme does not directly pay tuition. Any registration-fee exemption depends on the applicable rules and the qualification concerned.
Before accepting an offer, ask AMU to confirm the fees for your specific programme and any exemption that applies to you.
Scholarship Duration
The approved duration depends on your study level, entry point and programme structure.
At master’s level, Eiffel can support different study lengths, including entry into the first or second year of an eligible master’s programme and eligible engineering studies.
Doctoral awards can cover 12, 18 or 36 months, depending on the approved research arrangement.
Your award letter determines the actual funded period. Therefore, do not assume that every master’s candidate receives two years or every doctoral candidate receives three years.
Documents for Master’s Applicants
The supplied copies of AMU’s funding page do not display the expanded master’s application steps. For that reason, the preparation list below is not a verified final AMU master’s checklist.
Start gathering:
- Your passport or identity document.
- Academic diplomas or evidence of your current studies.
- Academic transcripts.
- Your CV.
- Evidence of academic distinction or class ranking, where available.
- A clear explanation of your study plans and career goals.
- Any language evidence required by the chosen programme.
Next, open the master’s application instructions on AMU’s official funding page and follow the current form.
The university may specify additional documents, file formats or submission requirements. Do not substitute a general checklist for those instructions.
Documents for Doctoral Applicants
AMU’s supplied notice provides a more detailed doctoral checklist.
| Document | AMU’s stated requirement |
|---|---|
| Identity document | Copy of passport or identity document |
| CV | Written in French or English |
| Diplomas and academic distinction | Latest diploma or diplomas, ranking and other evidence of academic excellence |
| Transcripts | Results from the last three years |
| Professional project | One to two pages in French or English |
| Thesis project and research progress | One to five pages in French or English |
| External scientific assessment | Reasoned opinion from an expert outside AMU, together with the expert’s CV |
| Funding plan | Overall funding plan for the thesis |
| Joint supervision documentation | Signed agreement or certificate where required |
What should the professional project explain?
Describe why you want to study in France and how the proposed training supports your future career.
Connect your previous experience, research interests and professional direction. A specific explanation will make your application easier to assess than broad statements about studying abroad.
What should the thesis presentation cover?
AMU asks for the thesis topic, objectives, research hypotheses, innovative features, expected impact and benefits.
Where relevant, explain the progress you have already made. Keep the proposal focused and show how the research fits the proposed academic environment.
Who provides the external assessment?
The university requests an expert in the relevant research field, such as a university professor or research director, who is external to Aix-Marseille University.
The expert must provide a reasoned assessment of the scientific quality of the thesis topic. AMU also requests the expert’s CV.
Is joint supervision always required?
The supplied notice gives an exception for a first application concerning the first year of a thesis and a 36-month Eiffel scholarship.
In that case, joint supervision is not required under the stated exception. Other doctoral candidates should check which signed supervision arrangement applies to their situation.
How to Apply
1. Choose the right programme
Identify an AMU master’s programme or doctoral research opportunity that matches your qualifications and falls within an eligible Eiffel field.
Then review its academic and language requirements.
2. Check your scholarship eligibility
Confirm your nationality, birth date, residence situation and previous Eiffel application history.
Resolve any uncertainty before spending time on the full application.
3. Follow AMU’s application instructions
Use the official university funding page to access the relevant master’s or doctoral procedure.
The supplied page copies leave several application steps collapsed, so they do not establish the complete submission route. Follow the current university form and any instructions from the responsible academic unit.
4. Prepare and submit your documents
Make sure your documents agree on names, dates, qualifications and study plans.
For doctoral applications, allow time to obtain the external scientific assessment and any required supervision agreement.
5. Complete admission requirements as instructed
Ask the programme how the scholarship application connects with admission. Do not assume that submitting a funding request automatically completes a degree application.
6. Wait for university screening
AMU checks eligibility and academic excellence before deciding which applications to forward.
If the university requests revisions or additional documents, respond within the stated timeframe.
7. Await the national decision
Campus France assesses applications submitted by participating institutions. Only the final award confirms the scholarship.
Eiffel and TIGER: What Is the Difference?
AMU’s funding page also presents the TIGER Master’s Excellence Scholarship. However, it is a separate scheme.
| Feature | Eiffel | TIGER |
|---|---|---|
| Selection route | AMU nomination followed by national selection | Selection through eligible AMU master’s programmes |
| Study level | Eligible master’s and doctoral studies | Eligible master’s programmes |
| Financial structure | Monthly allowance and associated services | Up to €10,000 for one academic year |
| Application | Follow AMU’s Eiffel procedure | Apply to the eligible master’s programme; AMU says no separate scholarship application is necessary |
| Accommodation | Programme housing-search support | Reserved CROUS room, subject to completing the required procedures |
| Tuition | Eiffel does not directly pay tuition | AMU states that TIGER does not exempt recipients from applicable differentiated registration fees |
A reserved room is not the same as free housing. Likewise, admission to an eligible TIGER programme does not guarantee a scholarship.
How to Strengthen Your Application
AMU screens candidates for eligibility and academic excellence. Build your application around clear evidence.
Show your academic performance. Include reliable ranking information, distinctions or other relevant achievements where the application allows them.
Explain your programme choice. Identify the training, research expertise or academic direction that makes the course suitable for your goals.
Connect your plans. Your CV, professional project and proposed studies should present a consistent direction.
Prepare external documents early. Doctoral assessments and signed agreements can take time.
Check the submission itself. Keep evidence of submission and verify that every required file uploaded correctly.
Other Eiffel Opportunities in France
Different universities set their own internal deadlines and nomination procedures.
If you are comparing institutions, the Nantes Université Eiffel Scholarship 2027 guide explains another university’s process.
However, always follow each institution’s instructions and the national rules governing nominations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply directly to Campus France?
No. AMU must assess your application and submit it if the university chooses to nominate you.
What is AMU’s master’s deadline?
The supplied central notice gives 11 November 2026 at 9:00 a.m. Check any departmental discrepancy directly with AMU.
What is the doctoral deadline?
The supplied central notice gives 25 November 2026 at 9:00 a.m.
Can master’s candidates already living in France apply?
AMU’s supplied master’s eligibility table requires candidates to live outside France when applying.
Can doctoral candidates living in France apply?
The supplied doctoral table gives priority to candidates living abroad rather than stating a blanket exclusion for residents of France.
Does Eiffel pay tuition fees?
Eiffel does not directly cover tuition. Confirm any applicable registration-fee exemption with the university.
Does a favourable December decision mean I have won?
No. It concerns AMU’s master’s preselection. The national scholarship decision follows separately.
Is there one universal IELTS requirement?
The supplied scholarship notice does not establish a universal IELTS score. Check the language requirements of your chosen degree.
Does applying for TIGER also count as an Eiffel application?
No. These are separate schemes with different procedures.
Official Information and Application Guidance
Use AMU’s current instructions to confirm your submission route, documents and deadline. For national funding conditions, consult Campus France.
