The letter is not written to one university. It goes to a consortium, and the partner universities select students together. The question it has to answer is specific: why do you need this joint programme across several countries — and not a regular master's at home?
Checked against the Erasmus+ Programme Guide and the EACEA catalogue: November 2026
At a glance
- Scholarship
€1,400 a month
For the full length of the programme (12, 18 or 24 months). It contributes to travel, visa, installation and living costs. Scholarship holders pay no tuition, and programmes can't charge application fees.
- Countries
At least two
You study in at least two countries, both different from the one you live in when you enrol. Each consortium has at least three universities in three countries.
- How to apply
Directly to the programme
There is no central portal. Each programme has its own website, documents, deadline and letter format — with and without a scholarship.
- Deadlines
Mostly October–January
Most programmes take applications between October and January for the following academic year. Some have an earlier deadline for scholarship applicants than for self-funded ones.
- Who can apply
Bachelor's or final year
You need a first degree, or be in your last year and graduate before the programme starts. Applicants from all over the world are welcome.
- One scholarship only
Once per person
If you have already received an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master scholarship, you can't get another one.
How to structure it
Example: Erasmus Mundus Joint Master in data science. Excerpt from a sample letter written with Pennaway. The applicant and the programme are fictional — partner universities and tracks are different in every consortium. Tap a step to see where it goes in the letter.
Dear Members of the Selection Committee,
During my internship as a data analyst at a logistics company, I built Python dashboards that cut weekly reporting from six hours to one. What stayed with me was the question behind it: how much of logistics still runs on data nobody has made usable — and how much harder that gets once goods cross a border.
My bachelor's thesis in Computer Science predicted delivery delays from 50,000 shipment records with gradient boosting. The model worked, but the data fit on one machine and came from one country. I have not yet built pipelines for data at scale, or for data that arrives in different formats from different carriers and customs systems.
That is why I am applying to a joint programme rather than a national master's. Companies that ship across the EU deal with a different customs process and carrier data structure in every country. Studying data engineering in Germany and supply-chain optimisation in Portugal would let me compare two working systems instead of assuming one is standard. The third semester in Porto, with its focus on port logistics, is the part of the programme I would choose first.
I have not studied abroad yet, but I have worked across borders: my hackathon team, which placed in the top 10 of 120 in 2025, included students from Ukraine, India and Spain, and English was our only shared language.
[…]
Goals and closing
Yours sincerely, [Name]
Common mistakes
✗ Not like this
✓ Like this
Writing to one university
“I have always dreamed of studying at the University of X.”
“Studying data engineering in Germany and supply-chain optimisation in Portugal would let me compare two working systems.”
A consortium reads the letter together. Speak to the programme as a whole, not only to the coordinating university.
“International environment”
“I want to experience different cultures in an international environment.”
“Every EU country has its own customs process and carrier data — I want to see how two of them handle it.”
Every applicant writes it. Give one reason why your goal needs several countries.
Asking for the money
“Without this scholarship I could never afford a master's in Europe.”
“This programme is where I can learn to build pipelines for cross-border data.”
The scholarship is the reason many people apply — the committee knows. The letter is read for academic fit and motivation, not need.
One letter for every programme
The same letter sent to three programmes with only the name changed
A separate letter that names this programme's track and partners
Each consortium has different partners, tracks and questions. A copied letter shows that you didn't read the programme page.
Guessing the partners
“I look forward to my semester in Lisbon” — the programme has no Lisbon partner
Only what the programme website lists, or no names at all
Name universities, semesters or tracks only after checking them on the programme website. A wrong partner is worse than none.
Ignoring the format
A two-page letter for a programme that asked for 500 words
480 words, answering the programme's questions in order
Programmes set their own limits and questions: a word count, a page limit or specific prompts. Follow them exactly — some portals cut off the extra text.
Questions
Can I apply to several Erasmus Mundus programmes?
There is no central application: you apply to each programme separately, with its own documents and deadline. Check each programme's rules, and write a separate letter for each one.
How long should the letter be?
Each programme sets its own format — a word limit, a page limit or specific questions. If none is given, about one page (500–700 words) is a safe length.
Which language do I write in?
Usually English — every Erasmus Mundus programme publishes its information in English. If a programme teaches partly in another language and asks for it, follow its instructions.
Do I have to choose a track or partner universities in the letter?
Only if the programme asks you to choose or lets you choose. Then name your preference and why. If you haven't decided, write what you want to learn — don't guess names.
Can I apply without a scholarship?
Yes. Programmes also admit self-funded students; their deadline is sometimes later. The programme website explains both routes.
I didn't get a place last year. Can I apply again?
Yes — what you can't get twice is the scholarship itself, once you have received it. Rewrite the letter: a stronger reason for the joint programme matters more than polished wording.