Eligibility criteria
Who can apply for the CHED-PhilFrance scholarships?
Qualified faculty and staff of tenured and non-permanent positions from CHED-recognized Philippine higher education institutions are eligible to apply.
I have previously applied to the CHED-PhilFrance Scholarships, but was not selected. Can I apply again?
Yes, we encourage previous applicants to submit a new application through this website
How many applications will be accepted?
There is no limit in the number of applications being accepted.
When is the deadline for submission?
- The Embassy will accept applications until Friday, 13 October 2017 at 4:00 PM. Those sent later than this date will not be considered unless prior authorization was given
- Please be advised that the Embassy considers applications as they come, and that offers may be given to the best candidates before the deadline.
Eligible programs
Are all graduate programs eligible for this scholarship?
- All academic disciplines (not technical or vocational) are valid.
- Certificate programs are ineligible because they are not sanctioned by a degree.
What do you mean by state-regulated courses? How about public universities?
- Frais d’inscription en université (University registration fees) at public universities are regulated by the French government at the following annual rates (as of 2017):
- Master: €256
- Doctorate: €391
- It is the applicant’s responsibility to verify that registration fees of the program they are interested in are within this parameter.
- Please visit the Other resources section of the site which contains links to program search engines, information sheets, and infographics on state-regulated courses and the French public university system.
NB: It is essential to understand and not to confuse the distinction between these two terms to be able to identify eligible programs:
- Registration fees = frais d’inscription en université
- Tuition fees = frais de scolarité
(Sciences Po) Which degree programs are eligible for this scholarship?
- Programs from its 7 graduate schools, except for those offering dual-degrees
- Over 20 degree-awarding programs at the Master and PhD level are fully taught in English
(Sciences Po) Some of the PhD programs I am interested in require a knowledge of French, what should I do?
Kindly contact us immediately through email. Include pertinent details on the Doctoral school/s, program/s, and your research proposal.
Are programs offered in private HEIs ineligible for the scholarship?
- You can still apply for the CHED-PhilFrance Scholarships even if you are applying/have applied to graduate programs in a private French HEI (non-state regulated course/s).
- Applicants are encouraged to look into supplemental sources of funding such as through their home universities (Philippine HEIs).
- Please note that selected scholars may only avail one award from the Philippine government, with rare exceptions (for example, dual financing from a Philippine government agency and Philippine HEI).
- Kindly contact us should this situation apply to you for final clarification from CHED.
The program I wish to apply for will not have opened its application procedure by the deadline. What do I do?
In this (unlikely) case, please contact us before submitting your scholarship application, stating clearly the programs and HEIs you wish to apply for.
Which program intake dates are eligible for the scholarship?
Master's and PhD programs: September 2018 iintake, deadline on 13 April 2018 at 4 PM.
Are PhD sandwich programs and similar professional research activities eligible?
- Sandwich programs and other research endeavors are eligible for the CHED-PhilFrance Scholarships as long as their minimum duration is 10 months (1 academic year) spent in France
- The scholarship application procedure is the same as those applying for graduate programs
- Note on post-doctorates: They have the reputation of being notoriously complicated in terms of an administrative point of view but remain eligible for this scholarship program
- Post-doctoral candidates are responsible to secure and finalize their admission from the host institution in France prior to the scholarship application
- The essential document to have is the convention d'accueil — requested by your host institution in France and approved (stamped) by the local Préfecture
Application material and process
Can I receive help from the Embassy regarding my application?
- The French Embassy is ready to assist applicants in understanding the French higher education system or for help in submitting applications to graduate programs.
- Kindly contact us through email to discuss your individual situations
- Should several applicants from the same Philippine HEI be interested, please inform so that we may organize a visit (presentation, application session) to your university
How do I apply to French higher education institutions?
- Some French HEIs may ask applicants to contact their local Campus France office to begin the application process under the CEF procedure, or use the Pastel application — these procedures are not applicable to the Philippines
- Since the Philippines does not follow the CEF application procedure, Filipino applicants should send applications directly to the French HEIs of their choice
- Campus France Manille explains the general procedure for Filipino applicants
- This section covers applications for Master's and PhD programs, as well as a broad timeline
- Keep in mind that applications to HEIs must be done before applying for the PhilFrance Scholarships. However, it is not a requirement to be accepted or granted admission at the time of application
- Campus France Manille is available for consultations for assistance in finding French HEIs and programs. Click here to find out how to set an appointment
How do I submit my application?
