Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees

Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees (EMJMDs) programme is a cooperation and mobility programme in the field of higher education that aims to enhance the quality of European higher education and to promote dialogue and understanding between people and cultures through cooperation between Europe and the rest of the world.

EMJMDs provide support to:

higher education institutions that wish to implement joint programmes at postgraduate level or to set-up inter-institutional cooperation partnerships between universities from Europe and targeted Third-Countries;
individual students, researchers and university staff who wish to spend a study / research / teaching period in the context of one of the above mentioned joint programmes or cooperation partnerships;
any organisation active in the field of higher education that wishes to develop projects aimed at enhancing the attractiveness, profile, visibility and image of European higher education worldwide.

For Institutions and Organisations

Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees (EMJMDs) provide Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and organisations with the opportunity to organise new joint Master degree programmes. The EU provides funding for these programmes to make a selection or intake of students every year for three years.

What is the opportunity?

Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees (EMJMDs) are joint Master level study programmes developed and carried out by consortia of Programme and Partner universities. EMJMDs are distinguished by their academic excellence and the high level of integration of the courses between multiple higher education institutions across countries.

The benefits for involved HEIs include an increased capacity to operate at an international level, improved management methods, access to more funding opportunities and projects, increased ability to prepare, manage, and follow-up projects, as well as a more attractive portfolio of opportunities for international students.

The European Commission is responsible for setting up the budget, priorities, targets and criteria for the EMJMDs. Furthermore, it guides and monitors the general implementation, follow-up and evaluation of each EMJMD at European level. The Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) is responsible for the implementation of the Erasmus Mundus Programme.

How does it work?

Institutions and organisations wishing to take part in these opportunities must do so as as part of a consortium of at least three higher education institutions from different Programme countries. A consortium may include additional higher education institutions from Partner countries. Organisations in a consortium fall into one of three main categories:

Applicant/Coordinator – the higher education institution responsible for applying for and managing the project, as well as signing the grant agreement, managing the financial and legal aspects, and coordinating the master degree programme with the other organisations.

Partners – degree-awarding higher education institutions recognised by the relevant authorities, as well as any other organisation actively contributing to the preparation, implementation and evaluation of the EMJMD.

Associated partner – optional partners contributing to specific tasks or in specific roles supporting an EMJMD.

EMJMD consortium agreements will have to be signed by all partner consortium members prior to the start of the applications by students, and will have to cover all academic, operational, administrative, and financial aspects related to the implementation of the EMJMD.

Participating organisations from Programme countries need to have a valid Erasmus Charter for Higher Education.

What else should you know?

EMJMDs are study programmes of 60, 90, and 120 ECTS credits delivered by an international consortium of Higher Education Institutions (HEI). Selected EMJMDs will receive high levels of funding for a period of 4-5 years, covering three annual selections of students to follow a course lasting a maximum of two years.

Proposals must present a fully developed joint study programme, ready to run and be advertised worldwide immediately after selection. The study period must take place in at least two of the Programme countries represented in the consortium.
All participating HEIs must be Master degree awarding institutions and the corresponding Master degree must be fully recognised by the necessary authorities in the countries where the HEIs are established.

Applicants from Programme countries must be able, at the time of application, to demonstrate the national accreditation of each degree-awarding Master programme constituting the EMJMD.

The successful completion of the programme must lead either to the award of a joint degree from at least two of the participating HEIs or double/multiple degrees. HEIs are strongly encouraged to offer the former.

How to apply?

Higher Education Institutions and organisations active in the field of higher education have to apply centrally to the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency in accordance with the application conditions and timetable defined in the Programme Guide and the relevant Call for Proposals.

There must be one coordinating/applicant institution that submits the application on behalf of the consortium/partnership/network of participating organisations. Applicants must be located in an eligible applicant country as defined in the Programme Guide.

Organisations seeking further information on the process can contact National Erasmus+ Office in Armenia or the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency in Brussels.

For Individuals applicants

With Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees (EMJMDs), individual applicants from Armenia can receive a full degree scholarship for a Master-level international study programme.

