Quick Answer to Erasmus Mundus Scholarship for Indian Students
The Erasmus Mundus scholarship for Indian students funds a joint master's run by universities in at least three countries, with study in at least two. At the time of writing, scholarship holders pay no tuition or mandatory fees and receive 1,400 euros a month towards travel, visa, installation and living costs. You need a bachelor's degree, or to be in your final year, and you apply directly to each programme, mostly between October and January. Selection is highly competitive.
"Is Erasmus Mundus actually fully funded, and can someone from India really get it?" We hear some version of this question every autumn, usually from final year engineering, science and commerce students who have seen a friend's post about studying in three European cities for free. The honest answer: yes, the Erasmus Mundus scholarship for Indian students is real, it is generous, and it is also one of the most competitive awards you can apply for.
Below you will find how the programmes work, what the Erasmus Mundus scholarship for Indian students pays at the time of writing, who can apply, the application steps and the visa side. Every rule comes from the official Erasmus+ website and the EACEA catalogue, so confirm anything that matters there and on your programme's own site.
One point first: you do not need an agent to apply, and no consultant can influence who is selected. Where a Europe student visa consultant like us helps is in the parts around it: shortlisting programmes that fit your degree, checking your documents, and handling the student visas once you are selected.
How Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Work
An Erasmus Mundus Joint Master is a single master's programme designed and run together by a group of universities, called a consortium. According to the Erasmus+ website, each consortium involves at least three higher education institutions from at least three different countries, plus associated partners from academia and industry.
A few features make these programmes different from a normal master's in Europe:
- You study in more than one country. The Erasmus+ Programme Guide requires compulsory physical mobility for every enrolled student: at least two study periods in two countries, and at least one of those countries must be an EU Member State or a third country associated to the Programme. Each period is at least one academic semester (30 ECTS credits).
- The length is fixed by the programme. Programmes last one to two academic years and carry 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits.
- The consortium runs everything. The European Commission funds the programme, but the Programme Guide states that selecting, recruiting and monitoring students is the sole responsibility of the consortium.
That last point matters. There is no central form for the Erasmus Mundus scholarship for Indian students: you apply to each programme on its own portal, and each consortium ranks its own applicants.
Photo: Antoine Schibler on Unsplash
What the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship for Indian Students Covers
The Erasmus+ Programme Guide sets out two parts to the award, and the Erasmus Mundus scholarship for Indian students works exactly as it does for any other nationality.
1. No tuition or mandatory fees. Funded programmes cannot charge scholarship holders tuition fees or other mandatory costs linked to taking part in the course. They also cannot charge application fees to students.
2. A monthly amount of 1,400 euros. At the time of writing, the Programme Guide sets the scholarship at 1,400 euros per month for the duration of the programme (12, 18 or 24 months). This single amount is a contribution to your travel, visa, installation and living costs, with no separate flight grant on top.
Our practical advice: rent in some university cities eats a large share of 1,400 euros, and your first month (deposit, rent, permit fees, flights) often comes before the first payment lands. Even with the Erasmus Mundus scholarship for Indian students, keep some savings ready. Our guide to the cheapest countries to study in Europe gives a rough feel for how costs vary by country.
Erasmus Mundus Scholarship for Indian Students: Eligibility Basics
The official Erasmus+ student page keeps the core eligibility simple:
- You hold a bachelor's degree, or you are in the final year of your bachelor's and will graduate before the master's begins.
- Applicants whose learning is officially recognised as equivalent to a bachelor's degree in the degree awarding country may also apply.
- Students from all over the world are welcome, so Indian nationals are fully eligible.
- If you have already received an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master scholarship before, you cannot get a second one.
Everything else is set by each programme: subject background, minimum grades, English test scores, work experience and extra documents. This is where most applications for the Erasmus Mundus scholarship for Indian students fail. Read the entry requirements line by line before you write a word of your motivation letter.
A tip from our counsellors: if your final year results are still pending, check whether the programme accepts provisional documents. Many do, but the rule is set by the consortium, not by the Commission.
How Competitive Is the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship for Indian Students?
Very. The Erasmus+ website describes full scholarships as going to the top ranked students, and there are two structural reasons why the Erasmus Mundus scholarship for Indian students is especially hard to win:
- Limited places. The Programme Guide caps the number of scholarships each funded programme can award across its funding period, so each intake has only a small number of funded seats.
- A nationality balance rule. Consortia should ensure that no more than 10% of all scholarships awarded during the project go to candidates of the same nationality. India sends a very large number of applicants, so you are mostly competing against other strong Indian profiles for a small slice.
So how should you think about it? If your grades are strong, your bachelor's matches the programme closely, and you can show research, projects or work that fit the course, apply seriously. If your profile is average for the field, still apply, but treat the Erasmus Mundus scholarship for Indian students as one option alongside other funded or low cost routes, such as Germany scholarships for Indian students or France scholarships for Indian students.
