Masters & PhD Scholarships for Palestinian Students in France

Each year, the Consulate General of France in Jerusalem grants scholarships to Palestinian students selected on the basis of academic and professional excellence criteria. The programme’s goal is to reinforce Palestinian institutions through capacity-building. Upon admission, the grantees can follow courses in France in non-existent or insufficiently represented programmes in Palestine (Master’s degree and PhD only).
The scholarship programme involves French local authorities and French universities, in order to increase the number of scholarships awarded each year and to improve the quality of the stay and supervision of the selected students in France.
The cities of Besançon, Cergy-Pontoise, Rezé, Grenoble, Gennevilliers, Gières, Angers, as well as Université ParisSud11, Midi-Pyrénées and Ile de France Regions are the main partners of this policy of cooperation.
Other specific scholarship programmes have also been opened in partnership with the following Palestinian universities:
An-Najah and Al-Quds University. These programmes are open to students and teachers who wish to pursue an academic career and will return to their universities to help strengthen their curricula and research.
NB: Selection for these three programmes is organized separately by the scholarship office of each university.

ARE YOU ELIGIBLE?

1. Nationality: The candidate must hold the Palestinian citizenship. Only holders of a Palestinian passport or a temporary Jordanian
   passport can apply.
2. Age: Candidates must be, on January, 1st 2015, less than 25 years old for a master’s degree and less than 30 years old for a
   PhD. Depending on the quality of the application, older candidates will be considered.
3. Master’s and PhD only: Only candidates to a Master’s degree or a PhD can apply for a scholarship.

SELECTION CRITERIA

1. Academic excellence: School and academic record will be evaluated by reviewing marks obtained at Tawjihi, Bachelor’s and Master’s degree.
2. Quality of academic project: Your academic project in France has to be clear, well-documented and relevant with regard to your academic and professional background.
   In the application form, you you must specify the French programmes you wish to apply to, including contact details. To find
   out more about Master’s and PhD programmes in France, please visit www.campusfrance.org. For programmes taught in
   English, please visit: http://www.campusfrance.org/en/page/programs-taught-english
3. PhD candidates must have found a thesis supervisor at time of application, or at least a list of professors/doctoral
   schools they are in contact with. In the French higher education system, finding a supervisor is the student’s first and
   foremost duty before enrolling in a university. All applications sent without a detailed summary (5 pages, including a onepage
   bibliography) of a thesis project will not be reviewed.
   IMPORTANT: Please remember that you are wholly responsible for applying for a French university programme, regardless of the scholarship selection results. Beware of the application deadlines!
4. Coherence of the professional project in Palestine after studies in France: The application must fit into a clear professional project in Palestine, to be implemented upon your return from France. An official letter from your employer accepting your leave or a job offer valid upon your return or a formal commitment to come back and work in a Palestinian university or institution is mandatory.
5. Language proficiency: IMPORTANT: Priority will be given to French-speaking/learning candidates. To study in a programme taught in French, a good level of French is required (level equivalent to DELF B2 required).
   If you wish to take French lessons, please inquire the nearest French Institute or other accredited institution (Gaza, Jerusalem, Nablus, Ramallah, the Alliance Française in Bethlehem and Hebron-France association in Hebron).
   If you wish to apply for a programme taught in English, the following disciplines are accepted as a priority in the framework of this scholarship: abstract mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology. In addition, an excellent level in English is required. You must commit to taking French classes if you are selected.

CALENDAR

1. End of November– February 28th 2015: Call for applications open (no application will be accepted after closing date).
2. March 2015: shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview
3. May 2015 results will be sent by email and published on the website of the Consulate General of France in Jerusalem.
   IMPORTANT: please do not call the Consulate before this date to inquire about the status of your application.

SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION

The deadline for submission of applications is February 28th, 2015 at closing time of the below-mentioned
institutions. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.
Applications can be submitted to:
– The Cooperation Department of the Consulate General of France in Jerusalem (Sheikh Jarrah)
– The Franco-German Cultural Center in Ramallah
– The French Institute in Nablus
– The French Institute in Gaza
– The Hebron-France Association For Cultural Exchanges
– Alliance Française of Bethlehem (Peace Centre)
Applications can also be sent to:

Consulat Général de France à Jérusalem
Service de Coopération et d’Action Culturelle
Candidature aux bourses du gouvernement français
3, Bibers street
B.P. 182
Sheikh Jarrah, Jerusalem

 

 

More details, application forms and other documents may be found in Source