JANUS, the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master in Applied Security and Defence: Networks for Unified Strategies, offers up to 20 full scholarships for its 2027-2029 cohort, each paying €1,400 per month for 24 months with tuition covered. Students from all countries can apply by 6 January 2027, 11:59 pm (UTC+1).
At Youth Works Hub, we went through the programme, scholarship and application pages and set out every document, score and condition below. You can learn more about how these programmes work in our guide to Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters.
JANUS Scholarship at a Glance
🛡️ Programme: JANUS, Joint Master in Applied Security and Defense: Networks for Unified Strategies
🏛️ Coordinator: Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3
🌐 Consortium: five universities in France, Lebanon, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom
⏱️ Length: two years, four semesters
🧳 Mobility: at least three different countries within the consortium
👥 Cohort 2 (2027-2029): 33 students, 11 per specialisation
🏅 Scholarships for 2027-2029: up to 20
💶 Monthly allowance: €1,400 for 24 months, €33,600 in total
🆓 Tuition: paid directly from the grant, so scholarship holders do not pay tuition fees
📅 Closing date: 6 January 2027, 11:59 pm (UTC+1)
A Two-Year Joint Master's Degree in Security and Defence
JANUS is an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's programme of excellence in security and defence, funded by the European Commission under the Erasmus+ programme. It offers a demanding, fully international curriculum that combines academic rigour, high-level expertise and strong professional exposure.
It is a two-year joint Master's degree with a dual specialisation in security and defence, enabling students to understand and analyse strategic disruptions in a globalised and contested world. Over four semesters, students study in at least three different countries within the consortium and acquire a deep knowledge of European and international security and defence issues.
As an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master, JANUS meets high European standards in academic quality, joint governance, mobility and student support. It offers competitive Erasmus Mundus scholarships for the best candidates, alongside places for self-funded students, and leads to a jointly awarded degree recognised across partner countries.
What the Five Consortium Universities Bring
🏰 Programme coordinator, Western Europe: strong expertise in geopolitics, international relations and strategic studies, and the entry point of the master in Western Europe
🌅 Middle East: a key academic institution offering an essential regional perspective on security issues at the crossroads of Europe and its southern and eastern neighbourhoods
⛵ Southern Europe: a major university contributing recognised expertise in law, security and European studies, anchoring the programme in the Mediterranean context
🏔️ Central and Eastern Europe: strong competence in political science and European affairs, with a specific focus on high intensity conflict challenges on the EU's eastern flank
🎩 Anglo-Saxon perspective: a public research university with an established reputation in law and human rights, political science and international relations, and experience with double degrees and joint programmes
What You Will Study
The curriculum combines law, political science, international relations and strategic studies, with courses on European security, defence policies, intelligence, crisis management and related fields. It covers topics from conceptual and legal foundations to operational and strategic issues, and may include research work, field activities and professional immersion.
Teaching is provided by an international faculty and a pool of associated partners and practitioners, so the programme is both research-informed and closely connected to professional needs in the sector.
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Skills and Careers After JANUS
During the two years, students develop high-level analytical skills, project management abilities and a solid understanding of complex security environments. They also build soft skills such as critical thinking, leadership, teamwork and multilingual communication.
The programme points graduates towards careers in:
🏢 Ministries
🌎 International organisations
💭 Think tanks
🚓 Security agencies
🏭 The private sector
Graduates also benefit from a wide professional network built through mobility across several countries, guest lectures, conferences, potential internships and sustained interaction with associated partners from the security and defence ecosystem, including institutions, agencies, firms and think tanks.
How Many Erasmus Mundus Scholarships Are There?
The European Commission attributed 70 grants to the EMJM JANUS between 2026 and 2031, and up to 20 scholarships are offered for the 2027-2029 cohort. The 70 grants are divided as follows:
🇪🇺 50 scholarships for students from Programme countries
🗺️ 18 scholarships for students from the targeted region
🧩 2 scholarships for students from IPA countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia)
What the JANUS Scholarship Covers
Erasmus Mundus scholarships for JANUS are full scholarships designed to make the programme financially accessible to outstanding candidates.