The EACEA catalogue also warns that some listed programmes no longer offer scholarships, for example because their funding is ending. Check this before you invest weeks in an application.
Not sure which programmes match your degree? We can compare your transcript against programme requirements and help you target the Erasmus Mundus scholarship for Indian students sensibly. Book a free counselling session or call 75740 33366.
How to Apply for the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship for Indian Students: 7 Steps
- Search the official catalogue. Start with the Erasmus Mundus catalogue on the EACEA website. Filter by subject and note which programmes say they offer scholarships for the next intake.
- Shortlist carefully. Pick programmes where your subject and grades clearly fit. The official Erasmus+ pages do not publish a limit on how many programmes you can apply to, but consortia set their own rules, so read each programme's FAQ. A tailored application beats many generic ones.
- Read the programme website closely. Note the deadline, the English test it accepts, the documents it wants, and whether the scholarship application is part of the admission form or a separate section.
- Prepare your documents. Follow each programme's own document list exactly, since formats differ.
- Write a programme specific motivation letter. The mistake we see most often is one letter sent everywhere with the programme name swapped. Consortia read these closely. Name modules, the universities on the route and why that combination fits your plan.
- Submit before the deadline on the programme's portal. The official Erasmus+ page says that in most cases you should apply between October and January for courses starting the following academic year. Deadlines differ by programme, so some close earlier than others.
- Respond to results and plan visas early. The consortium informs you of the outcome. If you are offered a scholarship, reply within the time it gives you and start on your visa for the first country straight away.
It is the end of September as I write this, so the usual application window is only weeks away. Start shortlisting now and aim to submit well ahead of your earliest deadline.
Erasmus Mundus Scholarship for Indian Students: Quick Checklist
- Programme confirmed as offering scholarships for your intake
- Bachelor's degree, or proof you will graduate before the programme starts
- Transcripts in the format the programme asks for
- English test score that meets the programme's minimum
- CV in the format the programme requests
- Motivation letter written for that specific programme
- Recommendation letters, from referees who know your work
- Valid passport, with enough validity for a one to two year programme abroad
- Deadline noted in India time, with a buffer of a few days
Erasmus Mundus Scholarship for Indian Students: Visas in More Than One Country
This is the part many winners of the Erasmus Mundus scholarship for Indian students forget until they are selected. Because the programme moves you between countries, you may need immigration permission for each country on your route, not just one.
In practice, it usually works like this:
- First country: you apply from India for that country's long-stay student visa, normally a national D visa, followed by a residence permit on arrival if that country requires one. A short stay Schengen visa is not the right document for a semester of study. Our guide to the Schengen visa vs national visa explains the difference.
- Later countries in the EU: EU law on students (Directive 2016/801) includes an intra EU mobility scheme meant to make moving between countries simpler for students, but each country runs its own procedure, and some still ask for a separate permit.
- Countries outside the EU: if a semester is in a partner country outside the EU, you need that country's own student visa.
The Programme Guide lists visa support among the common services a consortium should offer, so ask your coordinator which document you need for each stage. The full picture for Europe is in our emerging Europe student visa guide, and this is exactly the stage where we work with selected students on file preparation and appointments.
Getting Help Without Losing Control of Your Application
Global Colliance has almost 20 years of experience guiding students, with offices in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot and Delhi. For an Erasmus Mundus scholarship for Indian students, we can help you shortlist programmes, check your documents against each programme's rules, give honest feedback on your motivation letter, prepare for your English test and handle the visa stage after selection.
What we cannot do is apply to Erasmus Mundus for you in a way that improves your odds, or promise a scholarship. The consortium decides, and your own profile and letter carry the application. If you would like a second opinion on your shortlist before deadlines arrive, speak with our counsellors or call 75740 33366.
Erasmus Mundus Scholarship for Indian Students: FAQs
How much is the Erasmus Mundus scholarship for Indian students?
At the time of writing, the Erasmus+ Programme Guide sets it at 1,400 euros per month for the programme's duration, as a contribution to travel, visa, installation and living costs. Scholarship holders also pay no tuition or mandatory participation fees, so confirm current figures on the official site.
When should I apply for the Erasmus Mundus scholarship for Indian students?
The official Erasmus+ page says most applications are submitted between October and January for courses starting the following academic year. Each programme sets its own deadline, so check your programme's website.
Can I apply for the Erasmus Mundus scholarship for Indian students in my final year?
Yes. You can apply if you are in the final year of your bachelor's, as long as you will graduate before the master's begins. Check whether your programme accepts provisional documents.
Do I apply to the European Commission or to the university?
You apply directly to the programme, through the consortium's own application system. The consortium selects its students and awards the scholarships.
Do I need a separate visa for each country?
Often you do, since you study in at least two countries. Your consortium will tell you which visa or permit each stage needs, and the rules differ by country.
