2025 Government Of France Excellence Scholarship Program

The French Embassy in Ghana is managing the French Government’s Scholarship initiative known as “France Excellence,” which features a component called “Séjours Scientifiques de Haut Niveau (SSHN, High-Level Scientific Stays).”

This opportunity is designed for university lecturers and researchers who are interested in spending a period at a French academic or research institution. The SSHN program also serves as a means to strengthen collaboration with organizations based in France.

Recipients of the scholarship will receive benefits such as a return flight, a monthly stipend, and insurance covering health and repatriation. Accommodation can be arranged through Campus France Paris, with rental fees subtracted directly from the awarded funding.

Requirements for the French Government Excellence Scholarship Program

• Nationality: Any candidate with a tenure position in a public or private higher education institution or scientific research laboratory is eligible. Please note that binational candidates holding the nationality of one of the countries of the European Union are not eligible.
• Degree: Only PhD students and holders of PhD degrees are eligible. According to the programme rules, candidates who have obtained a doctorate for more than 5 years will be considered “confirmed researchers.” Candidates who have obtained a doctorate within the last 5 years are considered “young researchers.”

Selection Process

Timeline:

• 4 March 2025: launch of the call for applications.
• 26th April 2025: deadline for application.
• 30th May 2025: results released to the laureates
• From 1st September to 15th December 2025: mobility period in France.

Selection criteria and preparation for the mobility

Applications will be assessed based on the precision of the project and elements ensuring the added value and impact of the mobility on personal, institutional, and cooperation levels.

• The host organization’s letter of invitation must include a description of the activities to be carried out during the stay (e.g., titles of seminars/conferences organized, scientific articles in preparation). The cover letter must explain the reasons for the host organization selected, past achievements in line with the mobility project, relevance to the areas of research developed by the home laboratories, and actions generating the strengthening or creation of new collaborations. The quality and precision of the work plan will be assessed through the mobility timetable, which must demonstrate that the project has been carefully prepared in advance.
• Candidacies proposing co-financing will be positively assessed.
• The results will be sent by e-mail together with the description of the procedure to comply with the travel arrangements and visa applications. The Embassy of France in Ghana will link the grantee with Campus France Paris, which is responsible for the organization of the practical aspects of the mobility.
• Any mobility confirmed by June 15th will be automatically cancelled. The scholarship will be given to a candidate on the waiting list.

Scholarship cannot be transferred to the following year, whatever the reason might be.

Application Deadline

April 26, 2025

How to Apply

Form and documents are to be sent in a single PDF file to: scac.accra-amba@diplomatie.gouv.fr

Download the application form here