Imagine spending two years earning a prestigious European Master’s degree — studying in Sweden, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Norway — while receiving €1,000 every single month to cover your living costs, with tuition, health insurance, and travel costs all covered by the European Union. That is exactly what the Erasmus Mundus Master’s Programme in Human Rights Policy and Practice (EMHRPP) 2027 offers. This is one of Europe’s most elite and globally respected joint Master’s scholarships, bringing together four world-class universities into a single interdisciplinary programme designed to train the next generation of human rights professionals. Applications open in October 2026, and in this complete guide, Gradualin walks you through everything — the scholarship benefits, programme structure, eligibility, required documents, and how to apply.
📋 Quick Info Box
| Detail | Information |
| Programme | Erasmus Mundus Master’s in Human Rights Policy & Practice (EMHRPP) |
| Funded by | European Union (EU) — Erasmus+ Programme |
| Degree | Master of Arts in Human Rights Policy and Practice |
| Duration | 2 years (24 months) |
| Countries | Sweden 🇸🇪 → Spain 🇪🇸 → UK 🇬🇧 → Norway 🇳🇴 (optional) |
| Monthly Stipend | €1,000/month for 24 months |
| Open To | International students worldwide |
| Next Intake | August 2027 (applications open October 2026 at earliest) |
| Official Website | emhrpp.com |
🎓 Programme Overview
The Erasmus Mundus Master’s Programme in Human Rights Policy and Practice (EMHRPP) is a fully EU-funded, joint Master’s degree programme organised by a consortium of four leading European universities. It is designed for professionals and graduates who want to gain both deep academic knowledge and real-world practical experience in the field of human rights.
The four consortium universities are:
- 🇸🇪 University of Gothenburg, Sweden — Lead Partner
- 🇪🇸 University of Deusto, Bilbao/San Sebastián, Spain
- 🇬🇧 University of Roehampton, London, UK
- 🇳🇴 The Arctic University of Norway (UiT), Tromsø, Norway
What makes this scholarship extraordinary — and what sets it apart from almost every other Master’s programme in the world — is that you do not study in just one country. You physically move between countries each semester, experiencing four different academic cultures, cities, and legal systems, all while building a single unified degree. It is a truly immersive European education.
Upon completion, graduates receive the joint Degree of Master of Arts in Human Rights Policy and Practice, issued by the University of Gothenburg. Alumni of the programme have gone on to work at Amnesty International, Doctors Without Borders, Save the Children, various UN agencies, and as lawyers, researchers, and academics worldwide.
EMHRPP currently accepts around 15 scholarship holders per year — making it highly competitive and deeply prestigious.
🎓 What the Scholarship Covers — Full Benefits
The Erasmus Mundus scholarship is funded by the European Commission and covers virtually every major cost of your two-year programme. Here is a precise breakdown:
- 💰 Monthly living allowance: €1,000 per month for the full 24-month programme duration — that’s a total of €24,000 in living costs alone
- 🎓 Full tuition fee coverage — the participation cost of the programme (€9,000 for EU/programme country students, €18,000 for partner country/international students) is fully covered by the scholarship
- ✈️ Travel and installation contribution — paid in two instalments to cover flights, visa, and relocation costs
- 🏥 Health insurance — full health insurance coverage for the entire 24-month programme
- 📚 Access to campus facilities — libraries, computer labs, career counselling, disability services, and student health care at all consortium universities
For context, this scholarship is worth well over €40,000–€50,000+ in total value when you combine the living allowance, tuition waiver, travel grants, and insurance — making it one of the most generous EU-funded Master’s scholarships available anywhere in the world.
What the scholarship does NOT cover: Personal travel, entertainment, and costs beyond those listed above. Students are expected to manage their living costs from the monthly stipend.
🎓 Programme Structure — Four Semesters, Four Countries
This is where the EMHRPP truly stands apart from any ordinary Master’s degree. The programme is structured across four semesters spanning two academic years, with each semester taking place in a different country:
Semester 1 — Sweden 🇸🇪 (University of Gothenburg) You begin in Gothenburg in August. The first semester lays the academic foundation: human rights theory, legal and political frameworks, globalisation, and where responsibility for human rights lies in today’s world.
Semester 2 — Spain 🇪🇸 (University of Deusto, Bilbao/San Sebastián) The second semester in the Basque Country deepens your knowledge of human rights evidence and methodology, and explores relativistic and culturally diverse approaches to rights in practice.
Semester 3 — United Kingdom 🇬🇧 (University of Roehampton, London) London is where theory meets practice. During the third semester, you complete an internship with a human rights organisation in London, participate in the Professional Seminar Series, and engage in modules on social change and human rights theory in action.
Semester 4 — Master’s Thesis The fourth and final semester is dedicated to writing your Master’s thesis, supervised by academic staff from one of the four partner universities. Students supervised by UiT may spend this semester in Tromsø, Norway 🇳🇴.
Throughout the programme, teaching is complemented by field visits, professional development workshops, guest lectures from practitioners, and exposure to the UN system, NGOs, governments, and international human rights mechanisms.
