Apply now 2026/2028 NOHA Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degree Programme in International Humanitarian Action: (Deadline 15 December 2025)

The NOHA Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degree Programme in International Humanitarian Action is designed for people working or intending to work in the field of humanitarian action; regardless of their race, religion, age, and/or geographical origin. Created in 1993 through the concerted efforts of the NOHA Universities in close collaboration with the DG for Humanitarian Action and Civil Protection (ECHO) and the DG for Education and Culture, the initiative was a response to a growing need for higher educational qualifications specifically suited to addressing complex humanitarian emergencies. The Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degree Programme in International Humanitarian Action is an inter-university multidisciplinary postgraduate programme that provides high quality academic education and professional competences for personnel working or intending to work in the area of humanitarian action.

Masters Scholarship

Aim and Benefits of Masters Scholarship

• The scholarship will be a contribution to the costs incurred by the beneficiary students and shall cover travel, visa, installation and subsistence costs. It is calculated on the basis of a monthly unit cost for the entire period needed by the enrolled scholarship holder to complete the study programme. The scholarship is awarded for full-time enrolment, and will cover the entire duration of the Master programme.
• Participation cost are 4.000€ per semester (4 semester). The fee can be paid either in full or in instalments, as described in the supporting payment documents distributed at the admission stage.
• The participation costs are defined as all costs related to and including tuition fees, library and laboratory costs, and any other mandatory cost related to the students’ participation in the Joint Master’s Degree Programme in International Humanitarian Action for the standard duration of the degree programme, including support in administrative and organisational issues by the consortium partners, costs for enrolment at the consortium partner’s institutions, all examinations and issuing the final diploma.

Requirements for Masters Scholarship Qualification

• All applicants must follow the joint application procedure as established by the NOHA+ consortium.
• Completed application (online application form and all requested documents) is submitted through the online application system by the established deadline.
• Candidates must have obtained, as a minimum, a university first cycle degree (Bachelor, EQF level 6 with a minimum workload equivalent to 180 ECTS) in a discipline of relevance to humanitarian action (medical sciences, foods sciences, economics and management, engineering, law, social sciences, education sciences, humanities).
• Candidates are required to have a recognised qualification in the language(s) of instruction of the universities they plan to attend – English is the language of instruction in all universities during all semester except for Aix-Marseilles (French – 1st & 2nd Semester) and Deusto (Spanish – 1st semester only).
  • English:
    • TOEFL IBT (internet-based no HOME version accepted): C1 level minimum score of 93 with a minimum of 24 in the written test and no other component under 20 (scale 0–30)
    • IELTS (no HOME version accepted): C1 level; minimum overall score 6.5, with no component under 6.0.
    • CAE or CPE: Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE), C1 or Cambridge Proficiency in English (CPE), C2
    • Candidates are not required to take a test in the following circumstances:
      • native speakers of English from English-speaking countries );
      • the language of instruction during your entire BA programme was English – In this case, the language of instruction must be clearly stated on your diploma/transcripts. Alternatively, you can submit a letter from the Academic Registrar’s Office, the Examinations Office, or the equivalent office that issues official documents of records at your university.
  • Spanish (only for applicants planning to study during the first semester at the University of Deusto):
    • B2 certificate (according to CEFR). Should a certificate be unavailable, a personal interview will be held to verify that the Spanish language proficiency is adequate.
  • French (only for applicants wishing to study at Aix Marseille University):
    • C1 certificate (according to CEFR). 

All enrolled students must carry out a compulsory  physical mobility consisting of a minimum of two study periods in two countries, of which at least one must be an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme. These two countries must be different from the country of residence of the student at enrolment stage. Each of the two mandatory study periods must correspond to a workload of at least one academic semester. Compulsory mobility periods cannot be replaced by virtual mobility.

Important: Some of the NOHA universities (Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Uniwersytet Warszawski, Universidad de Deusto, Uppsala universitet) have a specific list of national requirements which have to be met in order to conclude the admission procedure. Please read the information on specific national requirements before applying. These requirements apply also to students undertaking mobility to the universities in question during second semester.

Interview date, Process and Venue for Masters Scholarship

• The NOHA Master’s in International Humanitarian Action has been designed for people working or intending to work in the field of humanitarian action. Candidates are chosen on the basis of the quality of their education and professional background, their experience in and concern for humanitarian issues, their multicultural sensitivity and their linguistic abilities.

