HomeLive at the MECThe various scholarships

The various scholarships

Each year, some students end up working part-time to supplement their income. For others, financial challenges and the Parisian cost of living can become an obstacle to their continued stay in Paris. 

Scholarship programs were created to encourage worthy students in the pursuit of their studies.

Requirements and selection criteria

You can be selected if you meet the following requirements.

Conditions :

· Be a Canadian citizen (permanent residence does not make you eligible). 

· Be enrolled in a postgraduate program in the Ile-de-France region for the 2024-2025 academic year OR demonstrate by letter of support from the student’s thesis director in Canada that a research stay in Paris is essential for completing the student’s postgraduate degree. 

· Have a good academic record since the undergraduate level. 

· Demonstrate a desire to be actively involved in MEC life (via the Committee of the residents, etc.) and become one of its ambassadors. 

· Not having received a grant of excellence from the federal and / or provincial governments of Canada.

Selection criteria :

· Study project 

· Pertinence of an academic stay in Paris 

· Interest shown for MEC community life 

· Academic excellence 

· Financial resources

The excellence of your academic record, the quality of your study project in Paris, and your motivation to participate in the collective life of our House will all be elements which strengthen your application.

Bourse David et Liliane Stewart

The David and Liliane Stewart Scholarship allows a Canadian registered in a Master or Doctoral degree to consider pursuing part of his or her graduate studies in Paris under optimal conditions.

Macdonald Stewart Foundation

The Macdonald Stewart Foundation continues the generosity of Sir W.C. Macdonald and the Stewart Family, initiated in the 1860s by Sir William C. Macdonald, who made his fortune through the sale of tobacco. The Foundation is a Canadian non-profit organization established in 1973 by Montreal philanthropists David and Liliane Stewart following the sale of Macdonald Tobacco Inc. The Foundation is attentive to the various needs of the community, working independently or in cooperation with public and private organizations in the areas of education, medicine, culture and especially Canadian heritage where it has provided major financial assistance to many projects.

The David and Liliane Stewart Scholarship

The Macdonald Stewart Foundation offers the successful candidate accommodation during his/her academic stay in Paris for up to 10 months (value of 6,100 euros, almost $10,000 CAD).

Graduate students applying for housing at the MEC for the 2024-2025 academic year may also apply for the scholarship if they have a good academic record.

If you wish to apply for admission to the MEC independently of your application to the scholarship, complete your application for housing first and include your CIUP file number in your cover letter.

If you are not applying for admission to the MEC because your stay in Paris is dependent on obtaining the scholarship, please make sure that you are eligible for admission nonetheless as you must satisfy those requirements if you are the successful recipient of the 2024-2025 scholarship. Admission requirements are described on the MEC website.

SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBILITY

• Be a Canadian citizen (permanent residence does not make you eligible).
• Be enrolled in a postgraduate program in the Ile-de-France region for the 2024-2025 academic year OR demonstrate by letter of support from the student’s thesis director in Canada that a research stay in Paris is essential for completing the student’s postgraduate degree.
• Have a good academic record since the undergraduate level.
• Demonstrate a desire to be actively involved in the MEC life (via the Committeeof the residents, etc.) and become one of its ambassadors.
• Not having received a grant of excellence from the federal and / or provincialgovernments of Canada.
• Not having received another MEC scholarship for the same academic year (thescholarships are not cumulative).
  
  APPLICATION PROCEDURES
  The applicant must submit the following documents via email by email by July 4th 2024 at the latest @ info@etudiantscanadiens.org:

• an official transcript of the most recent diploma and, if applicable, of every year completed in the current program of study;
• a motivation letter (2 pages maximum) explaining :
  • 1) the study project in France
  • 2) concrete actions envisaged to get involved in the life of the House and tobecome an ambassador
  • Your budget
• the names and e-mail addresses of two referees who will send a letter of recommendation before July 4th, 2024 via email
  @ info@etudiantscanadiens.org (write in the subject heading “Bourse David et Lilian Stewart – applicant’s name”).
• Late or incomplete applications will not be considered for the scholarship.
  
  EVALUATION CRITERIA

• Study project
• Pertinence of an academic stay in Paris
• Interest shown for MEC community life
• Academic excellence
• Financial resources
  
  JURY MEMBERS

• A representant of the Paris Academy or the Embassy of Canada in Paris
• A member of the Administration Committee of the MEC
• The director of the House of Canadian StudentsThe jury will meet end of July 2024. Applicants will be notified of the results afterwards.

