Nicolas Baudin Program - FAQ

GENERAL QUESTIONS

Who is eligible to apply for the Nicolas Baudin Travel Grant ?

• Undergraduate, Masters, and Honours students are eligible, from all Australian universities. PhD students are not eligible.
• Australian citizens and international students are both eligible, with the exception of French citizens. If you are in possession of dual Australian-French citizenship please contact education.canberra-amba@diplomatie.gouv.fr .
• International students are eligible for the Exchange Stream and Internship Stream, all applicants must be enrolled in full time study at an Australian university.
• Applicants who do not currently reside in Australia are not eligible.
• Applicants must leave from Australia to benefit from the grant.

Does the applicant or the Embassy organise the opportunity abroad ?

• Exchange Stream: The applicant must organise their exchange/study abroad program with their Australian university before applying for the grant.
• Degree Stream : It is up to the applicant to have enrolled in a French university within the correct deadlines before applying for the grant.
• Internships Initiative : Internships are proposed by French higher education institutions for Australian students to apply to. Students cannot submit their own internship projects (but may collaborate with a French institution to do this during the project submission period.)

I’m an Australian citizen living in a country other than Australia. Am I eligible to apply for the grant in order to undertake an internship/ program of study in France ?

• No, you will not be eligible to apply for the grant. The grant supports student mobility from Australia to France only (including French overseas territories such as New Caledonia, French Polynesia or Reunion Island) . For this reason it cannot be used for travel from a country outside of Australia.

If I meet all eligibility requirements am I guaranteed to receive the grant ?

• No. This is an extremely competitive and highly selective program. The selection process involves a committee comprised of a number of different stakeholders and a ranking of candidates taking into account the quality of each application, with a strong emphasis on the motivation and profile of each eligible candidate.

Do I have to pay for an academic transcript ?

• Certain universities provide a statement of results or unofficial academic transcript for free. Please see acceptable examples here. If your university cannot provide any of the suitable documents, you must buy a transcript. Screenshots of your grades online will not be accepted.

What does the grant cover if my application is successful ?

• The grant will cover the cost of the successful applicants’ return flights between Australia and France, with a set grant amount of AUD$2500 (if the flights are more or less than this, laureates all receive the same amount). Candidates book their own flights, and are given the grant upon proof of purchase. The flights must correspond to a direct trip between Australia and France, with any stopover being less than 48 hours between countries.
• Recipients of the Baudin Grant are also exempt from paying the cost of visa application of 99€ at the Consulate. (This does not include VFS service fees or stamp duty related to obtaining a residence permit after arriving in France.) Candidates are provided with a Nicolas Baudin certificate from the Embassy, which they then present during the visa application, which allows them to waive the visa processing cost at the Consulate. If you pay for your visa before receiving the grant, the visa fee is not reimbursable.
• In addition to the travel grant of 2500$, laureates of the Internships Initiative receive an additional $2500 grant from their home university, and a monthly stipend of 600€ from the host institution.

How do laureates receive the grant ?

• Exchange/Degree Stream : Laureates must provide their plane tickets and receipt of payment for their flight to France from Australia, and fill out a template letter asking for the grant. The Embassy of France will then issue a subvention directly to the student's bank account.
• Internships Initiative : Laureates will receive the grant from their Australian university, the Embassy pays the university so the student receives the money in their bank account as a total instead of separate payments.

What requirements must be met by the referee appraisal letter? Is there a requirement for the type of referee I have to use ? Should they be academic, professional or personal ?

• There is no requirement on the length or type of referee you must use, however they should be able to attest to your suitability for the specific internship you're applying for. This may include commenting on your academic capabilities, achievements and character.

Can I get an extension to apply ?

• No. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.

I have submitted my application. When will I know the outcome ?

• The Embassy will inform applicants of their application outcome within 2 months after the deadline. We will endeavour to confirm the reception of your application. Please be patient during this time, as we receive a very large number of applications for this program and there are numerous parties involved in the selection panel. In the meantime, for any questions you may have please contact the Embassy at education.canberra-amba@diplomatie.gouv.fr

Can you offer advice/feedback on my application ?