🎓 Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the EMHRPP programme and scholarship, you must meet all of the following requirements by the application deadline:
Academic Requirement:
- ✅ A first degree equivalent to 180 credits (180 ECTS) from an internationally recognised university or college — this is equivalent to a standard Bachelor’s degree
Work Experience Requirement:
- ✅ A minimum of two years of practitioner experience in the field of human rights
- ✅ This can include regular employment, internships, or voluntary/volunteer work — as long as it is relevant to human rights
English Language Requirement:
- ✅ A minimum English qualification equivalent to English B / English 6 at upper secondary level, or an internationally recognised test such as TOEFL, IELTS, or alternatives as specified in the annual call from the University of Gothenburg
- ✅ Students whose studies were conducted entirely in English may be exempt from submitting a separate test — check the University Admissions website for country-specific rules (verify on official website)
Additional Notes:
- There is no age limit for this programme
- Degrees from all academic backgrounds are considered — Social Sciences is common, but engineering, medicine, technology, and other fields are also eligible as long as there is a demonstrable connection to human rights
- All eligibility criteria must be fully met by the application deadline — partial fulfilment is not accepted
- Students who have previously received an Erasmus Mundus scholarship are not eligible for a second one
🎓 Who Should Apply — And Who Should Not
✅ Apply if you:
- Have at least two years of hands-on human rights experience (paid, internship, or volunteer)
- Hold a completed Bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS) from any discipline
- Want a joint degree from four European universities recognised globally
- Are passionate about building a career in human rights, international law, NGOs, UN agencies, or policy
- Are ready to live and study in four different countries across two years
- Meet the English language requirements
❌ Don’t apply if you:
- Have fewer than two years of relevant human rights experience — this is a hard requirement
- Are looking for an undergraduate programme — this is a Master’s only
- Have already received an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree scholarship
- Cannot commit to full-time physical mobility across multiple countries
- Are not genuinely committed to a career in human rights
🎓 Available Fields and Core Subjects
The EMHRPP is an interdisciplinary programme — it does not belong to a single faculty. Core subjects covered across the four semesters include:
- Human rights theory and philosophy
- Human rights in politics and the market economy
- Research methods and methodologies for human rights
- Human rights defenders and their protection
- Social movements and non-governmental organisations
- Cultural and ethnic approaches to human rights
- Report writing and project management
- Campaign creation and public speaking
- Internship with a London-based human rights organisation
- Master’s thesis in Human Rights Policy and Practice
The programme places a strong emphasis on employability — not just academic knowledge, but the practical skills needed to work effectively in the sector from day one.
🎓 Required Documents
The following documents must be submitted through the Swedish University Admissions portal by the application deadline (verify the exact current checklist on the official website):
- Completed online application via universityadmissions.se
- Scholarship application form — downloaded from the Costs and Scholarships page and uploaded alongside your programme application
- Official academic transcripts — in English; certified translations required if originals are in another language
- Bachelor’s degree certificate — or a university letter confirming completion if degree is to be issued after the deadline
- Motivation letter — using the assigned EMHRPP motivation letter template (available on the official website); must be in English, well-structured, and concise
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) — any format accepted, including Europass
- Two letters of recommendation — must be in English or with certified English translations
- Proof of work experience — certificates from employer(s) or organisation(s) confirming human rights-relevant experience; must be in English
- English language certificate — IELTS, TOEFL, or equivalent (check if your study language exempts you)
- Proof of residence — issued within 12 months before the application deadline; must show your country of residence at time of application
Important: Documents must be submitted through the online admissions platform, not emailed to staff. The same applicant may only apply once per year.
🎓 Step-by-Step Application Process
- Check the official website in October 2026 — the next application round opens at the earliest in October 2026, for a programme start in August 2027 (verify on official website)
- Confirm your eligibility — you must have a completed Bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS), 2+ years of human rights experience, and meet English language requirements, all before the deadline
- Download the motivation letter template from emhrpp.com/how-to-apply and draft your letter carefully — this is a key ranking factor
- Request your letters of recommendation early — give your referees plenty of time to write strong, detailed letters
- Download the scholarship application form from the Costs and Scholarships page — you must submit this alongside your programme application if you want to be considered for the Erasmus Mundus scholarship
- Create an account on the Swedish University Admissions portal at universityadmissions.se and upload all required documents
- Submit before the deadline — the application is only considered once all documents are uploaded and complete; partial applications are not reviewed
- Await assessment — the Joint Admission Committee at Gothenburg evaluates all applications based on academic competence, motivation letter, and work experience/recommendation letters (max 100 points total)
- Receive notification — successful scholarship candidates are notified and invited to accept their award
💡 Pro tip: The motivation letter and work experience are weighted significantly in the ranking. Be specific, structured, and authentic. Connect your past experience directly to what you plan to do after graduation.
🎓 Important Dates and Deadlines
| Event | Timeline |
| Application Opens | October 2026 at the earliest (verify on official website) |
| Application Deadline | Mid-January 2027 (TBC — verify on official website) |
| Programme Start | August 2027 |
| Programme Duration | 24 months (August 2027 – July/August 2029) |
📌 Bookmark this page and check back for updates. The exact opening date and deadline for the 2027 intake will be confirmed by the programme team closer to October 2026. Always verify at emhrpp.com/how-to-apply.
