Emirati or expatriate, school leaver or graduate: which scholarships can actually fund your studies in France? The programmes Campus France UAE lists for Emiratis, the French government’s Eiffel scheme open to every nationality, what a scholarship changes in your visa file, work-study funded by employers, and the AI2 international scholarship.
Which scholarships can UAE residents apply for?
What Campus France UAE lists, and who each scheme is for.
Campus France UAE, the office of the French public agency for international students in the Emirates, publishes a page of scholarship programmes for students applying from the UAE. Some are reserved for Emirati nationals; others are open to all nationalities. The table sums up what it lists, with the AI2 scholarship added for comparison.
| Scheme | Who can apply | Level | Funded by |
|---|---|---|---|
| TotalEnergies and Quai d’Orsay scholarship programme | Emirati nationals | Studies at leading French universities | TotalEnergies in the UAE with the French Embassy |
| French Emirati Medical Specialization Program | Emirati physicians | Medical specialisation (residency) | France and UAE cooperation programme |
| UAE Ministry of Education Scholarship Program | UAE high school students and graduates, as described | Bachelor’s or master’s in French universities approved by the Ministry | UAE Ministry of Education |
| France Excellence Eiffel | All nationalities; aimed at applicants up to 29 for a master’s | Master’s and PhD | French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs |
| A privately funded scholarship for Gulf and Middle East nationals, UAE included | Listed nationalities | Undergraduate, one social and political sciences campus | A private group |
| AI2 international scholarship | Every international AI2 applicant, assessed automatically | Bachelor and MSc at AI2 | AI2 |
Campus France UAE also points to Campus Bourses, the Campus France search engine that matches students with grants from institutions, foundations, companies and governments. It is the quickest way to check whether a scheme from your country of nationality also accepts applicants living in the UAE.
Scholarships reserved for Emirati nationals
Three programmes on the Campus France UAE list.
TotalEnergies and Quai d’Orsay scholarship programme
Campus France UAE describes a partnership in which the French Embassy in the UAE and TotalEnergies support Emirati students with scholarships to leading universities across France. Since 2018 it has been part of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Quai d’Orsay and companies project, which promotes scholarships co-funded by the ministry and private firms. Campus France UAE sends applicants to the company’s website for conditions and dates.
French Emirati Medical Specialization Program
This programme is for Emirati physicians who want to join a French residency programme. According to Campus France UAE, they work as practitioners with the same rights and obligations as French residents and, after passing the required exams, obtain the same specialisation degree (Diplôme d’Études Spécialisées) as French residents.
UAE Ministry of Education Scholarship Program
Campus France UAE presents it as a programme for UAE high school students and graduates who wish to take a bachelor’s or master’s degree at French universities approved by the Ministry of Education. The approved list and the conditions belong to the ministry: when we checked on 29 October 2026, the ministry link given on the Campus France UAE page returned a not-found page, so ask the ministry or your school counsellor for the current list before you choose a programme.
Short programmes
Campus France UAE also reports that the Institut Français, Campus France and TotalEnergies supported four Emirati students on a three-week summer programme combining intensive French with sustainable development, in news published in August 2024. Short programmes like this do not fund a degree, but they show the embassy’s network in action.
Eiffel: the French government scholarship open to every nationality
The France Excellence Eiffel programme was created by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs to help French institutions attract top international students to master’s and PhD programmes. Campus France UAE lists it as open to all nationalities, which matters for the many Indian, Pakistani, Egyptian, Filipino and other expatriate residents of the Emirates.
