MastersFully Funded

Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM)

Last verified 8 May 2026 by the Scholarships for Africans editorial team

Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM) are fully funded two-year master's degrees delivered across at least three European universities — open to African students with strong scholarship coverage of tuition, travel, settling-in and monthly stipend.

Provider: European Commission (Erasmus+)
Host country: European Union
Deadline: Varies by program (typically Oct–Feb)
Region: Europe

Official source

Topics

Eligibility & requirements at a glance

Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM) is open to African students applying to study in European Union at the Masters level, with fully funded funding. Below is a quick summary of who can apply, what's covered, and the key dates — full details are further down the page.

Who can apply: Masters · applicants for European Union
Funding: Fully Funded
Study level: Masters
Deadline: Varies by program (typically Oct–Feb)

Key eligibility criteria

Open worldwide
bachelor's degree required
must apply directly to chosen EMJM consortium.

What the fully funded award covers

Full tuition
Monthly stipend
Return airfare

About the Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM) (2026)

Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM) are flagship European Union–funded master's programmes delivered by a consortium of at least three universities across different European countries. Students rotate between two or three campuses, earn a joint or double degree, and graduate with a deeply international academic profile that European and African employers recognise. ## Why this scholarship matters for African applicants EMJM is one of the largest fully funded gateways for African students to study a master's in Europe, with around 130 active joint programmes covering fields from sustainable energy, urban planning and AI to public health, journalism and human rights. African applicants compete in a 'Partner Country' pool with generous scholarship quotas. ## What the award covers Full tuition for the two-year master's, a one-off €1,000 contribution to travel and installation, additional travel allowance for Partner Country students, and a monthly living stipend of €1,400 paid for the full duration of the programme. Insurance is included. ## How the selection process works Apply directly to the joint programme (not to the EU). Each consortium sets its own admission criteria, scholarship cut-off and interview process. The consortium ranks applicants and forwards a shortlist to the European Commission — top-ranked African candidates secure the Erasmus Mundus scholarship. ## Application tips that move the needle Apply to two or three EMJM programmes in the same intake to maximise your odds — you can hold multiple shortlist offers and accept only one. Tailor your motivation letter to the consortium's specific research strengths, and reference at least one faculty member at each partner university whose work overlaps with yours. ## Deadlines and intake windows Most EMJM scholarship deadlines cluster between mid-December and mid-February for the September intake. Check the official EMJM catalogue for the specific programme's calendar — a small number open as early as October. ## Useful internal reading - Browse open scholarships: https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/scholarships - How to write a winning scholarship essay: https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/blog/how-to-write-winning-scholarship-essay - Scholarship interview questions for African students: https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/blog/scholarship-interview-questions-african-students Always confirm the live intake on the sponsor's official site before you build a timeline around it.

What the Fully Funded Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM) covers

The award components below were extracted from the sponsor's published description. Always cross-check the exact figures, ceiling amounts and conditions on the official site before you budget around them.

Full tuition
Monthly stipend
Return airfare

Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM) eligibility for European Union applicants

Always cross-check eligibility against the sponsor's official site before applying — sponsor rules can change between intakes.

Open worldwide
bachelor's degree required
must apply directly to chosen EMJM consortium.

Documents required for the Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM) application

A planning baseline drawn from how 90%+ of African scholarship sponsors structure their checklist. The sponsor's portal is the source of truth for any single application.

Valid international passport (bio page scan)
Most recent academic transcripts (sealed or e-verified copies)
Curriculum vitae / résumé (1–2 pages, reverse-chronological)
Personal statement or motivation letter (500–1,000 words, tailored to the sponsor)
Two to three reference letters (academic for students, professional for working applicants)
Proof of English proficiency (IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo) — Medium-of-Instruction letter may substitute for Anglophone-Africa graduates
Passport-sized photograph meeting ICAO biometric standards
Research proposal or statement of purpose (500–2,000 words for PhD)
Published or unpublished writing sample (PhD and research-led Masters)
Financial-need declaration or family-income statement (sponsor-specific template)
Country-of-origin proof (national ID or birth certificate) — required by many Africa-focused funders

How to apply for the Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM) 2026

A practical, sponsor-agnostic sequence used by >95% of international scholarship applicants. Adapt to the sponsor's specific portal — the order rarely changes.

