The Erasmus Mundus Scholarship 2027 is the European Union’s fully funded award for master’s study across Europe, and it works differently from every other scholarship on this site. You do not study at one university. Each Erasmus Mundus Joint Master is run by a group of at least three universities in three different countries, and you move between them, finishing with a joint or multiple degree. The Erasmus Mundus Scholarship pays your tuition and insurance and adds €1,400 a month for up to 24 months. In this article, we have explained everything you need to know about this scholarship, including its benefits, eligibility criteria, required documents, and a step-by-step application process to help you apply successfully.
The single most important thing to understand: there is no central Erasmus Mundus application. You apply directly to individual master’s programmes, each with its own website, requirements, and deadline, and each programme awards EU scholarships to its best-ranked applicants. Well over a hundred programmes run at any time, covering nearly every field, and the full list lives in the official catalogue on the Erasmus+ website. You can apply to a maximum of three programmes in the same academic year, so choosing those three well is most of the game.
One correction to something you may have read elsewhere: Erasmus Mundus no longer funds joint PhDs. Doctoral funding moved to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, so this scholarship is for master’s study only.
Related Fully Funded Scholarships
- DAAD Scholarship
- Chevening Scholarship
- Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship
- Fully Funded Scholarships for International Students
Erasmus Mundus Scholarship Summary
- Level of Study: Master’s
- Institution(s): Consortia of at least three universities from at least three countries, mostly in Europe
- Study Destination: At least two European countries during the programme, sometimes with partners beyond Europe
- Courses Offered: Nearly every field, from engineering and data science to public health, economics, law, and the humanities. Each programme is separate, with its own curriculum, listed in the official catalogue.
- Program Period: 1 to 2 years (60, 90, or 120 ECTS)
Erasmus Mundus Scholarship Deadline
Each programme sets its own deadline, and most fall between October and January for study starting the following September. Scholarship deadlines often close earlier than regular admission deadlines within the same programme, usually in December or January. Check the exact dates on the website of each programme you shortlist through the Erasmus+ catalogue, because missing the window means waiting a full year.
Erasmus Mundus Scholarship Coverage
The Erasmus Mundus Scholarship is fully funded. Selected students receive:
- Full participation costs, which cover tuition fees and full insurance for the whole programme
- A monthly allowance of €1,400 for up to 24 months, which is yours for accommodation, food, transport, travel between study countries, visas, and settling in
Over a two-year program, the monthly allowance alone comes to €33,600, which makes this one of the most generous master’s scholarships anywhere. Some programmes also offer tuition-waiver or self-funded places to strong applicants who narrowly miss the scholarship, so an application that falls short of funding is not always wasted.
Eligibility Criteria for the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship
To qualify for this scholarship, the candidate must fulfill the following requirements:
- Required Language: Usually English, set by each programme. Proof through IELTS, TOEFL, or an accepted equivalent is typically required.
- Eligible Countries: All countries. Students from anywhere in the world can apply, and programmes apply geographical balance, which in practice often caps awards at around three students per nationality per intake.
- A bachelor’s degree by the programme’s deadline, or final-year students who will graduate before the master’s begins
- A background that matches the programme you apply to, since each consortium sets its own academic requirements
- No previous Erasmus Mundus scholarship. Former Erasmus Mundus scholars cannot receive a second one.
- No other EU grant held at the same time during the programme
There is no age limit, and there is no fee to apply for the scholarship itself.
How to Apply for the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship?
Please follow the instructions below to apply for this scholarship:
- Open the official catalogue and search by field of study. Shortlist programmes that genuinely fit your background, not just ones with appealing cities.
- Pick up to three. That is the maximum number of Erasmus Mundus programmes you may apply to in one academic year, and applying to your full three spreads your risk.
- Read each programme’s website carefully. Requirements, documents, and deadlines differ between programmes, and the consortium’s own instructions override any general guide, including this one.
- Prepare your documents, and give the motivation letter the most time. Selection committees weigh it heavily; in some programmes it carries a large share of your total score, and a letter written for that specific programme beats a recycled one every time.
- Apply directly on each programme’s website before its deadline, ticking the scholarship option where the form asks.
- Wait for the ranking. Each consortium ranks its applicants and awards EU scholarships to the top of the list, usually notifying candidates between February and April.
Documents Required for the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship
Exact requirements come from each programme, but most ask for:
- Bachelor’s degree certificate, or proof of expected graduation
- Academic transcripts
- Passport copy
- English test result (IELTS, TOEFL, or an accepted equivalent)
- Motivation letter written for the specific programme. Our statement of purpose guide covers the structure that works.
- Two recommendation letters. See our guide on requesting strong recommendation letters.
- An up-to-date academic CV, often requested in Europass format
Website
To learn more about the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship and browse the programme catalogue, please visit the official website:
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply for Erasmus Mundus from any country?
Yes. The scholarship is open worldwide, and there is no list of excluded nationalities. Programmes do apply geographical balance, so applicants from countries that send many candidates face more internal competition for the same handful of national slots.
How many programmes can I apply to?
Three in the same academic year. That is a hard limit across all Erasmus Mundus programmes, not per programme, so choose your three carefully and make each application specific.
Is there an age limit for the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship?
No. There is no age limit, and mid-career professionals apply successfully every year. What matters is your academic fit with the programme and the strength of your motivation letter.
Does Erasmus Mundus fund PhD study?
Not anymore. Joint doctorates moved to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. Erasmus Mundus scholarships now fund joint master’s programmes only.
What are my chances of getting the scholarship?
Honestly, the competition is severe, since the best students worldwide apply. Two things genuinely move the odds: a motivation letter written for the specific programme, and using all three of your allowed applications. Some programmes also admit strong non-scholarship candidates with tuition waivers, so ask each consortium what happens if you rank just below the funded cutoff.
Do I choose which countries I study in?
Partly. Every programme has its own route through its partner universities. Some fix the sequence for all students, others let you pick a pathway based on your specialisation, so the mobility plan on each programme’s website is worth reading before you apply.
