France opens 2 scholarship programs for Filipinos

MANILA – The French Embassy in Manila is now accepting applications for two government scholarship programs for Academic Year 2022-2023.

The first program, called “PhilFrance Scholarships”, targets highly-qualified candidates who have demonstrated strong academic and leadership qualities in their scholarly and professional activities.

Awardees may pursue a master’s degree taught in French higher education institutions, either public or private, in all academic disciplines.

They will be granted the status of boursier du gouvernement français (French government scholar) and will be given a tuition subsidy, one round-trip ticket from Manila to France, an exemption from visa application fees, a monthly living allowance covering the duration of their studies, a health care package, and priority access to public student accommodations.

The second program, called the PhilFrance – Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Scholarship, is geared towards Filipino professionals working in academic, research, or government institutions who are interested to pursue a master’s degree or doctorate in French public universities, as well as in strengthening scientific cooperation and exchanges between France and the Philippines.

The PhilFrance-DOST Scholarship program prioritizes the following fields of study: agriculture, bioengineering, bioinformatics (medical), biological sciences, climate change, forestry, health and medical research, material sciences, medical chemistry, natural resources and environment, nuclear application on health, nuclear medicine, veterinary sciences, and virology.

Awardees of the PhilFrance-DOST Scholarship will be granted the status of boursier du gouvernement français (French government scholar) and will get an exemption from public university registration fees, one round-trip ticket from Manila to France, an exemption from visa application fees, a monthly living allowance covering the duration of their studies, a relocation allowance, coverage of pre-travel expenses, a health care package, and priority access to public student accommodations.

Selected candidates of the PhilFrance-DOST Scholarship must return to the Philippines immediately after the completion of their graduate degree to render return service or a period equivalent to twice the length of time that they spent in France for their degree.

Interested candidates must submit their applications through the PhilFrance Scholarships site no later than noon of April 4, 2022.

Since 2016, the PhilFrance Scholarship Program has funded the studies of more than 65 Filipinos who have been able to pursue their graduate degrees in the French language and literature, business, public policy and international development, engineering, mathematics, marine biology, applied chemistry, environmental and ecological sciences, physics, computer science, and public health in several of France’s most prestigious higher education institutions.

These include the Aix-Marseille Université, École des hautes études en santé publique (EHESP), École Polytechnique, Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA) de Toulouse, Sciences Po, and Université Paris-Saclay.