Become fluent in French. Even if becoming bilingual (speaking French as well as you speak your native language) may not be possible, try to achieve some level of fluency (where you are able to communicate almost anything you want to say) in the language before applying for a scholarship. Most academic coursework in France is taught in French. Even if the degree you are interested in pursuing is taught in English, you will still have to fill out the application for the scholarships in French.
Prepare your paperwork. To apply for a French government scholarship, you will need careful documentation of your personal and academic history. Order copies of your transcript, letters of recommendation, and photocopies of your diploma as early as possible, and translate them. It is best if you can have these translated by a professional translator who is used to working with official documents.
Contact your local consulate or embassy. French government scholarships to foreigners are usually distributed by the consulate or embassy in the student's home country. Given the subject you are studying, your education level, and your desired academic path, the Educational Services department can inform you which scholarships you might qualify for and what the application procedure is for each scholarship. In most cases, you will have to construct a "dossier" with documents about your academic career.
Look into special scholarships. Depending on your background and your educational history, you may be eligible for certain scholarships offered by the French government. For example, it offers a scholarship to students who attended French-speaking high schools around the world and performed excellently. The government also offers scholarships that are co-financed with the government of the students' home country.
Prepare and submit your application. Make sure that you carefully follow the directions for the kind of scholarship you are applying for. If you have trouble with French, ask a professor or someone at the consulate to help you. Before you turn in your file, have a native French speaker proofread your application for basic spelling and grammar errors.