Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters

The Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM) is an EU funding opportunity aimed at supporting high-level, integrated transnational study programs at the Master's level. Eligible applicants are consortia of higher education institutions (HEIs) from various countries, including those within the EU and associated countries, cooperating to deliver accredited programs. This call operates under a grant mechanism, specifically the Erasmus EMJM Unit Grants, providing financial support for implementing master-level programs and offering scholarships to students.

The EMJM program emphasizes collaboration among at least three HEIs from three different countries, of which at least two must be EU Member States. The budget for the 2026 call amounts to approximately €150.1 million, with individual projects able to receive up to €5 million. Additional funding is allocated for student scholarships, institutional costs, and support for students with disabilities.

The opportunity is open to institutions and projects across the globe, with special attention given to specific regions such as the Western Balkans, Neighbourhood South, Asia, Central Asia, Pacific, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, with a focus on attracting students from less developed countries. Priority areas for funding include climate change, digital technologies, and sustainable growth.

The application process is a single-stage submission, with a deadline set for February 12, 2026. Proposals must be comprehensive and meet specific formatting guideline requirements. While co-funding is encouraged, it is not strictly mandated for eligibility.

In conclusion, the EMJM call provides an excellent opportunity for higher education consortia to enhance the attractiveness and excellence of European higher education, promoting international collaboration and student mobility through substantial financial support and scholarships tailored to contribute to the program's goals. Successful projects will be expected to demonstrate operational readiness and international relevance in their offerings.

The Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM) is an EU funding opportunity under the Erasmus+ programme, specifically call ERASMUS-EDU-2026-PEX-EMJM-MOB. It supports high-level, integrated, transnational study programmes at the Master level (level 7 of the International Standard Classification of Education ISCED 2011). These programmes are delivered by an international consortium of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) from different countries worldwide, and where relevant, other educational and/or non-educational partners with specific expertise and interest in the concerned study areas or professional domains.

The EMJM aims to enhance the attractiveness and excellence of European higher education globally and attract talent to Europe. This is achieved through institutional academic cooperation to showcase European excellence and individual mobility for all students, with EU-funded scholarships for top applicants.

The type of action is ERASMUS-EMJM-UN Erasmus EMJM Unit Grants, utilizing the ERASMUS Unit Grant [ERASMUS-AG-UN] Model Grant Agreement (MGA). The deadline model is single-stage. The planned opening date for submissions is November 26, 2025, and the deadline for applications is February 12, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time.

Conditions for application include admissibility conditions regarding proposal page limits and layout, which are described in the call document and Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. Eligible countries are also detailed in the call document.

Additional funds are available for students from specific targeted regions: Regions 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, financed by the EU’s external action instruments. These funds must be used in a geographically balanced way, encouraging institutions to recruit students from the poorest and least developed third countries not associated with the Programme.

The geographical targets and indicative budget shares are:

Region 1 (Western Balkans): Focus on climate change, environment and energy, digital technologies, engineering, sustainable growth and jobs. Total indicative budget: 2,200,000 EUR.

Region 3 (Neighbourhood South): 18% of the budget available from NDICI, with at least 20% allocated to Tunisia. Total indicative budget: 3,765,913.20 EUR. Total indicative budget for Tunisia: 753,182.64 EUR.

Region 5 (Asia): 21% of the budget available from NDICI, prioritizing least developed countries. Total indicative budget: 4,393,565.40 EUR.

Region 6 (Central Asia): 9% of the budget available from NDICI, prioritizing least developed countries. Total indicative budget: 1,882,956.60 EUR.

Region 7 (Middle East): 3% of the budget available from NDICI, prioritizing least developed countries. Total indicative budget: 627,652.20 EUR.

Region 8 (Pacific): 1% of the budget available from NDICI, prioritizing least developed countries. Total indicative budget: 209,217.40 EUR.

Region 9 (Sub-Saharan Africa): 27% of the budget available from NDICI, prioritizing least developed countries, with emphasis on migration priority countries. No country may access more than 8% of funding. Total indicative budget: 5,648,869.80 EUR.

Region 10 (Latin America): 20% of the budget available from NDICI, with a maximum of 30% for Brazil and Mexico combined. Total indicative budget: 4,184,348.00 EUR. Maximum indicative budget for Brazil and Mexico together: 1,255,304.40 EUR.

Region 11 (Caribbean): 1% of the budget available from NDICI. Total indicative budget: 209,217.40 EUR.

