Sorbonne University sits at the heart of Paris and carries one of the most recognized names in higher education. Formed from the merger of Paris-Sorbonne and Pierre and Marie Curie University, it now brings together strong programs in sciences, humanities, medicine, and engineering, and it regularly ranks among the top universities in the world.
For international students, the appeal is obvious. Tuition at French public universities is already low compared to the US, UK, or Australia. But living in Paris still costs money, and a scholarship can be the difference between a plan that stays a dream and one that actually happens.
This guide walks through what scholarships exist for Sorbonne University, who can apply, and how to approach the application process. Every scholarship listed here has been checked against official sources as of mid 2026, so you're not working off outdated blog posts or rumours.
Can International Students Get Scholarships at Sorbonne University?
Yes. Sorbonne University welcomes both EU and non-EU applicants for scholarships, though the funding routes differ a little.
EU students pay the same low tuition fees as French nationals and generally have access to French national aid (CROUS) if they meet residency and income conditions, along with Erasmus+ mobility funding.
Non-EU students pay slightly higher "differentiated" tuition fees at many public universities, but they're the main target audience for the big-ticket scholarships covered below, including Eiffel, Charpak, and various Campus France programs. One important note worth flagging early: French universities themselves don't usually manage large scholarship funds directly. Instead, most major funding comes from the French government (through Campus France) or the European Union, and the university's role is to nominate strong candidates.
There's also a mix of merit-based and need-based aid. Merit-based scholarships like Eiffel are awarded for academic excellence and leadership potential, no financial need required. Need-based support, like the FSDIE emergency fund described later, exists for students already enrolled who run into financial difficulty.
Scholarships Available for Sorbonne University Students
1. Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Program
This is the flagship French government scholarship for international graduate students, and it's the one most people mean when they talk about "getting a scholarship to study in France."
Who can apply: Non-French nationals applying for a Master's or PhD program. For Master's level you generally need to be 27 or younger (some institutions prefer under 25), and for PhD level, 32 or younger. You cannot apply directly. A French institution, in this case Sorbonne University, has to nominate you after you're accepted into a program.
Benefits: As of 2026, Master's scholars receive a monthly stipend of €1,200, and PhD scholars receive €2,100 per month. The program also covers a round-trip international flight and, for PhD students, some social security contributions. Tuition fees are not covered by Eiffel itself, though French government scholarship holders are often exempt from differentiated fees at public institutions.
Eligible courses: The scholarship prioritizes seven specific fields, generally grouped under science and engineering, and economics, law, and political science. Check the current list before applying, since it's set each year by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
Application process: You first apply and get admitted to a Master's or PhD program at Sorbonne University. Sorbonne then decides which of its admitted candidates to nominate and submits those applications to Campus France. For the 2026 to 2027 cycle, Sorbonne's internal deadlines were in late November 2025, well ahead of the Campus France institutional deadline of January 8, 2026, so if you're applying for a future intake, start the university application process months in advance. Results are typically announced from late March.
2. French Government Scholarships
Beyond Eiffel, the French government funds several other scholarship tracks through its embassies and Campus France offices, often tailored to specific countries or partnership agreements.
Available funding options: These usually cover a monthly living stipend, health insurance, and sometimes travel costs. Some are for full degree programs; others for shorter exchanges or research stays.
Eligibility criteria: Varies significantly by country and program, but most require a confirmed admission offer from a French institution and a strong academic record.
How to apply: Start with your local French Embassy's Campus France office. They maintain country-specific scholarship listings and manage local application portals, which is different from applying directly to the university.
3. Campus France Scholarships
Campus France is the umbrella agency that manages and promotes almost every French government scholarship for international students, so it's the best single place to search.
Scholarship search platform: Campus France maintains an online database where you can filter scholarships by your home country, level of study, and field. It's worth checking this even if you already have Eiffel or Charpak in mind, since eligibility and deadlines shift each year.