Conditions

EMJMDs offer full scholarships for individual applicants (graduates, last year Bachelor students, working professinals, etc.) from all over the world. However, before applying for an EMJMD, applicants need to make sure to respect the following conditions:

1. They must have a first higher education degree or demonstrate a recognised equivalent of learning according to the legislation and practices in the countries that will award the degree. More specific information about entry requirements can be found on the website of each EMJMD,

2. If they have already received an EMJMD scholarship, they are not eligible for an additional scholarship,

3. Can apply to a maximum of three different EMJMD programmes.

Applicants cannot benefit from another EU-funded scholarship scheme at the same time as receiving support for their EMJMD.

EMJMDs last between 12 and 24 months. As part of an EMJMD, students will study in at least two of the Programme countries involved in the international consortium. They may have the chance to study, research or carry out a placement in a Partner country depending on the make-up of the consortium in question. Also they can study, research or carry out a work placement in a relevant organisation not represented in the consortium if this occurs under the direct supervision of one of the participating higher education institutions.

NOTE: Those applicants who are residents or have carried out their main activity (studies, training or work) for more than a total of 12 months over the last five years in a Programme Country apply as Programme Country Applicants. The Programme Countries are: 28 Member States of the European Union (EU) and 5 Non EU Programme Countries (former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Turkey). The scholarship amount considerably reduces as well.

Individuals interested in DOCTORAL studies through EU financial support need to refer to Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions of HORIZON2020 programme.

Academic Credit

Each EMJMD student will receive either a double (or multiple) degree or a joint degree awarded by the higher education consortium of Masters programme, which is officially recognised in the degree-awarding countries.

Whether or not the degree received is recognised in another European or non-European country depends on the agreements in place between the countries in question. The EU cannot intervene in these arrangements.

EMJMDs are worth 60, 90 or 120 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System credits depending on the duration of the course.

To find out whether an EMJMD will be recognised in a given country, contact the appropriate authorities concerned and provide them with the official name of the course.

Scholarships

To receive scholarship for an EMJMD, the applicants must first be accepted onto the course by the organising consortium. Self-funded students can be enrolled in addition to scholarship holders.

EMJMD scholarships cover travel expenses, participation costs, fees and living costs for the entire duration of the Master course. The total amount of your scholarship can vary according to the duration of your course and your nationality (non-EU students receive larger scholarships). Each year, around 15 scholarship holders are selected to take part per course and a minimum of 75% of the scholarships are awarded to candidates from Partner countries.

Scholarship for Partner country applicants (including Armenia)

Objective	Scholarship holder from a Partner Country
Contribution to the travel costs	€ 2,000 € per year (located less than 4,000 km from the EMJMD coordinating HEI) € 3,000 € per year (located at or more than 4,000 km from the EMJMD coordinating HEI)
Contribution to the installation costs	€ 1,000
Contribution to the subsistence costs (varying according to the length and country/region of the students’ residence)	Maximum € 1,000 per month
Contribution to the participation costs (any amount in excess of this maximum contribution must be covered by the EMJMD consortium)	Up to € 9,000 per year

How to apply?

There are over 100 EMJMDs which open their calls for applications starting from September-October each year. The Catalogue of all available EMJMD degree programmes is being annually updated on the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency website and a new batch of selected EMJMDs is added to the list each summer.

Individuals must apply directly to the consortium organising the course to find out about entry requirements, the application procedure and to submit their applications. All EMJMDs programmes open applications in the last quarter of the year for students who will start in September or October of the following year.

VIEW THE CATALOGUE of EMJMDS

Find out more

Make sure you know your rights when you study abroad.

The Erasmus+ Programme Guide also offers detailed information on these opportunities.

The National Agencies, for Programme countries, and National Erasmus+ Offices, for Partner countries, can help with queries and applications.

The Erasmus Mundus Students and Alumni Association offers Erasmus+ students and alumni a dynamic forum for networking, professional development and intercultural exchange.

Video: Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees – together towards excellence with Shqipe Neziri, Manager of the United Nations Development Programme, Anti-Corruption Programme in Kosovo and alumni of the Erasmus Mundus Masters in Public Policy studying from 2009-10 at the University of York (UK) and from 2010-11 at the Central European University in Budapest (Hungary)

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