Erasmus Mundus EMHRPP Scholarship 2027 to Open Soon: Application Guide
Foreign students and human rights professionals should begin preparing for the Erasmus Mundus Master’s Programme in Human Rights Policy and Practice 2027, known as EMHRPP, because its next admission round is expected to open in October 2026 at the earliest.
The programme is provisionally scheduled to begin in August 2027, although the consortium still marks both the opening date and programme start as subject to confirmation. Applicants should therefore use the coming months to document their work experience, complete an accepted English test and prepare stronger recommendation letters rather than waiting for the application portal to open.
EMHRPP is not intended for fresh graduates whose only connection to human rights is academic interest. Applicants need a recognised bachelor’s-equivalent degree and at least two years of practitioner experience in human rights by the application deadline.
EMHRPP 2027 at a Glance
| Programme feature | Current information |
|---|---|
| Degree | Joint master’s in Human Rights Policy and Practice |
| Duration | Two years |
| Academic load | 120 ECTS |
| Teaching language | English |
| Coordinating institution | University of Gothenburg |
| Study countries | Sweden, Spain, the United Kingdom and Norway |
| Expected opening | October 2026 at the earliest |
| Planned start | August 2027, subject to confirmation |
| Minimum degree | Bachelor’s-equivalent qualification of 180 ECTS |
| Experience required | Two years of relevant human rights practice |
| Application platform | University Admissions Sweden |
| Scholarship value | Not yet confirmed for the 2027 intake |
What Is the Erasmus Mundus EMHRPP Programme?
EMHRPP is a full-time, multidisciplinary master’s programme designed to prepare students for professional work in human rights policy, advocacy, research, programme management and civil society.
It is jointly delivered by the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, the University of Deusto in Spain, the University of Roehampton in the United Kingdom and UiT The Arctic University of Norway. Students examine human rights through legal, political, sociological, anthropological and practical perspectives rather than treating the subject as a purely legal discipline.
The 120-ECTS curriculum covers areas such as human rights theory, migration, minority and Indigenous rights, human rights defenders, civil-society movements, conflict, research methods and the relationship between states, markets and human rights. The programme also includes practical learning intended to prepare graduates for work in governments, NGOs, public institutions and businesses.
The mobility structure is one of its main attractions—but also one of its biggest practical demands. Students study in four European countries during the two-year programme. Applicants must therefore be prepared to manage repeated relocation, accommodation deposits, residence procedures and different living costs rather than spending the entire degree at one university.
Is the EMHRPP 2027 Scholarship Fully Funded?
A fully funded Erasmus Mundus scholarship is expected to be connected with the programme, but its exact 2027 value has not yet been confirmed.
The existing EMHRPP scholarship page says that approximately 15 awards have historically been available each year. It currently lists:
- Full programme participation costs
- Health-insurance coverage
- A €1,000 monthly living allowance for 24 months
- Contributions towards travel and installation costs
However, applicants should not publish or rely on the €1,000 amount as the confirmed 2027 stipend. The current European Commission framework for newly funded Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters provides an individual scholarship contribution of €1,400 per month for up to 24 months.
This difference suggests that parts of the EMHRPP funding page still reflect an earlier Erasmus Mundus model. The consortium must clarify whether the 2027 intake will retain the older structure or adopt the current €1,400 monthly model.
Until the new call is published, the accurate position is that the scholarship amount, number of awards, tuition coverage and travel contribution remain unconfirmed for 2027.
Applicants should also understand that requesting a scholarship does not guarantee funding. The programme currently lists self-funded participation costs of €9,000 for programme-country students and €18,000 for partner-country students, excluding general living and travel expenses. These historical fee categories and amounts must also be rechecked when the new call opens.
Who Can Apply for EMHRPP 2027?
Bachelor’s Degree Requirement
Applicants need a first university degree equivalent to at least 180 ECTS credits from an internationally recognised institution.
A degree in law, political science, international relations, sociology, development studies or another social-science subject is relevant, but it is not the only acceptable background. The programme confirms that graduates of engineering, technology, medicine and other fields may qualify when their academic or professional experience has a credible human rights connection.
For example, a medical graduate involved in health rights, an engineer working on disability access or a technology professional researching digital privacy may be eligible.
Two (02) Years of Human Rights Experience
Applicants must have completed at least two years of practitioner experience in human rights by the application deadline. Qualifying experience can include:
- Regular employment
- Internships
- Voluntary work
- NGO or civil-society work
- Refugee or humanitarian assistance
- Legal aid and advocacy
- Rights-based research
- Public policy or programme implementation
Volunteer work can count, but it must be relevant to human rights. The programme does not provide advance assessments of individual experience; the selection committee decides its relevance after reviewing the complete application.