🎟️ Participation costs: tuition fees are paid directly from the grant, and other participation costs are financed separately within the overall grant, so scholarship holders do not pay programme fees directly
🪙 Monthly allowance: €1,400 per month for 24 months (€33,600 in total), covering accommodation, daily costs and local transport in the host countries throughout the two-year master
Who Can Receive a Scholarship?
Scholarships are open to academically excellent students from all countries who are admitted to the JANUS programme. They are awarded on the basis of academic excellence, the quality and coherence of the application, and the overall merit of the candidate's profile.
Students who have already benefited from a previous Erasmus Mundus Joint Master scholarship are not eligible to receive another one.
Extra Support for Students With Disabilities or Long-Term Health Conditions
Two dedicated Erasmus Mundus "individual needs" scholarships are available in JANUS, each with a maximum budget of €60,000. This funding is reserved for enrolled students, with or without an Erasmus Mundus scholarship, who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments that make special adaptations necessary to participate fully in the programme.
The support takes the form of unit costs, with predefined amounts from €3,000 up to €60,000 per student, depending on the level and type of support required. It complements the standard scholarship or self-funding arrangements, must comply with the general eligibility conditions of the EMJM grant agreement, and can be used, for example, to finance:
♿ Assistance by a third person
🧰 Adaptation of the study or work environment, including equipment, software and accessibility measures
🚌 Additional travel and transportation costs linked to the student's disability
How to Apply in Four Steps
1️⃣ Review the requirements to make sure you are eligible
2️⃣ Prepare the documents listed below in PDF format and contact your referees
3️⃣ Fill in and submit the online application form before the deadline
4️⃣ Make sure you receive the confirmation email after submitting, which may take a few days to arrive
Required Documents
📄 CV or resume in English: highlighting your educational background and any relevant work experience, skills or achievements
🛂 Copy of a valid passport: if you require a visa, your passport must remain valid for at least one year after the start of the programme
🖊️ Essay: two questions, one answered in English and one in French, in whichever combination you choose
🏫 Degree: a Bachelor's degree, held or in progress, as described below
📑 Transcript of records: your bachelor's degree transcript, in French or English
🔤 English language certificate: obtained within the two years prior to enrolment (for example, September 2027)
🗨️ French language certificate: minimum B2, with TEF, TCF or DELF accepted
🌺 Spanish language certificate: B1, only if you choose Spain for the 3rd semester
📨 Two recommendation letters: submitted by your referees through an online form
Essay Questions and Format
Each answer is limited to 500 words. You are free to choose which question you answer in which language.
❓ Question 1: Why did you choose this programme?
🔐 Question 2: Describe a current challenge or issue that the European Union is facing in terms of security and defence.
🗂️ Format: one single PDF file containing both answers
🔠 Font: 12 pt, single-spaced, standard margins
🏷️ File name: Lastname_Firstname_Essay (for example, Dupont_Marie_Essay.pdf)
For the writing itself, our guide on how to write a scholarship motivation letter covers what selection panels look for.
Academic Requirements
Applicants must hold, or be in the process of obtaining, a Bachelor's degree with a minimum of 180 ECTS in International Relations, Law, Political Science, European Studies, Security/Defence, or a related field.
If the diploma has not yet been awarded, you must provide an official proof of enrolment and your most recent transcript of records. Conditional admission is available for final-year students, provided the Bachelor's degree is completed before administrative enrolment in JANUS. Students who fail to obtain their degree will not be allowed to enrol.
Degrees and transcripts are accepted in French or English. Documents issued in another language must be accompanied by a translation into English, and admitted candidates may be required to provide an official translation as part of the registration process.
