Talent Scholarships: 5,000 euros per year paid in two installments

The Ministry of Action and Public Accounts published in the Official Journal of the French Republic No. 0209 of September 8, 2026, an order dated September 7, 2026 (NOR CPPF2623395A) establishing the procedures for the management and payment of Talents scholarships. This text sets the annual scholarship amount at 5,000 euros, paid in two installments, and determines the distribution of 1,671 scholarships per region for the 2026-2027 school year.

The order is addressed to students enrolled in a training cycle called Prépas Talents or Parcours Talents, who are preparing for one or more competitive examinations providing access to permanent employment in the category A or B civil service, as well as positions for magistrates and military personnel. It complements Decree No. 2026-847 of September 7, 2026 (NOR CPPF2614209D), published on the same day, which modifies the Talents scholarship regime resulting from the decree of November 28, 2025.

A Two-Step Payment

The Talents scholarship is paid to the beneficiary in two installments.

• A first payment of 2,500 euros occurs upon presentation, by the relevant Prépa Talents or Parcours Talents, of the list of enrolled persons, transmitted no later than one month after the start of the preparation.
• A second payment of 2,500 euros occurs starting from March of the year following the award, upon presentation to the regional prefect of a certificate of attendance and appearance at examinations, as well as a certificate of presence or a transcript of grades for at least one of the competitive examinations prepared.

In the absence of these supporting documents, the second payment is suspended and the first may be subject to recovery.

Recovery and Exceptional Grounds

The order regulates the recovery of the scholarship in the event of interruption of preparation, failure to maintain attendance, or failure to appear for at least one prepared competitive examination. The regional prefect first invites the beneficiary to provide any supporting documentation, then may issue a collection order from the Public Treasury.

• In the event of interruption without cause or lack of attendance, the second payment is suspended and the first is recovered.
• In the event of success in a competitive examination mentioned in Article 1 of the decree of November 28, 2025, the beneficiary retains the first payment.
• In the event of serious and grave grounds (health status, family or financial situation), the first payment is retained.
• After the second payment, recovery of the entire scholarship is possible if the beneficiary has not been diligent or has not appeared for the examinations.

Regional Distribution for 2026-2027

Annex 1 of the order sets the number of Talents scholarships per region for the 2026-2027 school year, for a total of 1,671 scholarships. The main allocations are as follows:

• Île-de-France: 373 scholarships
• Nouvelle-Aquitaine: 207 scholarships
• Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes: 191 scholarships
• Grand Est: 179 scholarships
• Hauts-de-France: 168 scholarships
• Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur: 105 scholarships
• Occitanie: 99 scholarships
• Mayotte: 65 scholarships
• Pays de la Loire: 54 scholarships
• Bretagne: 51 scholarships
• Corse: 50 scholarships
• Bourgogne-Franche-Comté: 49 scholarships
• Centre-Val de Loire: 30 scholarships
• La Réunion: 30 scholarships
• Guadeloupe: 20 scholarships

These scholarships are distributed among training institutions, including the IRA (regional administration institutes), the IEP (institutes of political studies), the INSP (National Institute of Public Service), the ENM (National School for the Judiciary), and numerous universities.

Scope of the scheme

This decree, published in the JORF No. 0209 of September 8, 2026, specifies the concrete conditions for the allocation and payment of aid intended to promote access to civil service competitive exams for students in Prépas and Parcours Talents. By setting an annual amount of 5,000 euros and a payment schedule in two installments, it secures the funding for preparation while making the maintenance of the aid conditional on attendance and actual appearance at the exams. The students concerned and their institutions thus have a clear framework for the 2026-2027 school year.

Official source: Decree of September 7, 2026, relating to the management and payment procedures for Talents scholarships, NOR CPPF2623395A, published in the Official Journal of the French Republic No. 0209 of September 8, 2026.