Erasmus Mundus Scholarships

by Oren Lahav

Erasmus Mundus- A Great Scholarship

How would you like to study in Europe? Wait, here's a better question- how would you like to study in Europe on an amazing scholarship? Well, the Erasmus Mundus program, managed by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency of the European Union, can help.

Lesson Summary

What is Erasmus Mundus?
What's the nature of the scholarship?
Why is the scholarship being offered?
How will Erasmus Mundus affect studying abriad?
What are the requirements?
How do I apply?

What is Erasmus Mundus?

Erasmus Mundus is the European co-operation and mobility programme which supports academic excellence and the attractiveness of European higher education worldwide and fosters cooperation with various countries. The expected budget for Erasmus Mundus will be an indicative amount of €950 million from 2009 to 2013, which means there's a lot of money to go round. Some money goes to developing exchange programs and relationships between European and non-European educational institutes, some money goes to promoting European education, and some money goes to scholarships. In the period between 2004-2008, Erasmus Mundus offered more than 10,000 scholarships to students and academics from all over the world.

What's the nature of the scholarships?

The Erasmus Mundus programme offers scholarships to students of exceptional quality to follow an Erasmus Mundus Masters Course at two or more European universities. The scheme is open to students throughout the world, excluding those from the countries of the European Economic Area. The Erasmus Mundus Students and Alumni Association (EMA) provides a forum for the recipients of Erasmus Mundus scholarships and offers a wealth of information about the programme from a student perspective.

EMA programmes are highly selective programs at the postgraduate (Masters and Doctorate) level that offer specialized education in important disciplines. A few examples include the European Joint Master in Water and Coastal Management and the EMBC - Erasmus Mundus Master of Science in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation.

You might also be interested to know that in 2008/09, 164 out of the 456 EM students came from India.

Why is the scholarship being offered?

The European Commissioner for External Relations and Neighbourhood Policy, Mrs Benita Ferrero-Waldner emphasised the importance of this programme in building a more united world: "Erasmus Mundus enables the brightest students inside and outside the EU to fulfill their potential and maximise their opportunities in life. It ensures academic excellence and helps students forge a shared vision for the world.

With this programme, the EU promotes knowledge transfer and multiculturalism in action, key factors of progress and development for all.

Thus we are adding a crucial component in our external cooperation programmes, going beyond support for government reform programmes by strengthening people-to-people contacts in this very particular area. These contacts might be useful in the future given our globalized world."

How will Erasmus Mundus affect studying abroad?

The programme offers the opportunity to third-country students to obtain a degree in Europe, and to academics to share know-how and to contribute to study programmes through teaching or research activities whilst avoiding the brain drain and favouring vulnerable groups. Thanks to these exchanges and through cooperation with non EU partner countries the programme also made a significant contribution to the enhancement of intercultural dialogue and to the sustainable development of higher education in third countries.

In short, Erasmus Mundus will strengthen the intellectual ties between European and third countries, providing both sides of the world with an opportunity for advancements in many areas. Scholarships will ensure that the best students can get the best education possible by removing the financial boundaries to higher education. This will make Europe a more competitive choice for the world's top students.

What are the requirements?

Requirements vary according to which EM programme you choose. Here are the requirements for one of the programmes:

Minimum Requirements:

Certified proficiency in English equivalent to IELTS 6.5 (excepted for native speaker)
Academic achievement equal or up to 70% of the maximum

Academic ability (60%): Evaluation based on…

Quality and recognition of home institution having awarded the first degree, quality and recognition of the degree, quality of transcript of records, suitability of past curriculum with aims of EMAE. (i.e. good grades in a good Bachelors program).
Two references
Additional language skills. According to the specialization preferred in the 2nd year, a fluent level of understanding in French, German or Portuguese, or a higher level in English could be taken into account.

Motivation (25%): Evaluation based on…

Applicant's free letter of motivation (2 pages at a maximum, in English, type-written or word-processed)
Brief responses (200 words each) to the following questions: Why should you be selected in EMMC EMAE? and How your participation in EMMC EMAE will be helpful in your professional project?

Work experience (15%):

Evaluation based on present and past work experience, professional qualifications, leaded projects and so on.

How do I apply?

Students who wish to follow an Erasmus Mundus Masters Course must apply directly to an Erasmus Mundus consortium offering such a course:

Go to the Erasmus Mundus website, find the academic discipline of interest and click on it. You'll find a list of Erasmus Mundus courses offered throughout Europe.

Select on the title of the course. A full description of the course along with a website address will appear. Each course has its own website with information about the specific application requirements, application forms and deadlines. There are no common application forms or common deadlines for Erasmus Mundus Masters Courses. Students must apply directly to the consortium offering the Erasmus Mundus Masters Course of their choice by following the application procedures specific to that consortium (from the academic year 2008-2009 onwards, the maximum number of courses for which a student can apply is three).