Baxter & Alma Ricard scholarship

The Baxter & Alma Ricard Foundation Scholarship for Housing enables a Canadian living in a French-speaking minority situation in Canada enrolled in a graduate or post-graduate program to consider pursuing part of his or her graduate studies in Paris under optimal conditions.

The Foundation offers the successful candidate accommodation during his/her academic stay in Paris in 2024/2025, up to a maximum of 10 months’ rent for a large room (value of $10,000 CAD).

Therefore, if you are applying for admission to the MEC independently of the scholarship application, please apply for admission beforehand and provide the CIUP file number in your cover letter.

If you are not applying for admission to the MEC because your academic stay in Paris is conditional on receiving the scholarship, please ensure that you meet the MEC admission requirements that you will need to fulfill in order to be admitted for an academic stay, should your application be accepted in the 2024-2025 competition: these admission requirements are described on the MEC website.

CONDITIONS FOR SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBILITY

• Be in a French-speaking minority situation in Canada.
• Be a Canadian citizen (permanent residency is not eligible).
• Be registered for the 2024-2025 academic year in a higher education institution in the Ile-de-France region OR demonstrate, in a letter from the director of studies in Canada, that a research stay in Paris is necessary to obtain the candidate’s graduate degree.
• Have a very good academic record since 1st cycle university.
• Demonstrate a willingness to participate actively in the visibility of the Foundation and the life of the MEC, to make a concrete contribution and to become an ambassador.

HOW TO APPLY

Send your application before July 31, 2024 to the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScTKsDV-q8yQX39SQ_koBy0-sjz0UDIH52slDdudopwNnxZWQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

In addition to your application, you must ask :

• Two referees, who will send a letter of recommendation before July 15, 2024 to admission@etudiantscanadiens.org (write in the subject line: “FBAR housing grant – name of candidate”).

Incomplete applications and/or applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

SELECTION CRITERIA

• French-speaking resident of a province other than Quebec in Canada
• Study project
• Relevance of an academic stay in Paris
• Interest in life at MEC
• Academic record
• Financial resources

COMPOSITION OF THE JURY

• Representative of the Académie de Paris or the Canadian Embassy
• Representative of the MEC Board of Directors
• MEC Director
• The Director or a representative of the Baxter & Alma Ricard Foundation
• Representative of the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris.

The selection panel will meet in early August 2024.

Results will be announced at the end of the jury meeting.

Graduate students applying to the MEC for the 2024-2025 academic year may also apply for another Foundation scholarship (worth up to C$150,000), if they have a very good academic record. For more information, please visit www.fondationricard.com

Student involvement scholarship

The student involvement scholarship is granted to 4 residents of the MEC who contribute greatly to the experience of living together at the MEC.

The MEC offers chosen candidates a scholarship equivalent to one month’s rent for a standard room, during their stay from September to June. The winners also receive an official certificate from the Canadian Ambassador to France.

Requirements

• You are a resident at the MEC for the current academic year.
• You are enrolled in an institution of higher learning in Ile-de-France OR you demonstrate with a letter from your academic director in Canada that a research period in Paris is necessary to obtain your master’s or doctoral degree.
• You haven’t received the graduate studies scholarship from the MEC.
• You are not a short stay resident.
• You cannot be part of the residents’ committee.
• Be available for the training of PAIRS aidants (date TBC).

Selection criteria

• You’re interested in developing your leadership skills.
• You work well in a team.
• You are articulate, confident and open-minded.
• You are discreet and professional.
• You demonstrate the desire to contribute actively to life at the MEC.
• Attention will be paid to equal representation of men and women when possible.

Responsabilities of the winner

• Attend first-line intervention training.
• Approach residents who need help or a sympathetic ear and refer them.
• Organize three activities per term (from September to January, and February to June for residents of ‘your family’ (breakdown by areas of the House).
• Participate in and assist in organizing a group activity with the Director of the MEC.
• Participate in making living together better.
• Help with evacuation of MEC residents if there is a fire alarm.

Requirements to receive the scholarship  

• At the end of the year, write a short report on your experience and contribution at the MEC.
• Attend between 6 and 8 team meetings of about one hour, from September to June.
• Participate in the training of PAIRS aidants.

To apply

• Prepare a short cover letter and your CV
• Send them by email to communication@etudiantscanadiens.org
• Deadline: September 30th 2023.
• The selection will be made by an interview with the director.