| Eiffel 2027, master’s level | What the official rules say |
|---|---|
| Who applies | The French institution, online. Applications sent directly by students or by foreign institutions are ineligible |
| Calendar | Call opened in October 2026; applications received by Campus France until 6 January 2027; results from 12 April 2027 |
| Age | Aimed at applicants up to 29 at master’s level (35 for a PhD) |
| Fields | Seven areas, including Mathematics and Digital Technology, Engineering Sciences, Economics and Management, and Law and Political Science |
| Programmes | A master’s degree (or equivalent) accredited by the French government, or a nationally accredited engineering programme |
| Benefits | €1,200 a month (from 1 January 2026), plus international and domestic travel, insurance, help with housing and cultural activities |
| Duration | Up to 12 months for an M2, 24 months for an M1, 36 months for an engineering programme; studies start between 1 September and 30 November |
| Tuition | Not covered, except the legal exemption for national degrees at public institutions |
| Combination | Not with another French government scholarship, an Erasmus+ scholarship or an AUF scholarship |
In practice, an Eiffel application starts with the institution, months before the January deadline. Campus France advises contacting the international relations office of the French institution you target, and the institution decides whether to nominate you. €1,200 a month is about about AED 4,906 at the Central Bank of the UAE rate of 28 October 2026 (€1 = AED 4.088278), above the €877.50 (about AED 3,587) a student visa requires.
Our guide to scholarships in France for international students covers the other schemes open worldwide, and our guide to scholarships for Sri Lankan students is useful if you hold that passport.
What a scholarship changes in your Campus France and visa file
Fee waivers, proof of funds and the CVEC.
- Lower fees in the UAE. Campus France UAE exempts holders of a French Government scholarship (Eiffel Excellence and Excellence Major) and of an EU scholarship such as Erasmus+ from its AED 700 pre-consular fee. Eiffel scholars also skip the visa fee (€50, AED 201), though not the AED 99.08 VFS Global charge.
- A different proof of funds. The Campus France UAE visa checklist lists the scholarship letter as the proof of financial means for a scholarship holder, instead of salary certificates and bank statements.
- The CVEC. French government scholarship holders are exempt from the €105 contribution; holders of foreign government scholarships and of grants from private entities, such as foundations, are not.
- Health cover. The Eiffel rules provide insurance until French Social Security, which is free and mandatory for enrolled students, takes over.
A partial scholarship that only reduces tuition does not replace the living-cost proof. The full budget in dirhams is in our guide to the cost of studying in France from the UAE.
Can an employer pay for your studies in France?
Yes, through French work-study (alternance), which is the employer-funded route that official French sources describe. When you sign an apprenticeship or professionalisation contract with a company in France, AI2’s fee page explains, the employer’s training-fund operator (OPCO) pays your tuition for the period of the contract and you earn a salary set as a percentage of the French minimum wage. Service-Public adds that once an apprenticeship contract is validated, a foreign student may work beyond the usual limit of 964 hours a year as part of the course.
| AI2 programme year | Work-study possible? |
|---|---|
| Bachelor Year 1 | No |
| Bachelor Year 2 | Yes, subject to a contract |
| BSc final year (top-up) | Yes, subject to a contract |
| MSc Year 1 | No |
| MSc Year 2 | Yes, subject to a contract |
| Fast-Track (11 months) | No; the format includes a 6-month company internship in France |
Work-study depends on finding an employer and is never guaranteed at admission, so your first year still needs its own funding. The conditions are on work-study at AI2. If a relative or another sponsor in the UAE pays instead, the visa checklist asks for the sponsor’s passport and residency visa, a signed guarantee letter, three months of statements and a salary certificate.
The AI2 international scholarship for UAE applicants
Assessed on every application, stated in your admission letter.
AI2, the Applied Institute of Artificial Intelligence, teaches its Bachelor and MSc programmes 100% in English on its campus in Écouen, 22 minutes from Paris Gare du Nord. Every international application is assessed automatically for the AI2 international scholarship: there is no separate form and no extra fee, and the amount appears in your admission letter. The award can combine up to three criteria.
