Not automatically. Erasmus Mundus is a category of joint master's programmes, not a single scholarship scheme. You apply directly to the consortium running the programme you want, usually between October and January. Where a scholarship exists it covers the participation costs and contributes towards travel, visa and living expenses — a contribution, not full cover. Some programmes in the catalogue carry the Erasmus Mundus name without offering scholarships at all.
- The catalogue lists 220 Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters programmes run by more than 600 institutions.
- Applications go directly to the consortium running the programme, not to the European Commission, and the window normally runs from October to January for entry the following autumn.
- A scholarship covers participation costs and contributes towards travel, visa and living costs; the remainder stays with the student.
- Some catalogue entries no longer carry funding — either the programme is reaching the end of its funding period, or it has been granted temporary use of the name after funding ended.
- Applicants need a bachelor's degree, or must be in their final year and graduate before the master's begins.
What Erasmus Mundus actually is
The common assumption is that Erasmus Mundus is a scholarship: one application, one committee, one decision. It is not. It is a category of joint master's programmes, each designed and delivered by a consortium of universities in different countries. The European Commission funds the programmes; the consortium runs the admissions.
The practical consequence is that there is no central application. You apply to the consortium behind the specific programme you want, through that programme's own website, and every consortium sets its own requirements, its own documents and its own deadline.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who runs the selection | The consortium of universities delivering the programme |
| Where you apply | Directly to the programme, through its own website |
| When | Normally between October and January, for a course starting the following academic year |
| How many programmes | 220 in the catalogue, across more than 600 institutions |
| Programme length | 12 months and 60 ECTS, 18 months and 90 ECTS, or 24 months and 120 ECTS |
The name and the money are two different things
This is the part that costs applicants the most time. The EACEA catalogue states plainly that while many programmes offer Erasmus Mundus scholarships, some do not — either because they are reaching the end of their funding period, or because they have been granted temporary use of the Erasmus Mundus name after their funding ended.
A programme can be listed as Erasmus Mundus and have no scholarship attached. The name describes the structure of the degree, not the presence of money.
So the funding question has to be asked programme by programme, on the programme's own pages, for the current intake. The catalogue tells you the degree exists; it does not tell you what is being offered this year.
What the scholarship covers
Where a scholarship is awarded, it covers the participation costs of the programme and contributes towards travel, visa and living expenses. The word doing the work in that sentence is contributes. A contribution is not full cover, and the gap between the two is planned from the student's own budget.
There is a second cost that scholarship pages do not mention. A student visa requires proof of funds regardless of any scholarship, and the consulate applies its own figures. Where a scholarship decision lands after the visa application has to be made, the budget has to be built as though the scholarship had not been awarded.
Who is eligible
The baseline requirement is a bachelor's degree, or enrolment in the final year of one with graduation before the master's programme starts. Everything beyond that — subject background, language evidence, work experience, the weight given to a research proposal — is set by the consortium, and it varies widely between programmes in the same field.
Frequently asked questions
Do you apply for the Erasmus Mundus scholarship separately?
No. You apply to the joint master's programme, and the consortium considers you for the scholarship as part of that process. The application goes to the programme's own website, not to the European Commission.
When do Erasmus Mundus applications open?
The window normally runs from October to January for a course starting the following academic year. Each consortium sets its own deadline inside that window, so dates are checked per programme.
Is an Erasmus Mundus scholarship enough to live on?
It covers participation costs and contributes towards travel, visa and living costs. It is a contribution rather than full cover, and the difference is planned from the student's own funds.
Can you apply to more than one Erasmus Mundus programme?
Consortia set their own rules on this, and the number of programmes a candidate may be considered for under scholarship is restricted. The limit is confirmed on each programme's pages before applying.
Does an Erasmus Mundus degree require studying in more than one country?
Yes. The joint structure means study periods at institutions in different countries, which is why the visa and residence arrangements differ from a single-country master's.
EDMONT works on applications to master's programmes in continental Europe, including joint programmes: we check which consortia a candidate is genuinely competitive for, confirm whether funding is attached to the current intake, and set the funding deadlines alongside the admission calendar rather than after it.