For proposals requesting additional scholarships under Heading 6 for regions 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, and 11, priority will be given to those addressing at least one of the Global Gateway priorities: digital, climate and energy, transport, and health.

Evaluation criteria, scoring, thresholds, and the evaluation process are detailed in the call document.

The indicative timeline includes:

Publication of the call: November 12, 2025.

Deadline for applications: February 12, 2026, 17:00 (Brussels time).

Evaluation period: February-June 2026.

Information to applicants: July 2026.

Signature of grant agreement: October 2026.

Relevant documents include the call document, application form templates (standard application form for ERASMUS UN EMJM), a calculator and proof of accreditation (available in the download area of the submission system), the ERASMUS Programme Guide, Model Grant Agreements (MGA), and the ERASMUS Unit MGA. Additional documents include the ERASMUS+ Work Programme, ERASMUS Regulation 2021/817, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, EU Grants AGA Annotated Model Grant Agreement, the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, and the Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The total budget for ERASMUS-EDU-2026-PEX-EMJM-MOB - ERASMUS-EMJM-UN ERASMUS EMJM Unit Grants is 150,121,740 EUR.

For help, contact EACEA-EPLUS-ERASMUS-MUNDUS@ec.europa.eu. Additional resources include the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ and the IT Helpdesk for technical issues.

In summary, this Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters call provides funding for consortia of higher education institutions to develop and deliver high-quality, integrated Master's programmes. These programmes aim to attract talented students from around the world, enhance the internationalization of European higher education, and promote academic cooperation. Funding is available for scholarships, with specific budget allocations and priorities for different regions of the world, particularly focusing on least developed countries and areas aligned with the EU's Global Gateway strategy. The application process involves submitting a detailed proposal, adhering to specific guidelines and deadlines, and undergoing a rigorous evaluation process. Successful projects will contribute to showcasing European excellence in higher education and fostering global talent mobility.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are consortia of higher education institutions (HEIs) from different countries worldwide and, where relevant, other educational and/or non-educational partners with specific expertise and interest in the concerned study areas/professional domains.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically ERASMUS EMJM Unit Grants.

Consortium Requirement: A consortium of multiple applicants is required. The call specifies that the study programmes must be delivered by an international consortium of higher education institutions.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes regions 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, financed by the EU’s external action instruments. These regions correspond to the Western Balkans, Neighbourhood South, Asia, Central Asia, Middle East, Pacific, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Target Sector: The program targets the education sector, specifically high-level integrated transnational study programmes at the Master level (level 7 of the international standard classification of education ISCED 2011). It also prioritizes projects in the fields of climate change, environment and energy, digital technologies, engineering, sustainable growth and jobs for the Western Balkans. For regions 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 and 11, priority will be given to those addressing at least one of the Global Gateway priorities, namely in the fields of digital, climate and energy, transport, and health.

Mentioned Countries: Tunisia, Brazil, Mexico. Regions mentioned are Western Balkans, Asia, Central Asia, Middle East, Pacific, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Project Stage: The project stage is the implementation of master-level study programmes.

Funding Amount: The total indicative budget is EUR 150,121,740. Specific indicative budgets are allocated to different regions, ranging from EUR 209,217.40 to EUR 5,648,869.80.

Application Type: The application type is an open call with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of grants to support the implementation of the master-level study programmes and scholarships for students.

Application Stages: Applicants have to pass through a single stage to obtain this opportunity.

Success Rates: The indicative number of grants is 740. Success rates cannot be determined without knowing the expected number of applications.

Co-funding Requirement: The document does not explicitly state a co-funding requirement from the applicants.

Summary:

This Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM) call supports high-level, integrated, transnational master's programs delivered by international consortia of higher education institutions and other relevant partners. The goal is to enhance the attractiveness and excellence of European higher education and attract talent to Europe. Funding is provided through grants to support the implementation of these master's programs and to offer scholarships to students. The call targets specific regions worldwide, including the Western Balkans, Neighbourhood South, Asia, Central Asia, Middle East, Pacific, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, with indicative budgets allocated to each region. Priority is given to projects addressing climate change, digital technologies, engineering, sustainable growth, and jobs in the Western Balkans. For other regions, priority is given to projects addressing the Global Gateway priorities in digital, climate and energy, transport, and health. The application process involves a single stage, with a deadline of February 12, 2026. The call aims to foster institutional academic cooperation and individual student mobility, showcasing European excellence in higher education.