Erasmus Mundus 2027 Intakes: Finding and Applying to Joint Masters
If you are targeting a September 2027 start on an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master, some consortium deadlines have already passed — but programmes with January and February 2027 closings may still be open. All eight African origins supported by World Study (Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Egypt, Zambia, and Zimbabwe) are eligible for the Category A non-EU fellowship. This post is for applicants who have already decided to apply and need to know how to find what is still open, read a call correctly, and put together the strongest possible submission in the time that remains.
For background on eligibility and how the programme works, see our Erasmus Mundus guide and the earlier overview for African students.
What Is an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master — and What Does It Pay?
An Erasmus Mundus Joint Master (EMJM) is a fully integrated Master’s programme co-designed and co-delivered by at least three higher-education institutions in at least two EU countries. You study at a minimum of two consortium universities in different countries and graduate with a double, joint, or multiple degree.
The fellowship for non-EU students (Category A) covers:
| Component | What it means |
|---|---|
| Full tuition | Waived at each consortium institution for the entire programme |
| Monthly living allowance | A fixed monthly contribution; amount set in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide per funding cycle |
| Travel and installation contribution | A lump-sum contribution for international travel and initial settlement |
| Insurance | Consortium institutions are required to support fellows with health and accident insurance arrangements |
Exact amounts for the monthly allowance and travel contribution are published in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide at eacea.ec.europa.eu. These are updated per funding cycle — verify the current guide, not third-party summaries, before budgeting.
Important watch-out: Not every student in an EMJM programme is a fellow. Consortia also admit self-funded students. When applying, confirm you are applying for the fellowship allocation — the application form will distinguish between funded and self-funded applicants.
Step 1: Find Programmes That Are Still Open
The EMJM catalogue is at erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities/individuals/students/erasmus-mundus-joint-masters. Use the filters to narrow by:
- Field of study — match to your undergraduate degree
- Language of instruction — most are in English, some require French, Spanish, or German
- Duration — most EMJM programmes are two years (120 ECTS)
Once you have a shortlist from the catalogue, go directly to each consortium’s own website to confirm:
- Whether the 2027 intake application is still open
- The exact deadline for fellowship applicants
- The programme-specific eligibility requirements
The catalogue is a directory, not a live deadline tracker. A programme listed in the catalogue may have a deadline that passed in October 2026 or may not yet have opened for 2027. Go to the source.
What to Look for in a Consortium Website
A well-organised EMJM consortium website typically has:
- A dedicated “Apply” or “Admission” page with the current call for applications as a downloadable PDF
- A clear distinction between scholarship/fellowship applicants and self-funded applicants
- Specific academic entry requirements (minimum GPA, degree level, field)
- Language requirements (IELTS score or equivalent)
- Deadline(s) — often two rounds (early and final, with priority for fellowship applicants in the first round)
- A contact address for queries
If you cannot find the call for applications dated for 2027 entry on the consortium’s website, contact the consortium coordinator directly before assuming the programme is closed.
Step 2: Confirm You Meet Eligibility
Every EMJM consortium sets its own academic entry requirements, but the framework requirements from the European Commission apply across all:
You must be a non-EU student — all eight of our African origins are Category A (non-EU) applicants and are eligible for the fellowship allocation.
Residency rule: You must not have been a resident or have carried out your main activity (study or work) in any of the programme-country consortium members for more than 12 months in the 3 years before the application deadline. If you studied in France for a year before applying to a French-German consortium, you may be ineligible. Check the specific rule in the consortium’s call document — the clock and scope can vary slightly by consortium interpretation.
Academic requirements: Most programmes require a minimum second-class upper honours degree or equivalent GPA (approximately 3.0/4.0 or 65% or above) in a relevant discipline. Some competitive programmes set higher bars — check per consortium.
Language: Most English-taught programmes require IELTS 6.5 overall (or equivalent TOEFL iBT 90+, Duolingo, or PTE Academic). If you do not already have a valid score, you may be too late for a February 2027 deadline. Check whether your score is less than two years old at the time of the deadline.
If you are from an English-official African country (Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe) and studied entirely in English, some consortia accept a Medium of Instruction (MOI) letter. This is programme-specific — confirm with the consortium before submitting without an IELTS score.
Step 3: Read the Call for Applications Carefully
The call for applications is the binding document. Before you write anything, read the entire call for your shortlisted programmes and note:
- Fellowship application deadline (often earlier than the self-funded deadline)
- Maximum number of fellowship places — some programmes allocate as few as five to ten Category A places per cohort
- Required documents list — exactly as specified; missing one document typically disqualifies the application
- Specific motivation letter requirements — many consortia ask you to address specific questions or word limits
- Research experience requirements — STEM and science programmes often expect at least one academic reference from a supervisor who can speak to research potential
- Interview stage — some programmes include video or online interviews in the selection process
Do not assume requirements are the same across programmes — they are not. A consortium in environmental science may require a statement of research intent of exactly 500 words; a consortium in economics may want a 1,500-word personal statement and a writing sample.
Step 4: Build Your Application Package
The Motivation Letter
The motivation letter is the most consequential document. Selection committees read hundreds of letters per programme; the ones that advance are specific, coherent, and programme-aware.
An effective EMJM motivation letter for an African applicant addresses four things:
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Why this specific programme — name the consortium structure, the universities involved, and what the multi-country mobility offers that a single-country Master’s does not. Vague language about “Europe’s diversity” is not this.
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How your degree background prepares you — connect your undergraduate programme, dissertation, or relevant coursework explicitly to the consortium’s thematic focus. If the programme is in water management and your degree is in civil engineering with a water-systems elective, say exactly that.