Applicants should obtain detailed certificates showing the organisation, dates, hours or employment status, responsibilities and human rights purpose of the work. A certificate that merely says someone “worked as a volunteer” may be too vague to prove eligibility.
Applicants missing even a few months of the required experience by the deadline are not eligible. The programme also requires all other conditions, including English proficiency, to be satisfied by that date.
What IELTS Score Is Required?
EMHRPP currently requires English proficiency equivalent to Swedish English 6/English Level 2.
| List of English Tests Accepted for EMHRPP | Current minimum |
|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | Overall 6.5, no section below 5.5 |
| PTE Academic | Overall 62, writing 61 |
| TOEFL iBT taken by January 20, 2026 | Total 90, writing 20 |
| TOEFL iBT taken from January 21, 2026 | Total 4.5 on the revised scale, no section below 4 |
| Cambridge C1 Advanced | Minimum overall score of 180 |
IELTS Academic, IELTS Online, IELTS UKVI Academic and IELTS One Skill Retake Academic are accepted. IELTS General Training and IELTS Indicator are not accepted. Applicants should verify these thresholds again when the 2027 call is released.
Can You Apply Without IELTS?
Yes, but an English-medium degree does not automatically create an IELTS exemption.
University Admissions Sweden may accept certain previous qualifications or university studies as evidence of English proficiency, depending on the country and type of education. However, an ordinary Medium of Instruction letter is generally insufficient unless the applicant falls within a specifically recognised category.
Applicants must check the country-specific requirements instead of assuming that “my degree was taught in English” will be accepted.
Is There an Age Limit or Minimum GPA for EMHRPP Erasmus Mundus Scholarship?
There is no published age limit for either the programme or scholarship. Mid-career lawyers, NGO workers, researchers, civil servants and humanitarian professionals may apply if they satisfy all eligibility conditions.
EMHRPP also does not publish a universal minimum GPA. Nevertheless, academic competence forms part of the selection score, so grades still matter. A weaker academic record may be supported by relevant experience and a convincing motivation letter, but professional experience cannot erase failure to meet a formal eligibility condition.
How Will Applications Be Ranked?
Applications are assessed out of 100 points across three areas:
- Academic competence, including English proficiency
- Motivation letter
- Work experience and recommendation letters
The consortium does not publish the exact points allocated to each category. This means applicants need a coherent application rather than one impressive document surrounded by generic supporting material.
The motivation letter should connect a specific human rights problem to the applicant’s previous work, explain what knowledge is missing and show why EMHRPP’s multidisciplinary and multi-country structure is necessary for the applicant’s future plans.
Recommendation letters should come from people who can verify actual work, academic ability and professional judgement. A detailed letter from a direct supervisor is usually more useful than generic praise from a senior official who barely knows the applicant.
Is There an Application Fee?
Most applicants who are not citizens of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland currently pay a SEK 900 Swedish admissions application fee to apply for Erasmus Mundus EMHRPP scholarship programme. The fee is paid once per semester, regardless of how many eligible Swedish programmes are included in the application. An application will not be reviewed until the required payment has been received.
How to Apply for EMHRPP 2027?
Applications are expected to be submitted through University Admissions Sweden.
Applicants will need to:
- Create an account on the admissions platform.
- Select the EMHRPP master’s programme.
- Upload all academic and supporting documents.
- Complete the official EMHRPP motivation form.
- Upload the separate scholarship application form.
- Pay the application fee when required.
- Confirm that all documents were received before the deadline.
Applicants who omit the scholarship form may be processed only as self-funded candidates. Applications emailed directly to teaching staff are disregarded, and each person may apply to EMHRPP only once during the same admission year.
Should You Apply for EMHRPP 2027?
Apply if you hold a recognised bachelor’s degree, will have two full years of documented human rights experience by the deadline, meet the English requirement and are prepared to relocate repeatedly during the programme.
Skip this intake if you will still be short of the required experience, cannot provide acceptable English evidence or are applying only because the programme appears fully funded.
The next EMHRPP admission call is expected to open in October 2026 at the earliest, with studies provisionally beginning in August 2027. The consortium has not yet announced the closing date or confirmed the 2027 scholarship package.
Application Deadline: The last date to apply for the Erasmus Mundus EMHRPP 2027 programme has not yet been announced. Applicants should monitor the official call from October 2026 and prepare their experience certificates, English evidence, references and motivation letter in advance.