Indian Students Eye Europe for Master’s Degrees

Indian students are leading the list of recipients of the Erasmus Mundus scholarship for a two-year master’s program in Europe. This highly competitive scholarship is awarded to a limited number of students.

The prestigious Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters scholarship, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, has been awarded to 146 students from India this year, 75 of whom are women and 71 men. This makes India the largest recipient of the program globally, Erudera.com reports.

The scholarship covers tuition fees and travel costs and includes a living allowance. Holders will begin their study programs in the following countries:

• France (31 students)
• Portugal (19 students)
• Belgium (17 students)
• Italy (15 students)
• Spain (14 students)
• Germany (9 students)
• Finland (8 students)
• Czech Republic (5 students)
• Sweden (4 students)
• Latvia (3 students)
• The Netherlands (2 students)
• Poland (2 students)
• Austria (2 students)
• Greece (1 students)
• Hungary (1 students)

A few students will also study in countries that are partners of Erasmus+, such as the United Kingdom, which will welcome eight students. Two students will move to Israel and Turkey, respectively, and only one will pursue a degree in Serbia.

Since these scholarships were introduced to international students, over 6,000 Erasmus+ scholarships for short and long-term programs have been awarded to students from India.

“India has been the largest beneficiary of the programme, with over 2000 students receiving the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship since its inception in 2004. Overall, more than 6,000 Erasmus+ short and long-term scholarships have been awarded to Indian students since the program opened to international students in 2004..,” the EU’s delegation to India said in a statement on June 28, 2024.

Commenting on the awards, HE Hervé Delphin, Ambassador of the European Union to India, said over 80,000 Indian students study in Europe.

“Over 80,000 Indian students are studying in Europe, reflecting a growing appreciation for the continent’s diverse academic offerings, rich cultural heritage, and unparalleled opportunities for personal and professional growth,” he said.

Overall, more than 2,600 international students from 137 countries have received Erasmus+ scholarships this year. These scholarships include opportunities to study and conduct research in at least two universities in Europe.

Erasmus+ is a European Union program created in 1987 as an exchange program. It was named after Erasmus of Rotterdam, a Dutch scholar and lecturer who traveled to teach students at several universities across Europe during the Renaissance period.

Over the past three decades, more than 10 million people participated in the Erasmus program.

Read Also:

>> “It Is a True European Success Story” - Erasmus+ Marks Its 35th Anniversary