Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Scholarships 2027/28

Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM) are Master’s programmes designed and run by consortia of universities, at least three institutions from at least three countries. They last one to two years (60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits). Every student must study in at least two countries, and graduates receive either a joint degree or degrees from two or more of the partner universities. Almost 50,000 students have taken part since 2004. Any nationality can apply.

How applications work

No central Erasmus Mundus application exists. Each programme is run by its own consortium, with its own website, requirements and deadline, and you apply to the consortium, not to the European Commission. The consortium assesses you for admission and funding together, so the programme application is also the scholarship application. Funded programmes are not allowed to charge an application fee.

Start with the Erasmus Mundus catalogue, which lists the programmes the EU currently supports and is updated each year. Some programmes in it no longer offer EU scholarships, because their funding period is ending or they keep the Erasmus Mundus name for a few editions after it, so confirm on each programme’s own site that scholarships are on offer for 2027 entry.

Deadlines are set programme by programme. The Commission says most applications are made between October and January for courses starting the following academic year. For 2027 entry many close around 15 January 2027; some close as early as November, and a few stay open into late February. Check each one separately.

The mobility rule

The defining feature of an Erasmus Mundus Master is that you move. The rules in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide are specific, and they apply to every enrolled student, with or without a scholarship.

The rule about your country of residence matters more than it first appears. If you are living in, say, Spain when you enrol, Spain cannot count as one of your two compulsory study periods. Most applicants from outside Europe never meet this problem, but anyone already studying or working in Europe should check each programme’s tracks before applying.

What the scholarship pays

The EU scholarship is a single monthly amount, paid for the whole length of the programme (12, 18 or 24 months) to full-time students.

• EUR 1,400 a month, intended to cover travel, visa, installation and living costs
• No tuition fees or other compulsory participation costs; consortia cannot charge these to scholarship holders
• Insurance cover arranged by the consortium for enrolled students

This is a change from older descriptions of the scheme, which listed separate travel and installation allowances. Under the current Programme Guide those costs come out of the monthly amount, so set aside part of the first payments for flights and deposits. If you join with recognised prior learning and a shorter study period, the scholarship is shorter too, though never less than one academic year.

Eligibility

• Citizen of any country
• Holding a bachelor’s degree, or in the final year and expecting to graduate before the programme starts in September 2027; a recognised equivalent level of learning can also qualify
• Meeting the programme’s language requirements (English for most; some also require French, Spanish, German or another language)
• Applying to a specific EMJM consortium’s 2027 intake

Choosing your programmes

Spreading your applications across more than one programme is sensible, and how you choose them affects your odds more than almost anything else. The current Programme Guide sets no limit of its own, but check each consortium’s rules on parallel applications. Competition varies a great deal between programmes, with popular fields drawing far more applicants than niche ones. A spread that includes one ambitious choice and two that closely match your background tends to work better than several applications to the most famous programmes in your field.

Each consortium has its own structure, mobility tracks and focus, so each needs its own motivation letter that refers to its universities, tracks and semesters. Consortia recognise a generic letter sent to several programmes. The letter should also show that you want the mobility model itself, since consortia select for students who will do well moving between institutions. The comparison below is illustrative.

The second version names the track, explains why the order of semesters matters to this applicant, and links the thesis to a specific partner. The programme details in it are invented; yours should come from the consortium’s own pages.

Document and language rules differ between programmes too. A transcript in the wrong format or a missing language certificate can lead to automatic rejection at one consortium while the same file passes at another.

Who it suits

The scheme works best for applicants who look forward to studying across several European countries, can match a clear field to specific consortia, and are organised enough to run several separate applications at once. People who need to stay in one city for personal reasons, or who want the name of one particular university, may be better served by a country-specific award such as DAAD, Eiffel or a UK scholarship. Our comparison of Chevening, DAAD EPOS and Erasmus Mundus sets the options side by side, and the Erasmus Mundus funder page has more on the scheme.

How to apply

1. Browse the Erasmus Mundus catalogue and shortlist programmes in your field that offer scholarships for 2027 entry.
2. Apply directly to each consortium, using its own form and following its requirements and deadline.
3. Submit transcripts, a motivation letter written for that programme, references, proof of language ability and any programme-specific assignment or portfolio.
4. Meet each programme’s deadline (many around 15 January 2027).
5. Results usually arrive between March and May 2027 for a September 2027 start.

Programme lists, scholarship rules and deadlines change each cycle. Confirm the current details on the official Erasmus+ site and the consortium’s own page before applying.