The Charpak Scholarship is one of the most important French Government funding opportunities available specifically to Indian students who want to study, complete an exchange semester, or undertake short-term academic training in France.
Administered through the French Embassy and French Institute in India, the France Excellence Charpak programme includes separate routes for Master’s study, Bachelor’s study, exchange semesters, and short-term internships or research projects.
For 2026, the Master scholarship offers approximately €860 per month, along with benefits such as visa and Campus France procedure-fee exemptions, health coverage, and assistance with affordable student accommodation. However, the scholarship does not automatically pay every study and living expense.
Students should also note that the main 2026 application cycles have now closed or are unavailable. Therefore, this guide is especially useful for understanding the programme and preparing early for the next available cycle.
What Is the Charpak Scholarship?
The France Excellence Charpak programme is a French Government scholarship initiative for Indian students.
It supports undergraduate, postgraduate, exchange, and short-term academic opportunities in France.
Campus France India currently identifies four main Charpak routes:
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- France Excellence Charpak Bachelor;
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- France Excellence Charpak Master;
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- France Excellence Charpak Exchange;
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- France Excellence Charpak Summer Training.
- France Excellence Charpak Summer Training.
The programme can support students studying at eligible public or private higher-education institutions in France, depending on the specific scholarship category.
Each category has different eligibility rules, study duration, benefits, and application requirements.
Therefore, students should first identify which Charpak route matches their study plan rather than applying under the wrong scholarship category.
Types of Charpak Scholarships for Indian Students
France Excellence Charpak Master Scholarship
The Charpak Master Scholarship supports Indian students undertaking a full-time Master’s programme in France.
It is available across fields of study and can support approximately one to two years of Master’s-level education.
The scholarship provides approximately €860 per month as a living allowance.
Awardees also receive benefits such as:
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- student visa fee exemption when applying from India;
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- Campus France procedure-fee exemption;
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- student social-security benefits;
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- additional health insurance;
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- assistance in finding affordable accommodation;
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- priority access to CROUS residences, subject to availability;
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- discounted university-restaurant meals;
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- access to selected Campus France cultural and social activities.
- access to selected Campus France cultural and social activities.
Students already completing the first year of a Master’s in France may be able to apply for support for the second year, subject to the scholarship rules.
However, renewal should never be considered automatic. The broader Charpak programme states that renewal depends on a request and the academic results achieved during the first year.
Best suited for: Indian students planning a full-time Master’s degree in France.
France Excellence Charpak Bachelor Scholarship
The Charpak Bachelor Scholarship is intended for Indian students admitted to a full-time undergraduate degree programme in France.
It applies to undergraduate programmes across different subject areas.
The published benefits include approximately €860 per month, along with:
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- student visa fee exemption;
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- Campus France procedure-fee exemption;
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- student social-security support;
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- additional health insurance;
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- accommodation assistance;
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- priority access to CROUS housing where available;
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- discounted university meals;
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- selected cultural and social activities.
- selected cultural and social activities.
Students should note an important 2026 update: applications for the 2026 Bachelor session are not being accepted.
Students interested in a future cycle should monitor the official Charpak announcement rather than relying on old application dates.
Best suited for: Indian school graduates planning full-time undergraduate study in France.
Charpak Exchange Scholarship
The Charpak Exchange Scholarship supports Bachelor’s or Master’s students currently studying at an Indian institution who undertake an academic exchange semester in France.
The Indian institution must have an academic partnership with the French host institution.
For the Spring route, the academic exchange generally lasts around four to six months. The Autumn programme can support an exchange of approximately one to six months.
The scholarship can provide:
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- approximately €860 per month;
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- student social-security benefits;
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- student visa fee waiver;
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- Campus France procedure-fee waiver or reimbursement;
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- accommodation assistance, subject to availability.
- accommodation assistance, subject to availability.
This route is specifically for a study exchange.
Students travelling primarily for a thesis, research project, or internship are not eligible under the exchange category.
For 2026, the Spring session has closed, while Campus France India states that the 2026 Autumn-session call will not open this year.
Best suited for: Indian Bachelor’s or Master’s students whose institution has an exchange partnership with a French university.
Charpak Summer Training Scholarship
The France Excellence Charpak Summer Training Scholarship, previously known as Charpak Lab, supports short academic internships and research projects in France.
It is designed for Indian students currently enrolled at Bachelor’s or Master’s level.
Applicants need an invitation from a French laboratory or institution where they plan to carry out their internship or research project.
The programme currently provides approximately €700 per month for a maximum funding period of two months.
It also includes:
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- student visa fee exemption when applicable;
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- Campus France procedure-fee waiver where applicable.
