The Erasmus Mundus Joint Master on Coordinated Humanitarian Response, Health and Displacement ("Human Response") is open for scholarship applications for its 2027/2029 edition until 07 January 2027. Scholarship holders receive €1,400 per month, pay no fees and get 24 months of insurance, with mobility across Portugal, Norway and Uganda in the first intake's example route. At Youth Works Hub, we reviewed the programme's application page and set out every requirement below.
A Master's for Current and Future Humanitarian Workers
Have you ever thought about developing a career in humanitarian action around the world? Or are you already a humanitarian worker in an organization or project delivering life-saving assistance and supporting displacement in volatile contexts, and would like to upgrade your knowledge and skills? This Joint Master is designed for both profiles. If you are new to this type of degree, our guide to Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters and what the scholarship covers explains the format.
The Gap This Programme Addresses
"Human Response" recognizes and seeks to address a gap and a geographical misalignment: the regions most affected by crises receive substantial aid, while most training programmes exist primarily in Europe and North America. The programme complements the current offer in humanitarian education with a focus on students, professionals and academics from affected countries, and by delivering education in Global South regions, particularly in Africa.
The Consortium in Numbers
🏛️ 7 universities: 3 from Europe and 4 from Africa
🤝 23 Associated Partners from all over the world
🪑 100 vacancies in 4 editions
🏅 15 scholarships per edition, allocated as per the Erasmus Mundus guidelines
🇪🇺 Funded by the European Union
What the Scholarship Includes
💶 €1,400 per month for each scholarship holder, with no additional payments made
🎟️ No fees for students with a scholarship
🩺 24 months of insurance
When and How the Scholarship Is Paid
⏳ The scholarship starts to be paid only after selected students arrive for the beginning of activities
🗓️ Payments start around three weeks up to a month after arrival in Lisbon and the beginning of activities, so students should prepare accordingly
🏦 Selected students must provide the consortium with the necessary bank account information, and opening an account and providing the details is exclusively their responsibility
🔄 Scholarship holders must ensure the bank account remains up to date and available to the consortium throughout the programme and the different mobility countries
Who Cannot Receive This Scholarship
Students who have already benefitted from an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master (EMJM) scholarship are not eligible to apply for an additional scholarship.
The Self-Funded Route
The tuition fee is €16,000 for the two years of the Master. According to the Erasmus+ programme regulations, some self-funded student vacancies may be exempt from tuition fees. Insurance for 24 months is provided to all students, including self-funded ones.
Entry Requirements
Only candidates with a Bachelor degree (180 ECTS) can be admitted. Proof of English proficiency is mandatory. Erasmus Mundus Human Response applicants do not need to pay application fees.
Mandatory Documents to Upload
🛂 Valid passport
🖼️ Photograph
📜 Diplomas from previous degrees completed
📑 Transcript of records (diploma supplement) with all courses and grades from previous completed degrees
🔤 English proficiency test results certificate from one of the required tests, with a code for certificate validation
📄 Curriculum vitae
✍️ Statement of purpose (mandatory to upload as a PDF document)
📬 2 signed and dated recommendation letters
All of these documents are mandatory, and applications missing any of them will not be considered eligible. For the statement of purpose, our guide on how to write a scholarship motivation letter covers structure and common mistakes.
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Accepted English Tests and Minimum Scores
📘 TOEFL (iBT, MyBest or at-home): minimum 92 overall out of 120; applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements, including TOEFL MyBest
📗 IELTS Academic: minimum overall score of 6.5 out of 9 and no individual score below 5.5; requirements must be met with a single test
📙 PTE Academic: minimum overall score of 76 out of 90
📕 Cambridge English C1 Advanced (formerly CAE): minimum result of grade C1, with a minimum overall score of 180 out of 210 on the Cambridge Scale Score
📓 Cambridge English C2 Proficiency (formerly CPE): minimum result of grade C1, with a minimum overall score of 180 out of 230 on the Cambridge Scale Score
🦉 Duolingo English Test: minimum overall score of 135 with no less than 100 in any component
How Long an English Test Stays Valid
Tests are only considered valid if taken up to 2 years and 5 months before the application date. If the expiry date indicated by the institution responsible for the test gives a period shorter than 2 years and 5 months, that expiry date prevails. Applications without test certificates, with expired tests, or with scores lower than those indicated for each test will not be considered eligible.
