Call for UNIV’R Master’s Scholarship Program 2026 is open now!!!
The UNIV’R Master’s Scholarship Program is a formal partnership between the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Campus France, and the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF). This program facilitates the admission and relocation of refugee students to France for the purpose of completing a Master’s degree. It functions as a structured mechanism to address the documented disparity in tertiary education access for displaced populations globally. While humanitarian aid frequently prioritizes immediate survival requirements, this program targets the long-term professional and academic development of individuals within the international protection framework.
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The program operates as a formal application of complementary pathways for admission to a third country. These pathways allow refugees to move from a first country of asylum to a new state based on academic merit and professional qualifications. This approach prioritizes the individual skills and educational background of refugees, viewing them as scholars capable of contributing to host societies. This specific objective aligns with the broader UNHCR Refugee Education 2030 Strategy, which seeks to increase the global enrollment of refugee youth in higher education to a threshold of 15% within the next several years.
A broad network of institutional stakeholders supports the implementation of the program. This includes the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, which provides the diplomatic and financial framework, alongside various French public and private universities. These participating universities admit students whose previous academic careers were interrupted by conflict, persecution, or forced displacement. By integrating these students into the French higher education system, the program allows them to obtain the technical expertise and social capital required to enter the global professional market.
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- Youth Opportunities: https://m.me/j/AbZTmgEzD1UchDte/
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The framework of the program follows the objectives established in the Global Compact on Refugees. This international agreement requests that member states utilize the skills of displaced persons to enhance self-reliance and contribute to the stability of host communities. The scholarship facilitates a transition from the legal and economic instability often found in a first country of asylum to a formal and regulated academic environment in France. Participants have the opportunity to specialize in diverse academic fields, including public policy, engineering, social sciences, and various technical disciplines. The degrees conferred by these French institutions are internationally recognized and serve as a foundation for future career stability and professional mobility.
UNIV’R serves as a functional model for international cooperation in addressing protracted displacement through educational investment. It operates on the principle that refugee status is a legal condition that should not function as a barrier to academic achievement. By focusing on university-level training and professional specialization, the program establishes academic mobility as a formal and sustainable method of international support for displaced individuals. The objective is to produce a cohort of educated professionals who can contribute to the reconstruction of home countries or participate effectively in the labor markets of host nations.
Location:
FranceBenefits
- Monthly living stipend, travel expenses to France, and social security/health insurance.
- Full tuition fee waiver and administrative support.
- Assistance with student housing and free visa processing.
- A long-stay individual student visa (VLS-TS). After graduation, students can apply for a one-year residence permit to look for employment.
Eligibilities
- Be an individually recognized refugee by UNHCR or a state authority (not asylum-seekers).
- Currently live in a first country of asylum outside the European Union.
- Hold a Bachelor’s degree (Bac+3).
- Have B2 level in French or English (depending on program language)
Application Process
- Apply Online through the Apply Now link.
- Note that the Application form cannot be saved. Before opening the application link, ensure you have clear digital copies (PDF format preferred) of the following:
- A refugee certificate issued by UNHCR or the state authority in your current country of residence.
- Your Bachelor’s degree certificate (Bac+3) and all university transcripts.
- A copy of your identity document (A valid passport or refugee travel document).
- A certificate or proof of B2 level in French (or English if applying for an English-taught program).
- Two academic recommendation letters.
- A Cover letter explaining your academic goals and why you want to study in France.
- A CV (Curriculum Vitae).
Application Deadline: March 15, 2026 (20 Days Remaining)
Apply nowOfficial link
