The Canadian Students’ House is proud to highlight the introduction of the Merit and Engagement Scholarship awarded by the Cité internationale universitaire de Paris (CIUP), a unique initiative designed to support residents whose academic excellence and civic engagement stand out.
The Merit and Engagement Scholarships are granted by the CIUP and cover the full amount of the monthly rent (up to €500) for accommodation in one of the residences at the Cité internationale, while also providing access to all campus services. This scholarship complements other financial aid programs offered to French and international students, as well as to artists and high-level athletes.
For the 2025–2026 academic year, two residents of the Canadian Students’ House have been selected.
Youssef Laimeche, Merit and Engagement Scholar 2025–2026, is currently pursuing a master’s degree in architecture in Paris after growing up in Montreal. Driven by a long-standing curiosity about ways of living, politics, and culture, he has accumulated international experiences ranging from Japan to Italy before coming to France. For him, architecture extends far beyond construction; it is a political and social tool rooted in everyday life and popular culture. Actively involved at the Cité internationale, he is a member of the CIUP Residents’ Board as well as the MEC student committee, reflecting his belief that meaningful contributions to the collective can take many forms beyond building alone.
Michaela Petrova Tsvetkova, also a Merit and Engagement Scholar for 2025–2026, is originally from Bulgaria and is pursuing a master’s degree in architecture at the École nationale supérieure d’architecture de Paris-Belleville. Guided by a strong artistic sensibility, she explores the relationship between space, perception, and visual creation through painting, photography, and installation art. For Michaela, designing spaces is прежде all about storytelling—how people inhabit, experience, and engage with their environment. An engaged resident at the Cité internationale, she actively contributes to the cultural and community life of her residence, convinced that architecture is built as much through human exchange as through concrete projects.
Through these scholarships, the Cité internationale reaffirms its commitment to enabling students, artists, and high-level athletes with more limited resources to pursue their studies and residence at the Cité internationale under the best possible conditions.
Congrats Youssef and Michaela & Thanks for your implication !