The France Excellence-DOST Scholarship

The France Excellence grant is a successor of the PhilFrance Scholarship conceived by the French Embassy in 2016 to mark 70 years of French-Filipino diplomatic relations. This initiative aimed to provide exceptional Filipino students the opportunity to obtain higher education in France every year.

The France Excellence - DOST (formerly PhilFrance-DOST) is a comprehensive scholarship crafted for future leaders and key players in the Philippines' growing research and development sector. Co-funded by the Philippines' Department of Science and Technology - Science Education Institute, this scholarship is open to students admitted into a graduate program issuing a diplôme national in an M1, M2, or doctorate degree.

Benefits

Care of the Embassy of France

• Coverage of enrolment fees for master’s programs under the jurisdiction of the Ministry for Higher Education (Diplôme National) up to EUR 3,879 per academic year for master's or EUR 391 for doctorate programs (frais d’inscription). Other costs distinct from the frais d’inscription (such as frais de formation, purchases of educational resources, pedagogical activity fees, etc.) will be shouldered by the grantee.
• Exemption from the CVEC (Contribution de Vie Étudiante et de Campus / Student and Campus Life Contribution) after obtention of certificate of exemption
• A healthcare package* consisting of social security coverage and supplementary insurance (mutuelle)
• Discounted rates* for cultural activities organized by Campus France
• Exemption from long-stay student visa fees (distinct from TLS Contact processing fee)

Note: As of 2025, the possibility of obtaining student accommodation at a preferential rate is no longer covered by Campus France; grantees must find their accommodation.

*None of these services can be provided outside the official duration of the scholarship.

Care of the Department of Science and Technology - SEI

• A monthly stipend to cover living costs throughout the program (calculated by the DOST)
• An economy class ticket from Manila to the French city of destination, including a return ticket of the same class upon completion of the study program.

Eligibility

APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY

• Filipino citizens residing in the Philippines and not more than 50 years of age at the time of application
• Graduates or graduating students of a recognized Philippine Higher Education Institution
  • Master's/Ph.D. applicants must have completed their undergraduate/master programs by September in the intended year of studies for master’s.
• Applicant in good physical health, demonstrating excellent academic performance and has knowledge or expertise required to carry out higher studies within the host establishment in the French Republic
• Applicant having completed the admission requirements for graduate studies in the selected French HEI (i.e. interviews, other screening procedures

PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY

• Course: 100% on-site programs that lead to obtaining a Diplome National or a state diploma. Note that not all programs offered in public institutions result in a Diplôme National. Consult the FAQs to know how to identify eligible programs.
• Language of instruction: English, French, or both
• Duration:
  • Master's — 18 to 24 months (including mandatory internship) beginning in academic year 2025
  • Doctorate — at least 36 months beginning in the academic year 2025
• INELIGIBLE PROGRAMS
  • Programs offered by non-French schools on campuses based in France
  • Programs offered by French institutions in extra-France campuses
  • Dual diploma or joint master’s degrees (e.g. Erasmus programs)
  • Vocational and technical courses (culinary arts short courses, fashion design workshop, etc.)

All applications must be made solely via the designated Google Form.

Please ensure that the files to be uploaded correspond to the format indicated for each document. No physical submissions can be made at the Embassy of France in the Philippines or the Campus France Philippines office. Any applications received in this way are rendered ineligible.

A Google Form submission must be completed for every application. For instance, if you are applying under 3 master's programs to which you have been accepted, you must make 3 distinct submissions.

2025 TIMELINE

*Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Shortlisted applications are considered commitments, and any withdrawals must be justified. Failure to do so will result in ineligibility for future scholarship campaigns.

SERVICE OBLIGATION AND OTHER CONDITIONS

Return Service Obligations for Scholarship Awardees

A grantee of the France Excellence-DOST immediately upon completion of his/her degree program shall return to the Philippines to render service physically on a full-time basis in their sending institution, preferably in their field of specialization, for a period equivalent to twice the length of time that they enjoyed the MS/PhD scholarship.

Any service rendered before the completion of the scholarship grant shall not be counted/considered part of the service obligation.

Other Conditions:

• This scholarship program will adopt the existing policies on foreign scholarships implemented by DOST-SEI;
• The qualified applicant will pursue an MS or a PhD Program on a full-time basis for a maximum period of 24 or 36 months, respectively;
• The grantee will officially enroll as a full-time graduate student;
• The grantee will not avail or enjoy any other scholarships;
• The grantee will have a full-time commitment to the scholarship and must not engage in any form of employment during the scholarship period;
• The grantee may undergo required internships (stages obligatoires) within the academic year;
• The grantee must be willing to render the required service obligation equivalent to the length of time the scholar enjoyed the scholarship, two years of service for every year of scholarship or a fraction thereof;
• The grantee's non-completion of the degree or failure to render service, preferably in their sending institution, maybe grounds for refund in full the total financial assistance received with 12% interest to the DOST-SEI, as well as the salaries and other remunerations, if any, to their sending institution; and
• The grantee must fulfill the conditions set down by the Parties for the implementation of the France Excellence-DOST Fellowship Program in accordance with regulations and the existing academic calendar in both countries.

Select any of the submenus below to access the FAQs.

Resources

MASTER'S PROGRAMS

No French? No problem! Check out the course offerings on the Taught in English catalog, which can filter results based on study level and type of diploma! The master's program directory is also a good place to start, with results taught in both English and French to be perused.

All master’s programs listed on MonMaster are eligible for the France Excellence grant. However, the MonMaster platform is currently only available in French.

To facilitate the navigation of MonMaster, we prepared some guides to help in filing your state master’s program applications.

• A webinar on the PhilFrance Master and the MonMaster platform explains the two options for applying for a university master’s program.
• A guide document demonstrates the creation of an account and the selection of study programs via MonMaster.

DOCTORATE PROGRAMS

French isn't a requirement for most Ph.D. programs, notably those in the natural sciences sector. There might, however, be doctorate degrees in social sciences and humanities that require some proficiency in French.

The Doctorate Degree catalog details dissertation topics that prospective students can apply for. A webinar on applying for doctoral schools is also available on the Campus France PH YouTube channel.