1
Confirm eligibility on the official site
Open https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities/individuals/students/erasmus-mundus-joint-masters-scholarships and verify the sponsor's stated criteria match your profile — currently: "Open worldwide; bachelor's degree required; must apply directly to chosen EMJM consortium.". Sponsor rules change between intakes, so always confirm against the live call.
2
Secure a study place or admission offer
Apply to the host university or programme first where required, and obtain a conditional admission letter. A growing number of sponsors only fund applicants who already hold an offer.
3
Sit required tests and gather documents
Register for IELTS / TOEFL / Duolingo (or SAT / GRE where required), request official transcripts, brief two or three referees, and prepare passport and identity documents at high resolution.
4
Draft your essays and statements
Write a 500–1,000-word personal statement and any additional essays the sponsor specifies. Anchor each essay in concrete examples and tie your goals back to the sponsor's mission.
5
Complete the online application
Create an account on https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities/individuals/students/erasmus-mundus-joint-masters-scholarships, fill in every field, and upload the required documents in the formats specified (PDF, max file size, single-file vs multi-file). Save progress frequently — most portals time out after 30–60 minutes.
6
Submit by Varies by program (typically Oct–Feb) (aim 7 days early)
Sponsor portals routinely slow or fail in the final 24 hours. Submit early, download the confirmation receipt, and screenshot the submission timestamp. Late submissions are not accepted under any circumstances.
7
Prepare for shortlist interviews
If shortlisted, European Commission (Erasmus+) will contact you within 4–12 weeks. Re-read your essays, rehearse 3–5 likely questions out loud, and confirm your time zone for any video interview.

Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM) deadline & application timeline

The sponsor has not published a fixed deadline yet. Use the milestones below as a generic 12-month plan; substitute dates once the intake window opens.

12 months out
Register for tests (IELTS/TOEFL/SAT/GRE), shortlist 3–5 universities, identify referees.
6 months out
Sit your tests, draft a personal statement, request transcripts and confirm reference letters.
3 months out
Finalise essays, upload supporting documents, complete the online application portal.
1 month out
Final review, double-check uploaded files, submit a week before the deadline to avoid portal issues.
Application deadline
Submit by 23:59 in the sponsor's stated time zone — usually local to the sponsor, not your country.

Ready to apply?

Cross-check the latest eligibility rules and deadline on the sponsor's official portal before you start your application.

Visit official site

Frequently asked questions

Who can apply for the Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM)?+

Applicants must be eligible African nationals applying at the Masters level, meet the academic and English-language requirements set by European Commission (Erasmus+), and be able to relocate to European Union for the duration of the programme.

Is the Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM) fully funded?+

Funding model: Fully Funded. Where listed as fully funded, the award typically covers tuition, monthly stipend, health insurance and round-trip airfare. Always confirm the latest funding breakdown on the sponsor's official page.

When is the application deadline?+

The application deadline is Varies by program (typically Oct–Feb). Submit at least one week early — sponsor portals frequently slow or fail in the final 24 hours, and late submissions are not accepted under any circumstances.

What documents do I need to apply?+

At minimum: passport bio page, academic transcripts, CV, personal statement, two to three references, and an English-language test score (IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo). Research-led Masters and PhD applications also require a research proposal and a writing sample.

How can I improve my chance of winning?+

Apply early, tailor every essay to the specific sponsor (do not recycle a generic statement), secure at least one reference who knows your work in detail, and apply to two or three additional scholarships in parallel — never rely on a single application.

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