Candidates are chosen on the basis of the following selection criteria:

• type and level of academic qualifications,
• type and level of research experience,
• type and level of professional experience, such as practical experience in the area of humanitarian action in governmental, inter-governmental and/or non-governmental organisations and institutions,
• motivation and concern for humanitarian issues,
• multicultural sensitivity,
• level of linguistic abilities,
• recommendations,
• results of interviews (if applicable),
• nationality and gender balance.

Application Deadline

December 15, 2025

How to Apply

1. ALL applications must be made online through the on-line NOHA Application Form HERE
2. No print application documents should be submitted unless requested or authorised by NOHA.
3. Read through the on-line application form and prepare all of the information for each section of the form as well as all of the documents that you must attach to your application.
4. Fill in the on-line application form, completing all of the sections as requested.
5. Attach all of the compulsory documents:

• Copy of passport (only the main pages including your full name, passport number, date and place of issue, expiry date)
• Scan of original diploma (if this document is not in English, an official translation should be attached) and, if available, of the Diploma Supplement. If you are offered a place on the programme, you will have to present the original documents, or submit a certified copy of the original documents, when you arrive at the NOHA universities you choose for the first and second semesters
  • If you have finished your Bachelor’s studies when you apply but have not yet received your degree: please submit an official document confirming that you have successfully completed your studies and that you will be awarded a degree. The document must be issued through and signed by a representative of the Academic Registrar’s Office, the Examinations Office or equivalent.
  • If you have not completed your Bachelor’s studies when you apply: please submit an official document stating that you are a currently enrolled student and participating in your last year of studies. The document must be issued through and signed by a representative of the Academic Registrar’s Office, the Examinations Office or equivalent.
• Scan of original academic transcripts (if this document is not in English, an official translation should be attached). If you are offered a place on the programme, you will have to present the original documents, or submit a certified copy of the original documents, when you arrive at the NOHA universities you choose for the first and second semesters
  • If you have not completed your Bachelor’s studies when you apply: you must still submit transcripts for all courses you have passed so far.
• Curriculum vitae in English. Preferably in Europass format (http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/en/documents/curriculum-vitae).
• Official proof of language abilities, where applicable:
  • English: Ruhr-Universität Bochum (1st & 2nd Semester), University College Dublin (1st & 2nd Semester), Uppsala universitet (1st & 2nd Semester), Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (1st & 2nd Semester), Uniwersytet Warszawski (1st & 2nd Semester), L’Università ta Malta (1st & 2nd Semester),Universidad de Deusto  (2nd Semester)
  • Only provide certification for French if you are applying for: Aix Marseille Université (1st & 2nd Semester)
  • Only provide certification for Spanish if you are applying for : Universidad de Deusto (1st Semester)
  • Any other language certificate even if it is not one of the languages of the Consortium.
• Two Reference letters (in English). These must be written on official letterhead paper and signed in original ink (no electronic signatures).
  • Please note that family members may not serve as referees. You may submit two academic references, two professional references, or one of both. Where possible, both an academic and professional reference is preferable. The letters have to be dated, and cannot have been written longer than 1 year prior to the date on which candidates submit their application.
• Proof of residence. You may submit one of the following documents as proof of residence:
  • a residence certificate issued in accordance with the candidate’s municipality’s normal registration rules and issued within 12 months before the submission deadline of applying for an EMJMD student scholarship, i.e. the consortium’s official deadline for student application; a municipality certificate must be submitted in Dutch, English, French, German, Maltese, Polish, Spanish or Swedish;
  •  a certificate from the candidate’s place of work, study or training issued by the employer or institution in question issued within 12 months before the submission deadline of applying for an EMJMD student scholarship, i.e. the consortium’s official deadline for student application; work/training/study certificates must be submitted in English, otherwise a certified English translation must be provided with the original.
  • A document confirming the applicant´s place of residence issued by a notary (in English) is also acceptable
  • Any eligible document submitted as proof of residence must have been issued within 12 months of the Consortium´s application Erasmus Mundus scholarship application deadline.
• ?Publications (if any)

IMPORTANT: Applicants wishing to apply for the Erasmus Mundus grant must comply with all the requirements and submit all the necessary documents by 15th December in order to be considered eligible candidates. This implies that in case you have not completed your undergraduate degree by due date you will not be considered eligible for the grant.

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