Only applications that are submitted through this website will be accepted. Other means (e-mail, paper, etc) will not be received.
Can I submit an application to this scholarship before applying to a graduate program in France?
- No. Applications submitted without a letter of acceptance OR an acknowledgment of application (see below) will not be considered.
- Additionally, it is the applicant's responsibility to contact French HEIs regarding their application and admission procedures.
Do I need to have been accepted into the program of my choice before applying for the scholarship?
- No, you may apply prior to acceptance, as long as you submit an acknowledgment of application (see question below).
- Should there be any change in your admission status during the application period, it is of utmost importance that you inform us.
- For PhD candidates: it is not required to be accepted to the program at the moment of submitting your scholarship application. However, it is essential to provide us with supporting documents from a professor (email exchanges, formal letter, etc) expressing their interest in supervising your research work/dissertation.
What should I write about in the essay?
Some points to consider when writing your essay:
- You are free to choose the format and topics covered in the essay, just as long as they respect the word limit and other instructions specified in the application material
- We are looking for essays that are well-thought of, convincing, and able to demonstrate your scholarly writing abilities
- The academic essay should be able to express how your experience of studying in France will bring value to Philippine academia and its higher education capacities
What do you mean by letter of acceptance and acknowledgment of application?
- Acknowledgment of application
- For Master’s programs:
- Most applications are done online through the French HEI’s website.
- Once the process is completed, the HEI will acknowledge your application through an email (automated or not).
- For PhD programs:
- In applying to Doctoral schools, it is common for candidates to contact a department or a professor directly through email.
- As proof of application, we accept PDF copies of your correspondences provided that it states their interest in your proposal or approval in supervising your research work.
- For Master’s programs:
- Letter of acceptance
- When admitted to a graduate program, you will receive an email or a posted letter from the French HEI stating your conditional or unconditional acceptance.
- In either case, you will need to provide us with the documents that are available to you. If you’ve finished with the application process, but did not receive any acknowledgment of this, you will need to ask the French HEI for an email confirming the receipt of your completed application.
Am I eligible to receive support from CHED and the Embassy on top of other scholarships?
- Yes, if the grant is funded by institutions that are not part of the French government (such as companies and banks, the HEIs themselves, private foundations and associations, etc.)
- No, if funding comes other sectors of the French government (Eiffel Excellence Programme, grants from French regions and cities, etc.)
Am I eligible to receive support for my family members to come to France with me?
- Neither CHED nor the Embassy will be able to provide additional support. You will have to secure an appropriate amount of funding for the entirety of your household from other sources.
- Furthermore, please be advised that French is the language of instruction in French public primary and secondary schools. Private international schools with English as the language of instruction can cost upwards of €20,000 per year.
Do I need to speak French or to apply to a program where French is the language of instruction?
- Although it is preferable, applicants do not need to speak French to apply for this scholarship.
- An exception to this is if the academic program applied to requires candidates to be proficient in the French language.
- There are over a thousand programs partially or completely taught in English, available for all fields and levels of study
- Most Doctoral schools, especially in the natural sciences have English as a working language.
- Visit the Other resources section for information on how to use Campus France's search engine for English-taught programs (both Master's and Doctoral levels)
- Note: Information found in the search results may not always be updated. We encourage applicants to contact the French HEIs directly to have the most recent and correct application requirements.
If awarded, will I have to return to the HEI where I was employed at the time of my application/departure? Or will I be able to take up positions elsewhere, as long as I stay in the Philippine HE system?
You will have to return to the Philippine HEI (home university) that approved your Return Service Agreement
How will I find out if I’ve been selected? When will the results be released?
We will notify every candidate, regardless of the outcome of their application. Deliberations take time and the release of results usually takes 4 to 6 weeks after the deadline. If you haven’t heard back from us by then, kindly contact us through email (applications@philfrance-scholarships.com).