Who Is Exempt From the English Certificate
🌐 Candidates from a country where English is the official language and where they attended and completed secondary education, with proof of completion of secondary education in that country
🏫 Candidates who attended and completed a secondary level of education certified by an International Baccalaureate or the corresponding IGCSE level, with proof of completion of secondary education in those programmes
🎓 Candidates whose language of instruction during the entire BA programme was English, clearly stated on the diploma or transcripts, or confirmed in a stated and signed letter from the Academic Registrar's Office, the Examinations Office or the equivalent office that issues official documents of records at the university
Candidates may be called for an interview to attest their English proficiency level.
How Candidates Are Scored
Candidates who meet the entry requirements are assessed on each of the criteria below, which together produce the final score:
🏆 Level of academic qualification: 30%
📐 Relevance of academic qualification: 15%
🔬 Relevance and level of research experience: 5%
🧰 Relevance and level of professional experience: 20%
🖊️ Statement of purpose: 20%
🧩 Fit with programme goals and representation in the selected cohort: 10%
The Mobility Route and Travel Expenses
Every student covers typical costs for travel. The programme gives the following example for the first intake:
🛫 From home country to Portugal (1st semester)
🇳🇴 From Portugal to Norway (2nd semester)
🌞 From Norway to Uganda (summer school, intake 3 June 2028)
🇺🇬 Uganda (3rd semester)
🔭 From Uganda to one of the Associated Partners or Full Partners to do field work for the dissertation (Brazil, Cape Verde, Colombia, Greece, Portugal, Mozambique, Norway, Nepal or Uganda)
🎤 From the field work location to the dissertation presentation, if the field work location is different from the Full Partner university where the student will present and defend the dissertation thesis
🏠 Returning home
Other Typical Costs for Every Student
🔑 Housing: rent, gas, water, electricity, internet
🍽️ Living expenses: food, transportation, health, telephone
🛃 Visa and residency permit costs: be aware of the visa request and issuing costs (taxes, proof of means of subsistence, travelling) for all countries. Applying for a visa is exclusively the student's responsibility
Personal Data and Programme Funding
The European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), in the context of managing the Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters, collects and processes the personal data of some candidates. Certain data of scholarship holders and non-scholarship holders is shared with the Agency and treated according to its privacy statement.
Browse more funded degrees in the scholarships section of Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Erasmus Mundus Human Response scholarship?
Each scholarship holder receives €1,400 per month, and no additional payments are made. Students with a scholarship do not pay fees, and 24 months of insurance is provided.
How many scholarships are available?
Student scholarships are allocated as per the Erasmus Mundus guidelines for 15 scholarships per edition. The programme has 100 vacancies across 4 editions.
What degree do I need to apply?
Only candidates with a Bachelor degree (180 ECTS) can be admitted. You must also provide proof of English proficiency unless you meet one of the listed exemptions.
Is there an application fee?
No. Erasmus Mundus Human Response applicants do not need to pay application fees.
Can I apply if I already had an Erasmus Mundus scholarship?
No. Students who have already benefitted from an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master scholarship are not eligible to apply for an additional scholarship.
When does the first scholarship payment arrive?
Payments start around three weeks up to a month after arrival in Lisbon and the beginning of activities. The scholarship is only paid after selected students arrive, so you should prepare accordingly.
How much does the programme cost without a scholarship?
The tuition fee for self-funded students is €16,000 for the two years of the Master, and some self-funded vacancies may be exempt from tuition fees under Erasmus+ programme regulations. Every student also covers travel, housing, living and visa costs.
What matters most in the selection?
The level of academic qualification carries the largest weight at 30%. Professional experience and the statement of purpose follow at 20% each, then relevance of academic qualification at 15%, fit with programme goals at 10% and research experience at 5%.
Deadline
⏳ 07 January 2027
Links
📝 Application portal: https://fenix-mais.iscte-iul.pt/accountCreation#!accountCreation/_qcheck=df6f59085c4fa9047301b9c41fe08b798732f974
📋 Applications and requirements page: https://humanresponse.eu/applications1/
🌐 Programme website: https://humanresponse.eu/
