Yannarak Wannasai

What is the Erasmus Mundus programme?

Erasmus Mundus is a cooperation and mobility programme in the field of higher education. The programme:

• promotes the European Union as a centre of excellence in learning around the world;
• supports high-quality European Masters Programmes("Erasmus Mundus Masters Courses") each of which is jointly run by a consortium of European universities and brings together students from Europe and across the world;
• offers pretigious scholarships to enable students from around the world to engage in postgraduate study on an "Erasmus Mundus Masters Courses" in Europe.

What does the name "Erasmus Mundus" stand for?

Desiderius Erasmus (1469-1536) dedicated his life to promoting a universal concept of wisdom which he saw as the key to mutual understanding between people. Equally well versed in theology, education, rhetoric and classical studies, Erasmus studied an taught in France, England, Italy, Switzerland and what is now Belgium.

Due to his brilliant career as a mobile European scholar, the European Commission decided to name the first European student mobility programme after him: the "Erasmus" grants, launched in 1987, have enabled well over a million European students to study in another European country.

In 2004, for the new programme to support mobility between Europe and the rest of the world, it was decided to add "Mundus" (Latin for "World"), to the existing "Erasmus" label.

Who can receive an Erasmus Mundus scholarship?

Graduate students worldwide (except for citizens of the European Union, EU candidate countries, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland) can apply for a scholarship, provided they have an excellent academic record and study results.

What do the scholarships cover and how many are awarded?

Erasmus Mundus scholarships cover travel costs and full living costs in Europe throughout their Master programme. For each student the scholarship amounts to 21,000 Euro per academic year. For courses lasting two years, the student receives double this amount, i.e. 42,000 Euro. Around 7,000 students will benefit during the period 2004-8.

The number awarded rises each year, thereby giving more and more students a chance to live and study in at least two Eurpean countries.

How to apply?

Students apply directly to the European Masters Courses of their course. Here is how it works:

• Go to the Erasmus Mundus website: http://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/mundus/projects/index_en.html
• Find and click on the academic discipline you are interested in. A list of academic programmes throughout Europe will appear for you to select.
• Within the list of programmes offered, chooses the one(s) that fit(s) your needs. You will find that each programme has its own website with application tools. All you have to do then is apply!
• Make sure you read the application and admission conditions of your chosen programme carefully.

Why Erasmus Mundus?

Are you a graduate student looking for an international education? Here are 10 good reasons to apply for an Erasmus Mundus scholarship:

1. Receive a high-quality education at some of Europe's finest university.
2. Follow a joint study programme combining the strengths of various European universities with different theoretical and paractical approaches.
3. Choose from a wide range of academic disciplines include innovative cross-disciplinary courses.
4. Obtain an officially recognised double or joint degree which opens doors for doctoral studies or interesting careers.
5. Live a truly European experience in higher education by studying in at least two different European countries.
6. Take the opportunity, if you wish, to use two European languages an live in a multilingual environment (although the study programmes themselves are often taught in one language only).
7. Enjoy high-quality welcome and hosting services at the European universities.
8. Enhance your cross-cultural background and develop a more flexible mind-set by studying with fellow students from all corners of the world.
9. Establish long-term worldwide personal and professional relationships, thanks to the EM Alumni Association.
10. Prepare yourself for the global market by enhancing your international knowledge and developing the social confidence and adaptablility you will need to operate internationally.

For further information about Erasmus Mundus scholarship and studying in Europe, please visit the following website:

The attached pdf file contains "Frequently Asked Questions" about Erasmus Mundus scholarship. Most answers in this file will give you very useful information about Erasmus Mundus scholarship, although some of which may not be up-to-date.