Money Matters

Your dream trip to study in France rests on a very concrete reality: money. Advance planning is the watchword here. As a rule, the more time you give yourself, the more financially prepared you will be.

Dr. Susan L. Pugh, Associate Vice Provost in charge of the Office of Student Financial Assistance at Indiana University Bloomington, says, “Students should check with [their school’s] Study Abroad Office and Financial Aid Office at least a year before they plan to study abroad, so they can pursue appropriate financial alternatives for their trip. They also need to obtain a clear understanding of the actual costs, so they are not caught short once they are abroad.”

To stay within your budget while away, Pugh advises four key policies:

Keep track of all costs and cash available.
Avoid “emergency” or impulse purchases.
Concentrate on what you need (not what you want).
Don’t try to keep up with your wealthier counterparts on the trip.

A few useful websites to make your search for funds a little easier:

iefa.org
This portal specializes in financial aid. It shares tips and resources about grants as well. Select France in the menu to find scholarships.

portal.unesco.org
Unesco offers an online database of scholarships and courses that you can search by country or field of interest. To get to the study abroad section directly: portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=41018&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

www.egide.asso.fr/uk/guide
Egide is a nonprofit organization that has been managing French government international mobility programs for 45 years. Its Studying in France guide is available online, listing grants by geographical area.

www.en.cnous.fr/_vie_47.htm
The institutional portal for student life in France lists organizations that offer grants.

www.fastweb.com
A good way to find the grants that match your profile, this site allows you to perform a personalized search based on your background.

www.cies.org/cies.htm
If you are a research scholar or lecturer, check the scholarships offered by the Fulbright program.

www.diplomatie.gouv.fr
The French government also gives a few grants, described on the website of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The section Studying in France summarizes the different types of financial support offered.