• No. Due to the large number of applications, we cannot offer any feedback to individuals before or after submission. Please be assured that your application will be carefully assessed in its entirety with due consideration by the selection panel.

Can my partner join me in France while I participate in the program ?

• Yes, but they will also be subject to their own visa conditions and we will not be able to offer any extra advice or support for their situation. Please do not apply if your participation is conditional on a third party.

EXCHANGE/DEGREE STREAM

Can I apply for the grant if I’m doing a short program/summer school ?
No. The grant is available for exchange or study abroad programs of one semester or more.

I have applied for a study abroad/exchange/full degree program in France, but I haven’t received my official letter of acceptance yet. Am I still eligible to apply ?

• In order to be eligible for the grant, you must be able to provide proof in the form of a letter of acceptance from your home university in Australia (Exchange) or the French university (Full degree). Please find examples of acceptable documents here.

My exchange isn’t until semester 1 (between January and July) next year. Can I still apply ?

• A letter of acceptance is required at the time of application, and a flight invoice must be provided at the time of issuing of the grant. For this reason, unfortunately in most cases students undertaking exchange programs beginning in the first half of the next calendar year are not eligible as in many cases this letter may not be delivered more than 6 months in advance. There is only one round of applications per year.

I have already left Australia. Can I still apply ?

• No. The Nicolas Baudin travel grant cannot be awarded retrospectively.

I want to apply for the grant but I intend to leave soon. What should I do ?

• Please be aware that the delays can be long regarding the announcement of the results. Please contact education.canberra-amba@diplomatie.gouv.fr to discuss your situation.

Is it possible to make a holiday stopover on my way to France in a third destination ?

• The flights should be directly from Australia to France, with a normal stopover in the middle. For the scholarship funding, it is a legal requirement that the student arrives in France and not a third country.
• Students requiring visas are discouraged from planning long holidays before arriving in France to begin the study program. The student visa activates 15 days before the beginning of the study program, so students are advised to plan to depart Australia close to the commencement of their course in France.

I already paid for a visa application. Can this be reimbursed if I am selected ?

• No. Selected laureates will have their visa application fees waived, but any fees already paid are non-refundable.

INTERNSHIPS IN FRANCE STREAM

Can I apply for more than one internship ?

• Yes, you are welcome to apply for as many internship offers as you like, as long as you are eligible for each one. You are able to submit more than one application, but you must create separate application files, stating your motivation for that specific internship in the relevant field. Please specify in your email to education.canberra-amba@diplomatie.gouv.fr that you are applying for multiple internships when submitting, including a list of the internships you have applied for in order of preference in case you are chosen for more than one.

I can’t obtain the required letter of support from my university. Can I still apply ?

• No. To participate in the internship program, your Australian university must approve your application by providing the required letter signed by the appropriate coordinator. Any submitted application which does not include this letter will be considered invalid.

I want to apply for an internship, but I’m not at the same level of study specified in the proposal. Can I still apply for that internship ?

• Yes. We encourage students of any level, Bachelor through to Masters, can apply for any internship, even if the offer specifies a certain level. The Embassy of France will transmit all eligible applications to the French institutions, and the hosting university will select the candidate.

I want to apply for an internship, but I’m not from the partner university specified in the proposal. Can I still apply for that internship ?

• Yes. Students from any of the participating Australian universities can apply for any of the internships under the Internships initiative, even if they are not at the partner university indicated on the proposal. The Embassy of France will transmit all eligible applications to the French institutions, and the hosting university will select their preferred candidate.

Can I do the internship after graduating ?

• No. French law requires that all interns maintain student status for the duration of the internship. Anyone who has qualified for or graduated from the degree for which they have been enrolled is no longer eligible. Candidates graduating soon should seek advice from their faculty to see whether their graduation can be deferred.

The proposed dates on the internship offer don’t suit me. Can I still apply ?

• Yes. In most cases the proposed dates may be flexible, and it is up to the intern to negotiate their start and end dates with their supervisor.

Can I apply for the grant to do an internship that isn't on the list ?

• Eligible internship topics have been submitted by French institutions specifically within the framework of the Nicolas Baudin Program. If you have a research internship lined up which isn't on this list, please contact education.canberra-amba@diplomatie.gouv.fr