Erasmus Mundus Joint Master in Artificial Intelligence (EMAI) 2026

The Erasmus Mundus Joint Master in Artificial Intelligence (EMAI) Programme is a two-year (120 ECTS) Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree that provides a comprehensive framework of theory and practice in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The Programme, based in four European research universities, will give the students the foundational knowledge needed to explore both key contextual areas and complex technical applications of AI systems.

The four universities involved are top academic institutions representing world-leading research in Europe: Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) in Barcelona (Spain), Sapienza University of Rome in Rome (Italy), Radboud University in Nijmegen (The Netherlands), and University of Ljubljana in Ljubljana (Slovenia). The rest of the consortium is made up of the prestigious University College London (UCL) Centre for Artificial Intelligence, and other AI research centres worldwide, as well as 12 industrial partners, including multinational companies as well as small and medium-sized enterprises.

• Table of Content
• About Erasmus Mundus
• Erasmus Mundus Masters Scholarship
• Aim and Benefits of Erasmus Mundus Masters Scholarship
• Erasmus Mundus Masters Scholarship Courses
• Requirements for Erasmus Mundus Masters Scholarship Qualification
• Interview date, Process and Venue for Erasmus Mundus Masters Scholarship
• Documents Required for Application
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

Erasmus Mundus Masters Scholarship

Aim and Benefits of Erasmus Mundus Masters Scholarship

• The EMS is paid as a monthly non-taxable stipend of 1400€ for the entire length of the programme (24 months).
• It covers all student participation costs (including the tuition fees, full insurance coverage and any other mandatory costs related to student participation in the course), a contribution to student travel and installation costs and a subsistence allowance for the entire duration of the EMAI programme.
• If you are offered an EMS, you will be given 3 to 5 days to accept the offer. If you do not accept the offer, your EMS will be provided to the next ranked student. The first EMS payment will only be made after you arrive in Barcelona for the first semester of the EMAI programme.

Erasmus Mundus Masters Scholarship Courses

• Artificial Intelligence

Requirements for Erasmus Mundus Masters Scholarship Qualification

Eligibility

• Students with nationality from any of the list of eligible countries.
• Students who have previously obtained an EMJM scholarship or an Erasmus Mundus Master Course/Joint Doctorate scholarship are not eligible to apply for an additional EMS.
• EMS holders cannot benefit from another EU-funded scholarship scheme to follow the same course, which is for the entire course period.

The Master's programme can be enrolled by candidates who have completed:

1. a study programme of at least the first cycle, weighted by at least 180 ECTS, in the fields of information or communication technologies, engineering, physics, mathematics and statistics or an equivalent study programme obtained in accordance with the existing regulations;
2. a programme of studies of at least a first cycle attested by at least 180 ECTS in other professional fields or an equivalent programme of studies obtained according to the existing regulations, provided that the student has fulfilled the study requirements prior to enrolment which are essential for the pursuit of further studies; or
3. a programme of studies of at least a first cycle attested by at least 180 ECTS in other professional fields or an equivalent programme of studies obtained according to the existing regulations. These requirements must be in the fields of study referred to in point (a) of these conditions and must range from 10 to a maximum of 60 ECTS and must be determined by the EMAI Academic Programme Committee.

The EMAI Academic Programme Committee will check in the application process that the candidate has completed:

• mathematical courses, min. 12 ECTS credit points in the following topics: calculus, linear algebra, logic, discrete mathematics, combinatorics, probability and statistics, information theory, graph theory, and number theory;
• programming courses, min. 12 ECTS credit points in the following topics: programming paradigms, algorithms, and data structures;
• computing science or computer engineering courses, min. 12 ECTS credit points in the following topics: cryptography, security, computer networks, computer hardware, theoretical computer science, or similar.

Interview date, Process and Venue for Erasmus Mundus Masters Scholarship

The Selection procedure for all EMAI candidates is organised as follows:

1. Pre-screening phase: the received applications are checked for administrative validation.
2. Pre-selection: a first analysis will be performed to validate the minimum requirements.
3. Selection Ranking: all eligible candidates will be ranked by the EMAI Academic Programme Committee according to the following criteria:
   • Academic Excellence, including average grades, ranking of the university of origin, type of previous degree(s), and motivation letter/presentation video.
   • Practical and Professional Experience, including richness of extracurricular and professional activities.
   • Other Criteria such as inclusiveness and added value.
4. Interviews of shortlisted candidates: interviews will last 30-40 minutes and will be conducted online.
5. Final selection: students will be selected according to the ranking and the outcomes of the interviews. The final selection will consider additional criteria such as:
   • Nationality
   • Country of residence
   • Specialisation tracks
   • Gender & inclusiveness

A waiting list will be created to be used in case one or more students withdraw.

Documents Required for Application

MANDATORY DOCUMENTS

1. Identity Card or Passport. If you hold more than one nationality, please attach a copy of all the documents providing those nationalities.
2. Official university bachelor's or master's degree from the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) or equivalent foreign degree allowing access to a postgraduate degree in the country that issued the degree. Should the applicant have not yet finished their studies at the time of application, they will be asked to sign a statement certifying that they will have completed them before the start of EMAI.
3. Academic Transcript of Records. This transcript must contain all the courses taken during the entire bachelor's or master's degree at the university of origin. Hence, it should include courses, grades, and the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) obtained to complete the programme. 
4. Curriculum Vitae in English. Maximum lenght of two pages. Applications with longer CV will be automatically rejected.
5. A letter of motivation in English stating the candidate's interest in following the master's programme (600 to 800 words). Applications with longer motivation letters will be automatically rejected.
6. A one-minute video introducing yourself, explaining your background and how you will contribute to the EMAI programme. To submit this requirement, attach a Word/PDF file with a link to your video, which should be posted on YouTube,  Drive, Vimeo or any other platform that allows viewing. The video must not exceed 30 Mb. Applications with longer videos will be automatically rejected. (not for self-funded candidates).
7. Two letters of recommendation (preferably both from academic profiles). Only one letter of recommendation for self-funded candidates. 
8. The EMAI Student Supplement Questionnaire (NEW, for the 2026-2028 cohort). 
9. English certificate of language proficiency in both written and spoken is requiered. This can be demonstrated through a language test (only TOEFL iBT, IELTS Academic or Cambridge). Only certificates with a two-year validity at the time of application will be accepted. Students holding a bachelor's or master's degree from a research university in one of the following countries are exempted from providing the certificate: Australia, Canada (excluding Quebec), New Zealand, the United Kingdom, or the United States of America, or in one of the four member states of the EMAI Consortium.

OPTIONAL DOCUMENTS

1. Professional experience in any of the fields related to the EMAI.
2. Research experience.
3. Additional academic training in areas related to the EMAI.
4. Additional professional experience.

Check also:
Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UBC 2027
Chevening Scholarship 2027

Application Deadline

How to Apply

For more information, kindly visit UPF webpage.