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The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, represented by the Cultural Affairs and Missions Sector - Central Administration for Missions, in cooperation with the French Embassy in Cairo, announces the opening of applications for 20 doctoral scholarships for the academic year 2025/2026. These scholarships are jointly funded by the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt and France, as part of the Executive Scholarship Program extending until 2030.

These scholarships come in light of the directives of Dr. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and as a result of the official visit of Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, to the Arab Republic of Egypt from April 6 to 8, 2025. This visit witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two parties to support the doctoral scholarship program. The agreement stipulates the provision of 100 fully funded scholarships over five years, at a rate of 20 scholarships per year.

The available scholarships include 12 six-month PhD research scholarships, five 12-month joint supervision scholarships, and three 18-month joint supervision scholarships.

These scholarships are available in all areas of academic research, with priority given to disciplines of common interest. These include ICT fields such as artificial intelligence, computing, robotics, cybersecurity, and communications, as well as environmental sciences and renewable energy fields such as biology, water and waste treatment, biotechnology, biodiversity, climate change, and renewable energy.

Grant priorities also include health sciences fields such as biomedical research, nanotechnology, and advanced biomedical applications, as well as agriculture and agri-food, and social sciences and humanities such as economics, management, archaeology, linguistics, education, political science, and law.

To be eligible for admission, applicants must be Egyptian, no older than 35 years old on the date of the announcement, have completed military service or been exempted from it, and have not previously received a scholarship or a funded grant to obtain a doctorate. Applicants must also be working as an assistant teacher or research assistant, hold a master's degree in the field of the scholarship, have listed the thesis topic as a condition for travel, and be registered for a doctorate at an Egyptian university, provided that the registration period does not exceed three years on the date of the announcement.

The student must not be involved in other ongoing projects funded by the French government and must have a minimum English language proficiency of 5.5 on the IELTS test or a minimum French language proficiency of 2B on the TCF or DELF tests.

Applications are evaluated by a joint selection committee comprising representatives from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and the French Embassy in Cairo. The evaluation takes into account the applicant's academic excellence, the relevance of the research project to the topic of the doctoral dissertation, the potential for deepening research cooperation between Egyptian and French laboratories, the economic and social feasibility of the research project, and the applicant's proficiency in either English or French.

The French side covers the costs of round-trip travel, visa fees, and registration fees at French universities for the joint doctoral program. It also covers the costs of an intensive online French language course for non-native speakers and a training program in scientific research methodology organized by the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie.

The student also receives the status of "French Government Scholarship Holder," which allows them to benefit from university housing support, discounts on transportation and cultural activities, and a monthly living allowance of €695.

In return, the Arab Republic of Egypt will bear an amount of 1,075 euros per month for each student, and the Egyptian Cultural Office in France will provide academic and financial support for the students throughout the duration of the scholarship.

Applying is available through the website, click here

starting June 17, 2025, and continuing until 3:00 PM on July 15, 2025.