5 years of commitment to students in exile

Key Figures

Offering programs to students in exile: a mission at the very heart of the values of Université Paris Dauphine - PSL

April 29 2025 saw the awards ceremony for Université Paris Dauphine PSL’s DU Passerelle diploma: a special curriculum for non-French speaking students exiled in France. An occasion to celebrate the university’s five years of support to refugees or asylum seekers as they build their academic projects.

Through its various programs to support individuals in exile, Université Paris Dauphine PSL demonstrates its desire to be involved in efforts on behalf of solidarity. It is thus fulfilling its public service mission by promoting the republican values of welcome, integration, and knowledge dissemination.

Watch the highlights from the 5-year anniversary ceremony celebrating the support of students in exile, now available on video :

5 years of support built up in 3 phases

Beginning in 2020, the DU Passerelle diploma

After two years of commitment to the training and socio-professional integration of refugees, in 2020 Université Paris Dauphine PSL opened its first “Passerelle” University Diploma (DU) - Students in exile.

This academic path offers students a refresher training in the French language. The aim is to enable them to enter a French university program so that they can begin or pursue higher education in France.

Each year between 30 and 40 students obtain the DU Passerelle. To date, more than 150 students of various nationalities (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, Russia, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and others) have been part of this program at Université Paris Dauphine PSL.

« Thanks to the Passerelle University Diploma (DU), I can not only express myself in French before you all today but also apply to university programs in France. » 
– Andrii OSYPENKO, class of 2023

« I arrived in France in September 2019. In Sudan I had obtained a five-year degree in petroleum engineering. The DU Passerelle serves as a springboard enabling us to pursue studies in France and improve our level in French. Here I started again from scratch. It was really challenging for me. » 
– Marwan Nabeel Abdul Raheem Alhakeem, class of 2022

In 2022, launch of the Ukraine program

Since the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine, Université Paris Dauphine PSL and Université PSL - co-funder of the program, have introduced support initiatives for the student, scientific and university community, and to the Ukrainian people as a whole. These initiatives include:

• The introduction of a second DU Passerelle for beginners in French (the first DU is then dedicated to individuals with an intermediate level).
• Enrollment of 37 students in a Bachelor's, Master’s or Doctoral program (LMD), in collaboration with Ukrainian Global University, partner of Université Paris Dauphine PSL.
• Assignment of 10 accommodation units within the housing facility managed by Université Paris Dauphine – PSL for students from Ukraine. The university also facilitated access to housing options for other students.
• The granting of monthly scholarships for the students accepted, depending on their situation.

In 2022-2023 and 2023-2024, over 70 students from Ukraine and other countries were admitted into Dauphine programs, both LMD and DU Passerelle programs.

In addition, the university welcomed a Ukrainian research professor and her family through the PAUSE program, launched by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

« When war (in Ukraine) broke out, I began to search for options to continue my studies, my doctoral program in law. I contacted Dauphine directly and after that I received an official invitation to continue my program in the university’s C2RD (Dauphine Law Research Center). Here I have met many people who are open and prepared to help me at any time. To me this is true solidarity. » 
– Borys Soloviov, class of 2022

« This awards ceremony is special because to me it represents the culmination of a year of unrelenting work, challenges overcome and successes achieved. For each of us this program has given a chance to transform the negative circumstances around our respective countries and an opportunity to create a future and evolve in spite of the situation. » 
– Student, class of 2024

Since 2024, the Exile support program

After 3 years of support to individuals in exile, Université Paris Dauphine – PSL has analyzed the academic paths of students finishing the DU Passerelle diploma, to assess the success of the programs. Thie analysis revealed the existence of continuing difficulties for students who took the DU Passerelle diploma, or those admitted to LMD programs. Some of these graduates reconsidered the priority that they had placed on their academic plans, opting to take up employment in unqualified positions.

In light of this finding, and to continue and strengthen its initiatives to help students in exile, Université Paris Dauphine – PSL introduced the Exile program in 2024.

Through the Exile program, admitted students are given support throughout their studies at Dauphine, to boost their chances of success and ensure that their time here is spent in the best possible conditions. This support is coordinated by the exile coordinator, and involves all the university’s departments : student affairs, housing, equal opportunity, social action, students health service for Université PSL…

Scholarships are offered with financial support from the Dauphine Foundation. Each year students in the LMD or DU Passerelle programs receive these scholarships.

The Exile program welcomes students in the DU Passerelle and LMD programs. In the 2024-2025 academic year, 15 individuals of 6 different nationalities (Bangladesh, Lebanon, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Syria, Ukraine) followed Bachelor's and Master’s programs.

For 2025-2026, over 60 applications have been received.

« This program shows us that despite differences between individuals, it is always possible to find things in common that unite us and help us understand one another better. » 
– Ali AHMADI and Shah TAHER, class of 2023

In 2023, on the occasion of the DU Passerelle graduation ceremony, Université Paris Dauphine – PSL gave the floor to its students in exile. Discover their testimonials on video:

Recruitment

Information on recruitment of students in each of the programs:

DU Passerelle

Applications from individuals wishing to enter the DU Passerelle program are all received by the Réseau MEnS association. A form is available on their website and applications are open from April 14 to June 1, 2025 Applications are then forwarded to the relevant universities. At Université Paris Dauphine – PSL the process continues with written tests followed by oral interviews.

Bachelor's, Master’s, or Doctorate (LMD)

Students apply via the special procedure, which replaces MyCandidature, Parcoursup and MonMaster. This procedure is open to any person seeking asylum, subject to temporary protection or international protection. In 2025 it was open from February 3 to March 14. However, the university continues to accept applications after this date; the aim of this procedure is to make formalities more flexible and enable a more in-depth assessment of applications.