Ananya Rajpoot is a Master in Management (MIM) student at EDHEC Business School. As one of the two recipients of the EDHEC – French Embassy scholarship, Ananya feels especially honored. She tells MASTERGRADSCHOOLS about her journey to EDHEC, including the scholarship application process, tips on how to apply, and her living experience in France.
“I got acceptance from a lot of good schools,” Ananya tells us, “But the reason I chose EDHEC and haven’t regretted it to date is their support in terms of scholarship. I’m the recipient of the co-finance scholarship from EDHEC and the French embassy in India.” (2:45)
Ananya has every reason to be proud of her decision – and her accomplishment! Only two Indian students per year are awarded the EDHEC – French Embassy scholarship, which covers over 50% of their tuition fees.
While scholarships are obviously a huge help in alleviating your financial stress during your studies, they also have the added bonus of boosting your self-esteem. “The school has recognized me, my potential, even in the last round of applications,” Ananya says. “And they’re willing to extend such a huge support to me. Coming from a very humble background in India, I think that made all the difference to me and my family. To date, I keep mentioning it to people at EDHEC. That support meant a lot to me.” (3:29)
At EDHEC Business School, 25% of students benefit from a scholarship. The school has also significantly expanded its scholarship policy through the EDHEC4ALL Program, increasing the budget for social inclusion.
“If you are seeking a scholarship [at EDHEC], you just have to mention it in your application form and your application [will] be judged on the basis of whether you are a potential scholarship holder or not,” Ananya explains. “Once you clear that level, then you have the co-finance scholarship where you have to give an interview, where you have to write your statement of purpose, [and] explain to them why you seek a scholarship and why you would be a perfect fit because the co-finance scholarship is only given to two students.” (4:26)
While Ananya specifically applied for the Co-Financed Scholarship, EDHEC offers several other scholarships based on merit and financial need of the student. One thing that all scholarship applications have in common is the need for a strong motivation letter. Ananya confirms, “You really have to make sure that your statement of purpose really convinces the EDHEC committee to give you the scholarship.” (5:12)
There’s no better feeling than being accepted into your school of choice! But then comes all the paperwork…
Fortunately, for Ananya, “the relations between India and France…are pretty strong,” she says. “We have something called Campus France, which is super helpful if you have any doubts about moving to France. They make paperwork really easy. I don’t think there is any problem in applying for a student visa if you have an acceptance from a French college and you have been in touch with Campus France. Campus France is in every city. Since I’m from New Delhi, I was going to the one at Lodhi Road. It’s pretty easy if you have all your papers [and] if you have your acceptance. Even before an acceptance from a French business school, if you have any doubts, feel free to reach out to Campus France.” (12:06)
Fast forward to her life in Lille and Ananya couldn’t be happier. In terms of living costs, “Lille is super budget-friendly compared to Paris. If you’re like me who loves eating and would be able to survive in a small apartment and don’t need anything lavish to live, I think you can survive brilliantly.” (5:25)
“I think it’s hard to give a rough estimate,” she continues. “You should have around €600-800 to spend every month, but you also have housing assistance from the French government, so if you qualify for that, that comes down a lot. But I think [with] €600-800, it can be a comfortable life. There are months – exam months – when I’m just in the house, I think it’s way less than €600.” (6:09)