Unlike the Master, Bachelor, and Exchange routes, Summer Training does not provide travel expenses, medical expenses, travel insurance, or accommodation assistance.
The 2026 Summer Training application cycle is now closed.
Best suited for: Bachelor’s or Master’s students planning a short research project or internship at a French academic institution or laboratory.
Charpak Scholarship Benefits in 2026
The benefits differ by scholarship category.
| Charpak Programme | Approximate Monthly Support | Main Additional Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Master | approximately €860 | Visa/Campus France fee exemptions, health coverage, accommodation assistance |
| Bachelor | approximately €860 | Visa/Campus France fee exemptions, health coverage, accommodation assistance |
| Exchange | approximately €860 | Social security, visa/Campus France fee support, accommodation assistance |
| Summer Training | approximately €700 | Visa and applicable Campus France fee exemptions |
Master and Bachelor scholarship holders may also qualify for discounted university meals costing around €1 at participating university restaurants under current arrangements.
A valuable part of the scholarship is also the status of French Government Scholarship Holder, which may provide access to specific student support services.
For students pursuing qualifying national diplomas at French public institutions, exemption from differentiated international tuition fees may sometimes be available.
However, Campus France makes clear that students must check the exemption policy directly with their institution.
What the Charpak Scholarship Does Not Cover
Students should not assume that winning Charpak means every expense in France is paid.
For the Master and Bachelor programmes, the scholarship does not normally cover:
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- travel from India to France;
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- travel within France;
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- all personal living expenses;
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- every possible university charge.
- every possible university charge.
For Summer Training, the exclusions are broader.
It does not cover:
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- travel costs;
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- medical expenses;
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- travel insurance;
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- accommodation assistance;
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- expenses beyond the maximum scholarship-supported training period.
- expenses beyond the maximum scholarship-supported training period.
Students should therefore prepare an additional personal budget before leaving India.
Charpak Scholarship Eligibility
Eligibility for the Master Scholarship
For the current Charpak Master framework, applicants must generally:
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- be an Indian citizen or OCI card holder;
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- be 30 years old or younger when applying;
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- be currently studying or have completed studies at a higher-education institution;
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- have applied for admission to a French institution before submitting the scholarship application;
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- undertake the relevant programme in France;
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- apply for a full-time Master’s degree.
- apply for a full-time Master’s degree.
Applicants with qualifications from foreign institutions can apply, although preference may be given to applicants educated at Indian institutions.
French-language knowledge is useful but not compulsory.
Students undertaking only an exchange semester, internship, thesis, or research project should use the appropriate alternative programme rather than the Master scholarship.
Eligibility for the Bachelor Scholarship
Bachelor applicants generally need to:
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- be an Indian citizen or OCI card holder;
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- be 23 years old or younger when applying;
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- be studying at or have completed studies at senior-secondary level;
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- have applied for admission to a French higher-education institution;
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- pursue a full-time Bachelor’s programme in France.
- pursue a full-time Bachelor’s programme in France.
French-language knowledge is an advantage but not mandatory under the general scholarship rules.
Students who studied outside India can still be eligible, although preference may be given to applicants who completed their education at an Indian school.
Eligibility for the Exchange Scholarship
Exchange applicants generally need to:
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- be an Indian national residing in India or hold an OCI card;
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- be no more than 30 years old;
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- currently study at an Indian higher-education institution;
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- have access to an institutional partnership with the French host university;
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- undertake a genuine academic exchange semester.
- undertake a genuine academic exchange semester.
Research projects, thesis work, and internships do not qualify as exchange-semester study under this scholarship.
Eligibility for Summer Training
Summer Training applicants need to:
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- be Indian nationals residing in India;
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- be no more than 30 years old;
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- be enrolled at an Indian higher-education institution at Bachelor’s or Master’s level;
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- obtain an invitation from the French host laboratory or institution;
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- undertake a research internship or project lasting at least approximately one month.
- undertake a research internship or project lasting at least approximately one month.
Scholarship financial support is available for a maximum of approximately two months.
Documents Required for the Charpak Scholarship
Documents vary by route, but applicants should generally prepare:
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- passport-size photograph;
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- valid passport or passport-application proof;
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- CV of no more than two pages;
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- academic mark sheets;
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- degree certificates where relevant;
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- French university admission or acceptance evidence;
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- French-language certificate, if available;
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- internship or employment evidence, where relevant;
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- recommendation letters where required or useful.
- recommendation letters where required or useful.
For the Master scholarship, recommendation letters should preferably relate to the scholarship application and include the referee’s signature and contact information.
