Bourse France Excellence-Major — Bachelor's Scholarship

The Bourse France Excellence-Major supports outstanding non-French school-leavers from accredited French schools abroad to complete demanding higher education in France. The AEFE and the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs run the program, while Campus France manages recipients’ administrative and financial support.

Recipients study toward a French state-recognized qualification through Master 2 or an equivalent level. Candidates cannot apply independently: their school must preselect and nominate them.

Benefits & funding

Support can run for up to five years, through Master 2 or an equivalent qualification.
All recipients receive French Government Scholarship status, complementary health coverage, help with visas and residence formalities, and facilitated access to university housing.
The current benefit structure assigns social-coverage support, a rate 1 allowance of €280 per month, or a rate 2 allowance of €860 per month according to family circumstances.
Rate 1 and rate 2 recipients may also receive defined travel support and other complementary benefits.

Eligibility

Applicants must not hold French nationality, including dual French nationality.
Applicants must be in the final year at a French school abroad whose upper-secondary cycle is officially accredited.
Applicants need excellent school results aimed at a Très bien distinction in the French baccalauréat.
The proposed French higher-education course must lead to a state-recognized qualification and match the choices submitted through Parcoursup or the institution’s own admission route.
Final award requires a Très bien baccalauréat result and confirmed admission to the course named in the scholarship application.

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Education required
High School

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Application process

1
The school’s teaching team identifies eligible pupils, and the head of school preselects and nominates candidates.
2
A preselected student completes the online Cascade file with school records, an identity document, a presentation and motivation video, answers to two open questions, and family-income evidence.
3
The head of school verifies and evaluates the file before the French embassy’s cooperation and cultural action service reviews and ranks it.
4
AEFE submits eligible files to the national selection commission and confirms awards after baccalauréat results and French higher-education admission are known.

Program timeline

13 January 2026
AEFE published the 2026 campaign circular and annexes.
Preselected students entered their files in Cascade.
16 February–12 March 2026
AEFE’s national selection commission assessed the candidates.
May 2026
After baccalauréat results
Awards became final only after a Très bien result and confirmation of admission.
Recipients began higher education in France.
September 2026