Language Scores You Need
🎯 English, standard requirement: TOEFL score of 90 or higher, IELTS score of 6.5, or Cambridge B2 First
📏 English, if you choose the UK for the 3rd semester: TOEFL score of 100, IELTS score of 6.5, or Cambridge C1
🥖 French: minimum B2 (TEF, TCF or DELF certificate accepted)
🌞 Spanish: B1, only if you choose Spain for the 3rd semester
How the Recommendation Letters Work
In the application form, you enter the name and email address of your two referees. Once you submit, each referee receives an email with a personal link to an online recommendation form, which they must complete by the end of the call for applications.
Contact your referees before applying so they expect the email, and ask them to check their spam folder. Choose referees who know you well, such as a professor or a supervisor.
How Candidates Are Selected
🔎 Phase 1, Verification and administrative check: all applications are checked against the eligibility criteria
📊 Phase 2, Evaluation of applications: minimum score of 70/100
🎤 Phase 3, Interview with shortlisted applicants: evaluated out of 100 points
🏁 Phase 4, Final selection: 50% application score and 50% interview score
In Phase 2, your application is scored as follows:
📘 Transcripts: 50 points
📗 Essay: 40 points
📙 Recommendation letters: 10 points
In Phase 3, the interview looks at:
🎧 Proficiency in English and French
🔥 Motivation for participating in the programme
🧠 Knowledge of the field and the programme
🌟 Career project, personal experience, commitment and volunteering
Application Rules to Keep in Mind
🚫 Applications submitted by any means other than the online form will not be considered
⛔ Incomplete applications or applications received after the deadline will not be taken into account
🗄️ All complete applications are systematically recorded and archived to ensure transparency in the selection process
⚖️ All applications are evaluated impartially, regardless of gender, ethnicity, nationality, disability or any other characteristic
Find more funded study options among the scholarships on Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the JANUS Erasmus Mundus scholarship?
Each scholarship provides a monthly allowance of €1,400 for 24 months, for a total of €33,600. Tuition and other participation costs are financed separately within the overall grant, so scholarship holders do not pay programme fees directly.
How many scholarships are available for 2027-2029?
Up to 20 scholarships are offered for the 2027-2029 cohort. The European Commission attributed 70 grants in total to the programme between 2026 and 2031.
Who can apply for a JANUS scholarship?
Scholarships are open to academically excellent students from all countries who are admitted to the programme. Students who have already received a previous Erasmus Mundus Joint Master scholarship are not eligible for another.
Where will I study?
JANUS is delivered by five universities in France, Lebanon, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom, coordinated by Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3. Over four semesters, students study in at least three different countries within the consortium.
Do I need both English and French?
Yes. You must provide an English language certificate and a French language certificate at minimum B2 level. Your essay also includes one answer in English and one in French.
Can I apply before finishing my Bachelor's degree?
Yes. Conditional admission is available for final-year students, provided the degree is completed before administrative enrolment. You need to submit official proof of enrolment and your most recent transcript of records.
What is the minimum score in the selection?
Applications need a minimum of 70 out of 100 points in the evaluation phase, where transcripts count for 50 points, the essay for 40 and recommendation letters for 10. Final scores combine 50% of the application score and 50% of the interview score.
What happens if a referee does not submit a letter on time?
Each referee must complete the online recommendation form by the end of the call for applications, and incomplete applications are not taken into account. Contact your referees before applying so they expect the email and check their spam folder.
Is there support for students with disabilities?
Yes. Two dedicated individual needs scholarships are available, each with a maximum budget of €60,000, for enrolled students with long-term impairments that make special adaptations necessary. Support is paid as unit costs from €3,000 up to €60,000 per student.
Can I apply by email?
No. Applications submitted by any means other than the online form will not be considered. After submitting, check that you receive the confirmation email, which may take a few days to arrive.
Deadline
⏳ 06 January 2027
Links
Application form: https://enquete.univ-lyon3.fr/index.php/356938?lang=en
Programme website: https://master-janus-security-defense.eu/
How to apply: https://master-janus-security-defense.eu/how-to-apply-janus/
Scholarship information: https://master-janus-security-defense.eu/scholarship-janus/