Summer Training applicants also need:
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- a No Objection Certificate from their Indian institution;
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- an invitation from the French laboratory or institution.
- an invitation from the French laboratory or institution.
Exchange candidates may need a No Objection Certificate and evidence of the academic partnership or acceptance for the French exchange programme.
Applicants should follow the current official checklist because documentation requirements may change from one cycle to another.
How to Apply for the Charpak Scholarship
A practical application process is:
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- Choose the correct Charpak programme.
Decide whether your plan involves Bachelor’s study, Master’s study, exchange, or short-term research training.
- Choose the correct Charpak programme.
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- Apply to the relevant French institution.
For the Master and Bachelor scholarships, students must normally apply for French admission before applying for Charpak.
- Apply to the relevant French institution.
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- Prepare academic documents.
Collect mark sheets, certificates, transcripts, and required identity documents.
- Prepare academic documents.
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- Prepare your CV and Statement of Purpose.
Explain your academic direction, reasons for studying in France, and how the programme connects with your goals.
- Prepare your CV and Statement of Purpose.
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- Arrange recommendation letters where relevant.
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- Submit the scholarship application through the official scholarship platform during the active application window.
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- Prepare for an interview if shortlisted.
- Prepare for an interview if shortlisted.
For the 2026 Master cycle, shortlisted candidates were scheduled for online interviews between 13 April and 30 April 2026. The results have since been finalised.
Future cycles may follow different dates, so students should verify the official announcement rather than assuming that the 2026 schedule will repeat.
How Candidates Are Selected
Charpak is a competitive scholarship.
For the Master, Bachelor, Exchange, and Summer Training schemes, selection focuses heavily on:
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- academic excellence;
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- consistency of academic performance;
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- overall quality of the application;
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- quality of the Statement of Purpose;
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- strength of the applicant’s overall profile.
- strength of the applicant’s overall profile.
Importantly, Campus France states that there is no fixed minimum CGPA or percentage cut-off for these scholarship routes.
That does not mean grades are unimportant.
It means candidates are considered more holistically rather than through one published minimum score.
For the Master and Bachelor programmes, shortlisted applicants may also be interviewed.
The official programme pages additionally warn applicants that the SOP is checked for plagiarism. They state that the use of AI tools for the scholarship SOP is discouraged and that applications containing significant AI-generated content may be disqualified.
Students should therefore write their scholarship application in their own voice and ensure it genuinely reflects their experiences and goals.
Charpak Scholarship 2026 Application Status
Students searching for the scholarship in September 2026 should be especially careful with outdated pages.
Current official status includes:
| Programme | 2026 Status |
|---|---|
| Charpak Master | Results finalised; selected applicants notified |
| Charpak Bachelor | Applications not accepted for the 2026 session |
| Charpak Summer Training | 2026 cycle closed |
| Charpak Exchange – Spring | 2026 cycle closed |
| Charpak Exchange – Autumn | 2026 call will not open |
If you are preparing now, use the 2026 information to understand eligibility and organise your documents, but wait for the official next-cycle announcement before relying on deadlines or application dates.
Is French Language Knowledge Compulsory?
Not necessarily.
Campus France states that knowledge of French is an advantage for several Charpak programmes but is not mandatory under the general scholarship eligibility rules.
However, your university programme may have its own language requirements.
For example:
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- a French-taught programme may require proof of French proficiency;
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- an English-taught programme may require IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, or another accepted English qualification.
- an English-taught programme may require IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, or another accepted English qualification.
The scholarship language rule and university admission language rule should therefore be checked separately.
How to Strengthen Your Charpak Scholarship Application
A strong application should make it easy for the selection committee to understand your academic direction.
Build a Consistent Academic Story
Explain how your previous education connects with the programme you plan to study in France.
Avoid presenting unrelated achievements without context.
Write a Personal Statement of Purpose
Your SOP should explain:
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- why you chose the programme;
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- why France is relevant to your academic goals;
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- what you plan to learn;
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- how the programme fits your future plans.
- how the programme fits your future plans.
Generic praise such as “France has excellent universities” is not enough.
Show Evidence of Academic Engagement
Relevant experience may include:
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- academic projects;
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- internships;
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- research;
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- competitions;
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- professional experience;
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- volunteering;
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- publications.
- publications.
Include activities that genuinely strengthen your application.
Choose Recommendations Carefully
A recommendation is more useful when the referee understands your academic ability and can discuss your suitability for the proposed programme.
Prepare Early
Do not begin collecting documents when the scholarship deadline is close.
