APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR OVERSEAS STUDENTS IN FRANCE

APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR OVERSEAS STUDENTS IN FRANCE
This is an application form to apply for a Thales Academia scholarship package for overseas students to study in France for the 2009-2010 academic year. We thank you for your interest in this programme and suggest that you immediately print the pages numbered from I to III so that you can refer to them when completing the application.
AREAS AND LEVEL OF STUDY
The following areas are covered by the Thales Academia programme:
Engineering sciences
Business, management.
Thales Academia scholarships are granted to students who wish to come to France to obtain a Post Master’s Certificate or a Master of Science from a graduate school or university that is a programme partner.*

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Nationality: The Thales Academia programme is open to Brazilian, Chinese, Indian and Russian students.
Only candidates of these nationalities are eligible for the scholarship. Candidates who also have French nationality (bi-nationals) are not eligible.
Age: candidates must be no more than 30 years of age in the year in which they are selected.
Required qualifications: candidates must be in possession of a diploma obtained after 4 to 5 years of further study (Master 2 level preferred or Master 1). Only students are eligible for the programme. Applications will not be accepted for apprenticeship or continuing education courses.
French language: A good command of French is not required, but it is an important factor in the selection process and an objective to be obtained by the end of the student’s stay in France. However, fluency in French may be required by the host institution of higher education if courses are taught in French.
Other scholarships from the French government: candidates who already have a scholarship from the French government, or who applied for but did not obtain another Ministry scholarship, are not eligible for this programme.
Candidates must have no links with a private enterprise upon their arrival in France.

Enrolment at a French institution of higher education: in addition to completing this scholarship application, candidates must enrol at one of the French schools of higher education that are partners to the Thales Academia programme. It is recommended that applicants make immediate enquires about enrolment procedures at their chosen place of study.

* Graduate schools and universities that are partners to the Thales Academia programme:
* Engineering schools: Ecole Centrale Paris, Ecole Polytechnique, ENSIETA, ISAE, MINES ParisTech, TELECOM ParisTech.
Business and management schools: HEC Paris et ESSEC
University (management): Université Paris-Dauphine

SELECTION CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES
In each of the four countries listed, representatives from the French Embassy (‘Development, Cooperation and Culture Section’ and ‘Economic Mission’) work with representatives from Thales and from local institutions of higher education to which the programme applies to find candidates.

Final selection of programme beneficiaries is made in France by a selection committee composed of representatives from the partner establishments, Thales and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

Three criteria are taken into account for the final selection:
– excellence of the candidate, as reflected by his/her prior university experience,
the candidate’s career goals,
and his/her motivation
If two candidates have the same level of university qualifications and skills, preference will be shown to the candidate with the least personal financial resources.
The selection committee draws up a list of the candidates chosen. Students are then required to enrol at one of the French institutions of higher education involved in the programme

The selection committee’s proceedings are not made public, its decisions are final and no reasons shall be given for the decisions made.
SELECTION SCHEDULE
The following dates have been set for the 2009-2010 academic year:
Deadline for reception of applications by diplomatic offices:  28 March 2009

Results made public: between the end of April 2009 and the beginning of July 2009
thales acADEMIA SCHOLARSHIP package

A single scholarship of €13,000 is awarded, regardless of the length of the chosen course of study.

Students should arrive in France between 1 September and 31 December of the year in which the scholarship is obtained. If their arrival is delayed, students must be aware that the scholarship cannot be awarded after 31 December of the calendar year following selection.
Successful candidates are required to complete one of the courses selected for the programme at one of the partner institutions either entirely or mainly in France.

PRACTICAL DETAILS
In addition to the scholarship, the programme also provides health insurance, cultural activities, personal support and mentoring and internships at Thales or another company.

Scholarship students may also be eligible for accommodation support.
In addition, students can enrol for intensive French language courses before leaving for France, provided by Alliance Française and paid for by the French Embassy, in their country of origin.

tuition AND OTHER fees
Tuition and enrolment fees vary from one establishment to another (cf. www.thalesgroup.com/academia/inscription.htm, embassy locations and partner graduate school and university locations). Depending on the chosen establishment, the Thales Academia scholarship may be used either to help pay for the student’s living expenses or to pay all or part of tuition fees.

(*) NB: Programme beneficiaries who attend public institutions (such as Université Paris-Dauphine) are exempted from enrolment fees because they are considered ‘French government scholarship students’.

CANDIDATE’S CV and CAREER PLANS
Note: applicants must include the following with the application form:
a curriculum vitae in French or English (maximum of 2 pages)
certificate of enrolment from your current university or institution of higher education.
statement of your career plans
PUBLICATION OF successful applications

The list of successful applicants will be published on Thales Academia website, on the website of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and on the websites of the French embassies in the countries concerned.

Beneficiaries living abroad should contact their French embassy’s Development, cooperation and culture section for information on procedures to follow in preparing for their trip to France.

Contacts
Brazil: jean-pierre.courtiat@diplomatie.gouv.fr
www.ambafrance.org.br/indexf.htm
China: universitaire@ambafrance-cn.org
www.ambafrance-cn.org
India: ashok.charoth@diplomatie.gouv.fr
www.france-in-india.org/fr/
Russia: fanny.adda@diplomatie.gouv.fr
www.ambafrance.ru/
Website of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs:
www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/services-formulaires_831/espace-etudiants_12793/etudier-france_12794/financer-projet_12805/index.html
Thales Academia website (in French and English):
www.thalesgroup.com/extra/academia/index_en.htm
Q & A:
www.thalesgroup.com/extra/academia/q_a_en.htm
APPLICATION FORM FOR A THALES ACADEMIA SCHOLARSHIP
Academic year: 2009-20010

PERSONAL DETAILS
Last name and first name (as shown on passport – type your last name in CAPITAL LETTERS)
Nationality
(If you have more than one nationality, please specify. If one of your nationalities is French, you are not eligible for the programme.)
Date of birth
Sex
(click on the corresponding box)
     
M F

Chosen area of study
(click on one box only)
engineering sciences

business, management
Permanent address in country of origin
 
Telephone
Fax
E-mail 
Address in France if already resident in France     
Telephone
Fax
E-mail      

University qualifications already obtained or under way (start with most recent.)
1 – Name of establishment     
Area of study
     
Degree title
Dates (month and year)
from ……to …….
Date obtained (*)
(grades/marks, special commendation, class rank)
       
2 – Name of establishment
     
Field of study
     
Degree title
Dates (month and year)
from ……to …….
Date obtained (*)
(grades/marks, special commendation, class rank)
3 – Name of establishment

Field of study

Degree title
Dates (month and year)
from ……to …….
Date obtained (*)
(grades/marks, special commendation, class rank))
    
(*) Note: Details on your academic performance such as marks obtained, special commendations, class rankings, etc., should be listed on the CV submitted with this application.
Professional experience or internships (start with the most recent.)
1 – Name of employer
Sector of activity
     
Your position
Date (from…… to……..)

2 – Name of employer
Sector of activity
  
Your position
Date (from…… to……..)
 3 – Name of employer
Sector of activity 
     
Your position
Date (from…… to……..)
Are you pre-enrolled at a French establishment of higher education for 2009-2010?
(if so, please include enrolment certification;
otherwise, please contact as soon as possible your chosen establishment on this matter)
yes
no
State the exact title of the diploma you wish to study for in France and the exact dates the course of study begins and ends:
Name of diploma:
Begins      
Ends