Excellence award
Partner-channel award
Full-payment award
| Programme | Tuition 2027 | With the AI2 scholarship | In AED |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor in Applied AI, Years 1 and 2 | €9,000 a year | Scholarship possible | about AED 36,790 |
| BSc final year (top-up) | €9,900 | Scholarship possible | about AED 40,470 |
| MSc Year 1 | €12,500 | From €10,500 | from AED 42,930 |
| MSc Year 2 or 18-month direct entry | €13,000 | From €11,300 (IoT from €11,800) | from AED 46,200 |
| Fast-Track, 11 months, February 2027 (Data Science) | €12,500 | €11,000 before 15 November 2026 | about AED 44,970 |
The conditions are the same for every programme: the award applies to the first year of enrolment, is not transferable, cannot be combined with other discounts, and assessment does not guarantee an award. AI2 also states that its scholarship reduces tuition but does not count towards the €877.50 a month required for the visa. Full details are on the AI2 scholarships page and the tuition fees page.
Each final year awards the AI2 diploma and prepares a professional certification recognised by the French State and registered in the RNCP: level 6 after the BSc, level 7 (master’s level, EQF 7) after the MSc. Coming from Grade 12? Read our guide to a bachelor in France for UAE students. Already a graduate? See master’s in France for UAE residents.
Scholarship calendar for 2027
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 15 November 2026 | Last day of the AI2 Fast-Track scholarship (€11,000 instead of €12,500) |
| 30 November 2026 | AI2 priority application deadline for February 2027 |
| 15 December 2026 | AI2 enrolment and deposit for February 2027 |
| 6 January 2027 | Eiffel applications, filed by French institutions, must reach Campus France |
| From 12 April 2027 | Eiffel results published |
| 1 September to 30 November 2027 | Window in which Eiffel-funded studies must start |
AI2 also plans May and September 2027 intakes, with dates sent on request by admissions. If you aim for Eiffel, talk to the target institution before December; if you aim for an AI2 award, apply as early in the cycle as you can.
Frequently asked questions
Can expatriates living in the UAE get scholarships to study in France?
Yes. Campus France UAE lists the Eiffel scholarship as open to all nationalities, at master’s and PhD level, and every international AI2 applicant is assessed for the AI2 scholarship. The Emirati-only programmes are reserved for UAE nationals.
Which scholarships are only for Emirati students?
Campus France UAE lists the TotalEnergies and Quai d’Orsay scholarship programme, the French Emirati Medical Specialization Program for physicians, and the UAE Ministry of Education Scholarship Program for French universities approved by the ministry.
How do I apply for the Eiffel scholarship from the UAE?
Through a French institution. Campus France states that only institutions can submit Eiffel applications, online, by 6 January 2027 for the 2027 session; applications sent directly by students are ineligible.
How much does the Eiffel scholarship pay?
At master’s level, €1,200 a month since January 2026, plus international and domestic travel, insurance, help with housing and cultural activities. Tuition is not covered, except the legal exemption for national degrees at public institutions.
Do scholarship holders pay the Campus France UAE fee?
Holders of a French Government scholarship (Eiffel) or an EU scholarship such as Erasmus+ are exempt from the AED 700 pre-consular fee. Eiffel holders are also exempt from the visa fee but still pay the AED 99.08 VFS charge.
Is the AI2 scholarship automatic?
Every international candidate is assessed automatically, with no separate form. The amount depends on your profile and is stated in your admission letter; assessment does not guarantee an award.
Can my employer pay my tuition in France?
A French employer can, through work-study: under an apprenticeship or professionalisation contract, its training-fund operator (OPCO) pays tuition. At AI2 this is possible from Bachelor Year 2, in the BSc final year and in MSc Year 2.
Sources consulted on 29 October 2026: Campus France UAE: scholarship programs for international students · Campus France UAE: French + Sciences scholarship recipients (August 2024) · Campus France UAE: applying for a student visa · Campus France UAE: study visa checklist (PDF, July 2026) · Campus France: France Excellence Eiffel · Campus France: Eiffel Programme rules, 2027 session (PDF) · Campus France: CVEC (31 July 2026) · Campus Bourses · Service-Public: F2231 (verified 1 August 2026) · Service-Public: F2713 · Central Bank of the UAE: exchange rates (28 October 2026)
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