Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's Program

If after reading Erasmus you thought it was only for European citizens, you are fortunately mistaken: this program is for everyone — there are no citizenship restrictions! Sixteen years after its inception, nearly 28,000 students from 182 countries have received scholarships to study in 526 EMJMD programs. If you want to join their ranks, read on!

About the program

The Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree Program (EMJMD) — is a prestigious integrated international training program jointly implemented by an international consortium of institutions of higher education. Under the EMJMD, the best students receive Erasmus Mundus funding from the European Union. The training takes place in at least two countries of the program, for example, students can study one semester in Italy and another in the Netherlands. The program lasts from one to two years.

Forty new programs were added this summer, which are taught at 203 universities from 30 European countries. Notable partner universities include Erasmus University Rotterdam, Pompeu Fabra University, Ghent University, University of Helsinki, Politecnico di Milano, Tilburg University, Royal Institute of Technology, University of Glasgow and many others. 

There are many different areas of study: chemistry, medicine, economics, ecology, geoscience, IT, sociology, math, physics and their related branches. In Erasmus Mundus' catalog of programs you will also find such non-standard areas of study as children's literature, documentary film directing, dance, wine tourism, etc.

Who is the program suitable for?

It's simple: Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's Program is open to prospective Master's students from all over the world and requires a Bachelor's degree. And yes, students from Russia and the CIS can participate in the program as well. Read on to see the requirements.

Deadlines

Each program has a different deadline, but most have January-February 2021 for admission for the 2021/2022 academic year, but there are programs that have a deadline — summer. There are currently 96 programs that are accepting students in fall 2021. Some programs are only accepting applications beginning in 2022 because they have suspended admissions due to the epidemiological situation and students selected for 2020 will be enrolled beginning in 2021, meaning that for certain programs (there are few), selection for next year is already complete.

Erasmus Mundus Scholarship

Now for the most important question of interest! The Erasmus Mundus Scholarship covers all costs of participation in the program, i.e. tuition, library and lab costs, full insurance coverage, and any other mandatory costs associated with participation in the master's program. Not counting that, participants are offered a monthly stipend for the duration of their studies.

The total amount of the scholarship depends on the length of the course and nationality (non-EU students receive larger scholarships). In order to get a scholarship you have to qualify for a certain program, and then for a scholarship.

Requirements

As previously noted, a bachelor's degree with a minimum of 180 ECTS (credits) is required. Don't worry, a bachelor's degree from a Russian university that uses credit units meets the requirement and is equal to 240 credits as required by the FSES. Also, the university where you received your degree must be listed in the International Directory of Universities published by the International Association of Universities (search the document for your country and then your university). Some programs give preference to candidates who already have a master's degree, but this is not a requirement. Again, it all depends on the requirements of the particular program.

Certification of English — this is a requirement, but the level of English required varies from program to program. For example, for the “Big Data Management and Analytics” program requires a B2 level (IELTS 6), and for “European Master in Law and Economics” — minimum IELTS 7. So if you didn't make it to a seven in IELTS, it's not a reason to give up, the main thing is — to find the right programs!

For other requirements, there is, of course, a motivation letter (see a selection of motivation letters from StudyQA!), a resume and letters of recommendation.

Benefits of the program

The most important advantage is, of course, the Master's degree obtained from several top European universities, which is recognized worldwide. With such a diploma there is a great chance of getting a dream job in any city. You also get an unforgettable experience of studying in several countries, plus you get to know how life is arranged in different countries. Such experiences always broaden your perspective and help you better understand how to develop further.

Most programs have Alumni Networks that help with networking and keeping in touch with alumni. This way alumni can find jobs, get new offers, participate in different conferences and just keep in touch with alumni while getting advice and guidance from them. Finally, you have the chance to become an ambassador for the program in your country or around the world!