University admission, recommendation letters, transcripts, passports, and other documents can take time.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should avoid:
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- applying under the wrong Charpak category;
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- assuming the scholarship covers every expense;
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- applying without first starting the required French admission process;
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- waiting until the deadline to request recommendation letters;
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- uploading incomplete documents;
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- submitting multiple applications when only one is permitted;
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- assuming French is compulsory for every programme;
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- copying another student’s SOP;
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- using an AI-generated SOP as their final scholarship statement;
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- assuming there is a guaranteed CGPA threshold;
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- relying on old scholarship dates;
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- assuming selection guarantees visa approval.
- assuming selection guarantees visa approval.
Admission, scholarship selection, and visa approval are separate processes.
The French authorities can also discontinue a scholarship in circumstances such as obtaining an incompatible scholarship, entering certain apprenticeship arrangements, taking an unapproved gap year or exchange period, or failing to receive the relevant visa.
Is the Charpak Scholarship Fully Funded?
The term “fully funded” should be used carefully.
Charpak provides significant financial and practical support, but it does not automatically cover every expense.
For example, the Master scholarship provides approximately €860 per month, health-related benefits, fee exemptions, housing assistance, and other support.
However, it normally does not pay for:
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- flights from India;
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- travel within France;
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- every living expense;
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- every tuition charge in every institution.
- every tuition charge in every institution.
Similarly, the Summer Training scholarship provides approximately €700 per month for up to two months but does not cover travel, accommodation assistance, medical expenses, or travel insurance.
It is therefore more accurate to describe Charpak as a substantial French Government scholarship with multiple financial benefits, rather than assuming it removes every cost of studying in France.
Key Takeaways
The Charpak Scholarship is a major French Government scholarship programme created for Indian students pursuing academic opportunities in France.
Its main routes include:
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- Master;
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- Bachelor;
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- Exchange;
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- Summer Training.
- Summer Training.
The Master, Bachelor, and Exchange programmes can provide approximately €860 per month, while Summer Training provides approximately €700 per month for up to approximately two months.
Benefits can also include visa and Campus France fee exemptions, health-related support, and accommodation assistance depending on the programme.
There is no published minimum CGPA or percentage cut-off for the main Charpak selection process. Academic excellence, consistency, application quality, and the Statement of Purpose remain important.
As of September 2026, the main 2026 application opportunities are closed or unavailable. Students targeting the next cycle should begin preparing university applications, academic documents, recommendations, and a personal SOP early.
FAQs
Who is eligible for the Charpak Scholarship?
Eligibility depends on the scholarship category.
For the Master scholarship, applicants generally need to be Indian citizens or OCI card holders, be no more than 30 years old, and have applied for admission to an eligible full-time Master’s programme in France.
How much is the Charpak Scholarship stipend?
The Master, Bachelor, and Exchange programmes currently provide approximately €860 per month.
The Summer Training programme provides approximately €700 per month for up to approximately two months.
Is the Charpak Scholarship available for 2026?
The 2026 Master results have already been finalised.
The Bachelor scheme is not accepting 2026 applications, Summer Training is closed, Spring Exchange is closed, and the Autumn 2026 Exchange call will not open.
Is there a minimum CGPA for the Charpak Scholarship?
Campus France does not publish a fixed minimum CGPA or percentage cut-off for the main Charpak scholarship selection.
Academic excellence and consistency are still evaluated as part of the overall profile.
Is French compulsory for the Charpak Scholarship?
No. French-language knowledge is considered an advantage but is not generally mandatory for the scholarship itself.
Your chosen university programme may still have separate French or English language requirements.
Does Charpak cover tuition fees?
Not automatically in every case.
French Government scholarship holders studying for qualifying national diplomas at certain French public institutions may receive exemption from differentiated tuition fees, but students must confirm the institution’s policy.
Does the Charpak Scholarship pay for flights?
No. The Master and Bachelor scholarship information specifically excludes travel from India to France and travel within France.
Inference
The Charpak Scholarship can make studying in France considerably more affordable for eligible Indian students through monthly financial support, fee exemptions, health benefits, and accommodation assistance.
The right scholarship depends on your academic plan. Master’s students should focus on Charpak Master, undergraduate applicants on the Bachelor route when applications reopen, exchange students on the Exchange programme, and short-term researchers on Summer Training.
Because the main 2026 application cycles are now closed or unavailable, students planning the next intake should use this period to shortlist French institutions, prepare academic documents, strengthen their profile, and write an authentic Statement of Purpose.
This article is for educational and informational purposes. University admission requirements, tuition fees, visa rules, scholarships, immigration policies and post-study opportunities may change. Students should verify the latest information with the relevant university, government authority, immigration department, embassy or official source before making a decision.
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