Country-specific opportunities: Many scholarships listed through Campus France are bilateral arrangements between France and a specific country, meaning eligibility is restricted to nationals of that country. The Charpak Scholarship for Indian students, covered below, is a good example of this model.
4. Erasmus+ Scholarships
Erasmus+ is the EU's mobility and funding program, and Sorbonne University participates actively in it, both for intra-European exchange and through Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's programs that include Sorbonne as a partner institution.
Exchange opportunities: If you're already enrolled at a partner university, Erasmus+ can fund a semester or year at Sorbonne. Separately, Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's degrees let you study across two or more countries, with Sorbonne sometimes serving as one of the host institutions, for example in joint programs like EPOG+.
Funding available: Coverage varies by program, but Erasmus Mundus scholarships are usually generous, covering tuition, a monthly living allowance, and sometimes travel and insurance. Note that Erasmus+ funding generally cannot be combined with Eiffel or Charpak scholarships, so if you qualify for more than one, you'll need to pick the best fit rather than stacking them.
5. Sorbonne University Scholarships
Sorbonne itself manages a smaller set of internal funds, mostly aimed at students already enrolled or nominated through its own channels, rather than a large open scholarship pot for incoming applicants.
University-funded grants: The main need-based option is the Fonds de solidarité et de développement des initiatives étudiantes (FSDIE), funded partly through the student life contribution every enrolled student pays. It supports students facing financial hardship or those running a student project, and you apply through your faculty's student life office once enrolled.
Faculty-specific scholarships: Some departments and doctoral schools offer their own smaller grants or fee waivers, particularly for research-heavy programs. These aren't centrally advertised, so it's worth emailing your specific faculty or doctoral school directly to ask what exists.
Research funding: For Master's students, keep an eye out for the MIEM (Mobilité Internationale en Master) scholarship track, aimed specifically at international students in Master's programs, alongside doctoral funding tied to specific labs and EU-funded research programs like Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, which some Sorbonne-affiliated doctoral schools participate in.
6. External Scholarships
Outside France entirely, several country-specific or foundation-run scholarships can fund study at Sorbonne University.
Charpak Scholarship (for Indian students): This is a French government scholarship reserved exclusively for Indian citizens and OCI cardholders, run by the French Embassy in India. It comes in several tracks, Bachelor's, Master's, exchange semesters, and lab internships, each with its own deadlines and stipend levels. As of 2026, the monthly stipend for degree programs is around €860. Like Eiffel, you need a confirmed admission offer before applying, and the two scholarships cannot be combined, so Indian students often apply to both and take whichever comes through.
Fulbright (where applicable): Fulbright is a US government program, so it doesn't directly fund study in France. It's included here because American students sometimes ask about it, and the honest answer is that Fulbright grants are for other countries, not France to US mobility. American students looking at Sorbonne should focus on Eiffel, Erasmus Mundus, or institution-specific US foundation grants instead.
Other country-specific scholarships: Many countries run their own outbound scholarship programs for students heading to France, sometimes through ministries of education, sometimes through private foundations. It's worth checking with your home country's ministry of education or a national scholarship board, since these rarely show up in general searches focused on France.
Final Thoughts
The single most useful habit when scholarship hunting for Sorbonne is to separate what the university controls from what the French government controls. Most of the large, well-funded scholarships (Eiffel, Charpak, Erasmus+) are run by outside bodies, and the university's role is mainly to nominate you after admission. That means your application to the program itself has to be strong before any scholarship application can even begin.
Given how many deadlines fall months before the actual scholarship deadline you see online, the best approach is to apply to your Sorbonne program as early as possible, then ask the relevant department directly which scholarships they nominate students for and when their internal deadline falls. Rules, stipend amounts, and eligibility windows shift year to year, so always cross-check current details against the Campus France and the Sorbonne University websites before you commit time to an application.
Looking for scholarships? Instead of manually searching multiple websites, use the Inforens Scholarship Finder to explore scholarships for Sorbonne University and other study abroad opportunities in one place. Simply enter your profile to discover funding options that match your eligibility and academic goals.
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