🎓 Why Apply — Why This Programme and Why Europe?
There is no other Master’s degree in the world quite like EMHRPP. Most human rights programmes are based in a single city at a single university. This programme takes you to Gothenburg, Bilbao, London, and potentially Tromsø — four completely different academic and cultural environments — while building a single, internationally recognised degree. The exposure you gain to different legal systems, civil societies, and political cultures is unmatched.
Studying across Sweden, Spain, and the UK also means building a network that spans continents. Your classmates will come from all over the world. Your professors and visiting scholars include leading academics, UN officials, NGO directors, and legal practitioners. The Professional Seminar Series and London internship mean you are not just learning about human rights — you are working in the field before you even graduate.
And the career outcomes speak for themselves. EMHRPP alumni hold positions at Amnesty International, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), Save the Children, and UN agencies worldwide. A degree from this programme is a direct gateway to the most respected institutions in the global human rights sector.
Here’s the best part — with the full Erasmus Mundus scholarship, you can do all of this at zero personal cost.
🎓 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Is there an age limit to apply for the EMHRPP scholarship? A: No. There is no age limit. As long as you meet all eligibility criteria — Bachelor’s degree, 2+ years of human rights experience, and English proficiency — you are eligible to apply.
Q: Does volunteer work count as the required two years of experience? A: Yes, volunteer work is accepted as practitioner experience, provided it is clearly relevant to the field of human rights. The admissions committee evaluates relevance on a case-by-case basis.
Q: Do I need IELTS to apply? A: An English language qualification is required. IELTS and TOEFL are accepted, but students whose programmes were taught entirely in English may not need a separate test — check the University of Gothenburg’s admissions website for your country-specific rules (verify on official website). Note that a UK student visa (for the London semester) requires specific English test formats — an academic IELTS or equivalent is needed for the Roehampton module.
Q: Can I apply for the scholarship and the programme separately? A: Both processes overlap. You must upload the scholarship application form alongside your programme application on the University Admissions website. If you do not upload the scholarship form, you will be processed as a self-funding candidate. You can choose to self-fund if you do not receive the scholarship.
Q: How competitive is this scholarship? A: Very competitive. Only around 15 scholarships are awarded per year across the entire global applicant pool. The selection is based on academic competence, motivation letter quality, and work experience plus recommendation letters — with a maximum score of 100 points across all three components.
Q: What happens if I don’t receive the scholarship? A: You can still pursue the programme as a self-funding student. Tuition fees are €9,000 for EU/programme country students and €18,000 for partner country/international students. Additional scholarships are available from consortium universities including the University of Deusto and University of Gothenburg (verify on official website).
🎓 Official Source and Contact
- 🌐 Programme Website: emhrpp.com
- 🌐 How to Apply: emhrpp.com/how-to-apply
- 🌐 Costs and Scholarships: emhrpp.com/costs-and-scholarships
- 🌐 Programme Outline: emhrpp.com/programme-outline
- 🌐 Application Portal: universityadmissions.se
- 📧 Email: emhrppugot@gu.se
- 📞 Phone: +46-31-786 58 02
- 📍 Address: School of Global Studies, Box 700, SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
🎓 Summary Table
| Detail | Information |
| Programme | Erasmus Mundus MA in Human Rights Policy and Practice (EMHRPP) |
| Funded by | European Commission — Erasmus+ |
| Lead University | University of Gothenburg, Sweden |
| Consortium | Gothenburg (SE) + Deusto (ES) + Roehampton (UK) + UiT (NO) |
| Degree Awarded | Joint MA in Human Rights Policy and Practice |
| Duration | 24 months |
| Monthly Stipend | €1,000/month (total: €24,000) |
| Tuition | Fully covered by scholarship |
| Travel & Installation | Included — paid in two instalments |
| Health Insurance | Covered for full 24 months |
| Scholarships Per Year | ~15 |
| Eligibility | Bachelor’s degree + 2 years HR experience + English proficiency |
| Age Limit | None |
| Application Opens | October 2026 (earliest) |
| Programme Start | August 2027 (TBC) |
| Official Website | emhrpp.com |
🔗 Explore More Opportunities on Gradualin
Browse by Category:
Top Scholarship Guides:
- 🇬🇧 Fully Funded PhD Scholarships in the UK 2026
- 🇨🇭 Fully Funded PhD Positions in Switzerland 2026
- 🇫🇮 Finland Scholarships 2026 — Tuition Waivers
- 🇮🇹 Study in Italy 2026 — Complete Guide
- 🇦🇺 Fully Funded Scholarships in Australia 2026
- 🇺🇸 Fully Funded Scholarships in the USA 2026
- 🌏 Top 10 Fully Funded Scholarships in Asia 2027
Stay updated with the latest scholarships, jobs, and opportunities at Gradualin.com — your trusted guide to studying abroad for free.