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What professional or research outcome you are targeting — consortia are assessed by the European Commission on whether they produce graduates who go on to meaningful careers. Show that you have thought about where this programme takes you.
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Why you, compared to others — without inventing claims, note what makes your application distinctive: an undergraduate research project, relevant work experience, publications, fieldwork, or specific technical skills that align with the consortium’s research clusters.
Word limits vary. Respect them exactly. Going over suggests you cannot edit your own work.
Academic References
Most programmes require two references, at least one from a senior academic (supervisor, department head, or professor) who can speak to your research potential. Request references early — academic referees often need four to six weeks to write a substantive letter. Brief them on the specific programme and tell them what they should emphasise.
Transcripts
Upload official or certified transcripts. If your transcript is not in English or a language the consortium states it accepts, a certified translation is required. Do not upload an unofficial scan or a Google-translated document.
Step 5: Submit on Time
Fellowship applications are time-stamped. Many consortia run two rounds:
- Round 1 (priority): October–November — fellowship applicants who submit in this window get priority consideration and a higher chance of being offered the fellowship before self-funded spaces fill
- Round 2 (final): January–February — remaining fellowship and self-funded places; higher competition
If you are reading this in early February 2027 and a programme you want has a Round 2 deadline approaching, submit immediately rather than waiting. Late submissions are typically not accepted.
How Competitive Is the 2027 Application Pool?
Erasmus Mundus is among the most competitive scholarships available to African students. Most active programmes admit:
- Fewer than 15 Category A fellows per cohort globally
- From a pool of several hundred to several thousand applicants
The acceptance rate across most programmes is in the low single digits. This does not mean applying is futile — a student with a strong second-class upper degree from a recognised university, a targeted letter, and a well-matched programme is a credible candidate. A student applying to twelve programmes with an identical generic letter is not.
Apply to between four and eight programmes. Research each one. Tailor each letter. This is a better strategy than applying to twenty and hoping volume compensates for quality.
Erasmus Mundus Versus Other 2027 Scholarship Options
If you are still deciding whether to invest time in EMJM applications this cycle versus another programme, here is the landscape as it stands in early 2027:
| Scholarship | Status in Feb 2027 | All 8 origins? | Deadline pressure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erasmus Mundus | Some still open | ✅ | Immediate — check each consortium |
| Stipendium Hungaricum | Closed (~15 Jan) | 6 of 8 (not ZW/ZM) | Closed for 2027 cycle |
| Chevening | Closed (~Nov) | ✅ | Closed — plan for 2028 |
| Türkiye Bursları | Closing Feb | ✅ | Imminent |
| NAWA Banach | Not yet open | Narrow list | Expected Apr/May 2027 |
| DAAD Study | Check daad.de | ✅ | Varies by programme |
Erasmus Mundus is one of the few fully funded options where applications may still be open in February for a September 2027 start. If you are eligible and have a strong profile, this is the right month to submit.
Finding Programmes by Field: A Starting Point
The EMJM catalogue covers most academic disciplines. Some areas with strong and longstanding Erasmus Mundus programme representation include:
- Water management, environmental science, sustainability
- Public health, global health, epidemiology
- Data science, AI, and computer science
- Economics, development economics, international business
- European integration, international relations, peace and conflict studies
- Cultural heritage, digital humanities, media and journalism
- Agricultural sciences and food technology
- Engineering (civil, mechanical, electrical — field-specific consortia)
Browse the official catalogue filtered by your field, then investigate each consortium’s track record: how long has the programme been running, which universities are involved, and what careers do alumni pursue. Established programmes (running 5+ years) have more predictable processes and often better alumni networks than newly approved ones.
How World Study Africa Helps
World Study Africa advises students from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Egypt, Zambia, and Zimbabwe on European university applications. For Erasmus Mundus specifically, we can help you identify consortia that match your academic profile, review your motivation letter, and think through the broader application strategy across multiple scholarship routes.
Our core service is free — we earn commission from universities where students enrol, not from student fees. We do not charge to help you find or apply for a scholarship.
Run your eligibility check or message our team on WhatsApp to discuss your options before the remaining February deadlines close.
Frequently asked questions
Some are and some are not. Most EMJM consortia set their own deadlines between October 2026 and February 2027 for a September 2027 start. Programmes with October or November deadlines have closed. Those with January or February 2027 deadlines may still be open — check each consortium's website directly, as the official catalogue (erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu) does not centralise deadlines. Act immediately rather than waiting to research whether any remain open.
There is no limit on how many EMJM consortia you apply to. Each consortium runs its own selection process with its own portal, deadline, and fellowship allocation. Applying to four to eight well-matched programmes is a sensible strategy given the competition — but tailor each motivation letter to the specific consortium's research focus and structure. A generic letter sent to ten programmes is less effective than four targeted letters sent to four relevant ones.
The fellowship for non-EU students (Category A, which includes all eight African origins) covers the full tuition fee at each consortium university, a monthly living allowance, and a travel and installation contribution. Exact amounts are set in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide for each funding cycle and are published at eacea.ec.europa.eu — verify current figures there, as amounts are updated per cycle.
The residency rule requires that you have not been a resident or carried out your main activity (study or work) in any of the consortium countries for more than 12 months in the 3 years before the application deadline. If you have spent extended time in a European country that is part of the consortium, you may be ineligible for that specific programme. Check the eligibility section of each consortium's call for applications carefully.
You study at a minimum of two universities in different countries. Your initial student visa or permit is for the first country of study — you apply to that country's relevant consulate or immigration authority after receiving your fellowship letter. The consortium's administrative team typically advises fellows on the process for each country in the mobility sequence.
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