Do French universities give scholarships to Indian students like me for mechanical engineering?
Yes. France Excellence Charpak pays €860 a month to Indian master's students aged 30 or younger, Eiffel pays €1,181 a month at master's level through your institution, and Paris-Saclay offers €10,000 a year. ParisTech co-financed awards cut fees at selected schools. Check the next cycle on Campus France India.
Yes. You do not need a scholarship labelled mechanical engineering, because French government and university awards usually cover engineering broadly. Some are open only to Indian citizens, while others are open to all international students at a given school.
French scholarships open to Indian mechanical engineering students
| Scholarship | Level | Benefit on the official page |
|---|---|---|
| France Excellence Charpak | Full-time master's | €860 (approx INR 91,470) a month for Indian citizens and OCI holders aged 30 or younger, plus insurance support |
| France Excellence Eiffel | Master's and engineering | €1,181 (approx INR 1.26L) a month at master's level; your French institution applies for you, the master's age limit is 29, and the 2027 call closes on 6 January 2027 |
| Paris-Saclay International Master's Scholarship | Master's | €10,000 (approx INR 10.6L) a year, with travel support of up to €900 (approx INR 95,725); for foreign students under 30 admitted to an eligible master's and new to French higher education |
| Grenoble INP Foundation scholarship | Engineering programmes | €5,000 (approx INR 5.3L) per academic semester for newcomer international students under 28 with strong results; Grenoble INP preselects, so there is no separate application |
| ParisTech co-financed scholarship | Engineering | Fee waivers or reductions that differ by school, such as 50% off at Ecole des Ponts and a full waiver at MINES Paris; the page's admission details date from 2023-24, so confirm with each school |
How to apply in the right order
- Apply for admission to the French institution first, because Charpak requires an admission application before the scholarship application.
- Check the age limit, level and nationality rule on each scheme page before you spend time on the application.
- Open the current call for Eiffel and Charpak on the official Campus France pages, since earlier rounds have already closed and new calls appear each cycle.
- Read the co-financed scholarship page to see which institutions take part and what each one gives.
- Ask each school whether its own scholarship needs a separate application.
My Advice
Build your plan around Charpak or Eiffel first, then check each school's own award rules. Paris-Saclay's award cannot be combined with Eiffel, so read the conditions before you count on two awards. Do not wait for results before you apply for admission, since the scholarship steps depend on your admission file.
This information is available on: inde.campusfrance.org, campusfrance.org, universite-paris-saclay.fr, grenoble-inp.fr
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