Prominent cultural organizations are the sources of several Franco American scholarships. These awards make it possible for American and French citizens to benefit from the best that each country has to offer through education. Cultural organizations offer scholarship opportunities that range from pre-high school to doctoral studies, creating a tradition of Franco American commitment going forward.
Chateaubriand Scholarships
The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs offers Chateaubriand Scholarships that open the doors to research studies in France for students pursuing Ph.D. degrees in the humanities or social sciences. The scholarship also permits research in science and technology at a research institute in France. Students enrolled in an American university are eligible, though U.S. citizenship is not a requirement. French nationals are ineligible. A letter of invitation from a French university or research institute is a prerequisite for applying. The application includes the candidate’s letters of invitation and recommendation, curriculum vitae, transcripts and research proposal. As of 2011, the scholarship offered round-trip airfare to France, health insurance while in France, allowances of approximately $1,850 per month and a book allowance of around $420 and 30 days of per-diem travel funds for research.
American Society of the French Order of Merit Scholarships
The members of the American Society of the French Order of Merit are U.S. citizens or residents decorated by the French Government with the National Order of Merit. The Society awards scholarships to qualified French or American nationals. Nominations of candidates by American or French institutions precede their consideration for scholarships by the society. Previous scholarship recipients include the French American Conservatory of Music and the Julliard School in New York, and the Lacoste School of the Arts in the south of France. The value of the scholarship is undisclosed.
French-American Foundation: Elizabeth R. Weicker Scholarship
The French-American Foundation -- FAF -- is a non-governmental organization that unites France and the United States across the full spectrum of the two-country relationship, including cultural cooperation in publishing, visual arts, historic preservation, cinema, music and other areas. FAF board member, Elizabeth (Miller Weicker) Fondaras was an American living in Paris in the 1950s when she envisaged a scholarship scheme to bring French students to study in American schools. She subsequently established the Elizabeth R. Weicker Scholarship for top French students to spend a year at St. Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire. In 2008, Elizabeth Fondaras received the award of Commandeur of the Légion d’Honneur for her achievements in advancing Franco-American cooperation. The scholarship value is undisclosed.
American Society of the French Academic Palms Summer Scholarship
The American Society of the French Academic Palms scholarship is for summer studies in France or a French-speaking country. French instructors recommend likely candidates based on their potential to gain language proficiency and expand their knowledge of French culture. Only U.S. citizens qualify and native French speakers are ineligible. Priority goes to students without prior experience of France or a French-speaking country. Applicants are French majors or minors in their sophomore or junior years or juniors or seniors in an advanced French course. Applications include an essay, transcript and letters of recommendation.
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Based in Northern California, Maureen Katemopoulos has been a freelance writer for more than 25 years. Her articles on travel, the arts, cuisine and history have appeared in publications such as "Stanislaus Magazine," "Orientations," "The Asia Magazine" and "The Peninsula Group Magazine." She holds a Baccalaureate degree in journalism from Stanford University.