Erasmus Mundus PhD Programmes

Erasmus Mundus is an EU-funded programme that supports international study and research. It still funds Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Degrees (EMJMDs) for Masters students, but Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorates (EMJDs) are no longer available. This funding has been replaced by MSCA scholarships, which now support PhD research.

MSCA scholarships help PhD students with research training, international study, and career development. These scholarships often involve working across different countries and universities. We've kept this page to explain how Erasmus Mundus PhDs worked, but it is no longer updated. If you’re looking for PhD funding, check out our guide to MSCA scholarships.

Erasmus Mundus still funds Masters programmes, where students study in different countries. Think of it as studying abroad, but with more paperwork and a bigger suitcase. If you're interested in a Masters, see our guide to Erasmus Mundus Masters.

Erasmus Mundus for PhD students

Erasmus Mundus used to fund PhD programmes through university partnerships. These awarded double, multiple, or joint degrees and provided extra training. Some students received scholarships, while others could self-fund. Erasmus Mundus had two types of PhD funding:

Action 1 (Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorates - EMJDs) focused on a specific research area.

• Run by at least three European universities, sometimes with partners outside Europe.
• Provided scholarships for EU and non-EU students.

Action 2 helped PhD students and researchers go abroad to learn new skills and gain experience.

This funding is no longer available, but MSCA scholarships now support international research and study.

Why Erasmus Mundus was useful for PhD students?

Erasmus Mundus PhD opportunities included:

• Three to four-year PhD programmes in different subjects.
• Examples: EUROSPIN (Neuroinformatics PhD) and EDLE (Law and Economics PhD).
• In the past, students could find scholarships on the European Commission website.

Erasmus Mundus PhD funding no longer exists, but MSCA scholarships now offer funding for international research training.

Action 1 EMJD programme structure

Summer schools, student conferences and other specialist training/meetings may also be included.

Action 2 programme

A list of programmes for each region was available on the European Commission website.

Each programme had a limited number of funded spots for both EU and non-EU students. Action 2 offered:

• Opportunities for doctoral students from nominated institutions in a defined region of the world to come to Europe or EU students to study in that region. (Target group 1). These students attend institutions which are part of a consortium to complement their training and research experience via periods of research abroad (6-18 months)
• A small number of full-PhD opportunities (up to 36 months) for students from that region but who are not in the nominated institutions (Target group 2).
• Opportunities to help “candidates in vulnerable situations, resulted from social and/or political reasons" (Target group 3).

How to apply

Students applied through individual programme websites. If selected, they were contacted by the lead university (for EMJDs) or their host university (for Action 2).

Scholarships and self-funding

Erasmus Mundus PhD scholarships covered:

• Tuition fees and insurance
• Travel costs and settling-in allowance
• A monthly stipend, adjusted for living costs
• Extra support for students bringing a spouse or children

Self-funded students could also join but had to cover their own travel and study costs.

Training, mobility and language

Each PhD student had a learning agreement covering:

• Study time
• Lead university
• Exams
• Language of instruction
• For joint PhDs, an extra agreement was sometimes needed to make sure students could be awarded a single degree.

Erasmus Mundus trained researchers for international careers, providing:

• Research training
• Transferable skills
• Networking opportunities (conferences, collaborations, and expert supervision)

Alumni Network

Erasmus Mundus alumni are part of a community of scholars which share an experience of study abroad. Students within each programme (which last for up to 5 years) will also benefit from being part of a group of alumni who are united around a subject area (and may become colleagues in the future) or who have experience of a region/country in common.

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