Erasmus Mundus EMABG Scholarship 2026 | Fully Funded

The Erasmus Mundus Joint Master in Animal Biodiversity and Genomics trains students to tackle biodiversity loss, sustainable animal breeding, and genomics through a fully funded two-year degree delivered across multiple European universities, with a monthly stipend of €1,400 alongside full tuition, travel, and insurance coverage.

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The application window for the 2026/28 intake closed on January 15, 2026, so that specific round is no longer accepting submissions. The good news: EMABG runs on a confirmed, fixed annual cycle, and the next application window — for the 2027/29 intake — opens September 15, 2026, and closes January 15, 2027. This guide covers exactly what the programme involves, who qualifies, and what to have ready before that window opens.

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How This Programme Is Structured

EMABG is delivered jointly by a consortium of six European universities spread across the Netherlands, Austria, Sweden, France, Germany, and Norway, and the programme’s central administrative office sits at BOKU University in Vienna. What sets EMABG apart from a typical joint degree is the mobility requirement: rather than choosing one host institution, every student studies at a minimum of three different universities across three different countries over the two-year programme, alongside dedicated summer schools and a supervised research thesis.

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This structure is deliberate — students graduate having worked inside multiple national academic systems and research cultures rather than one, which the programme frames as central to producing genuinely internationally capable researchers in animal science and genomics. The curriculum blends quantitative, population, and molecular genetics with hands-on breeding and conservation work, aimed at graduates who move into research institutions, conservation organisations, sustainable agriculture roles, or doctoral study in genetics and biodiversity fields afterwards.

Erasmus Mundus EMABG Scholarship Summary

What the Scholarship Provides

• Full tuition coverage for the entire two-year programme, across every institution you study at.
• A monthly living stipend of €1,400, intended to cover accommodation, food, and general living costs throughout the programme’s duration.
• Travel and visa costs covered, though be aware some guides note students may need to pre-finance initial travel and get reimbursed afterwards, rather than having costs paid upfront in every case.
• Health and accident insurance, arranged for the full duration of your studies.
• Genuine international academic exposure, having studied at a minimum of three universities across three different European countries by graduation — a structural feature of the degree, not an optional add-on.

One detail worth flagging clearly: not every cost is guaranteed to be covered. Accommodation during specific events — the welcome course, summer schools, and graduation — may fall outside standard coverage, so budget for some out-of-pocket costs around these fixed points in the calendar even with full funding.

Who Can Apply

• You need a Bachelor of Science degree worth at least 180 ECTS in Animal Science or a closely related field.
• If your degree is in a related but not directly matching discipline, you’ll need to demonstrate strong grounding in agricultural sciences — chemistry, physics, statistics, zoology, microbiology, genetics, and economics — plus animal production knowledge covering nutrition, breeding, husbandry, and pasture or crop management.
• You need English proficiency meeting one of several accepted thresholds: TOEFL iBT 92 overall with at least 23 in speaking, IELTS Academic 7.0 overall with at least 6.5 in speaking, or Cambridge CAE/C1 or CPE/C2 at Grade C. Certificates must be issued within two years of the application deadline.
• If your entire prior degree was conducted in English, and you’re from certain English-speaking countries, you may be exempt from submitting a separate language certificate — check this against your specific circumstances before assuming either way.
• If you already hold an MSc in a closely related field, be aware that some consortium universities may not consider you eligible — this varies by institution rather than applying uniformly across the whole consortium.
• If you’ve previously received funding through any Erasmus Mundus Joint Master (EMJM) scholarship, you’re not eligible to receive one again through EMABG.

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Documents to Prepare

The European Master in Animal Biodiversity and Genomics (EMABG)—formerly European Master in Animal Breeding and Genetics—is a fully funded Erasmus Mundus Joint Master (EMJM) program. Selection for the EMJM scholarship is strictly merit-based and processed via the central admissions database hosted by BOKU University (Vienna).

All supporting documents must be submitted in high-resolution, clear PDF format (except the motivation video, which must be a .mp4 file). Incomplete applications or documents lacking official university stamps/signatures are automatically rejected.

1. Degree Certificate(s) / Graduation Diploma:

• Requirements: Copy of your official Bachelor of Science degree certificate (minimum 180 ECTS) in Animal Science or related fields (e.g., Agricultural Sciences, Biology, Veterinary Medicine, Zoology).
• Verification: Must be issued by your degree-granting university, dated, signed, and stamped. If the original is not in English, it must be accompanied by a certified official English translation.

2. Transcript of Records & Grading Scale:

• Scope: Complete official transcript covering all years of your undergraduate (and postgraduate, if applicable) study.
• Mandatory Data: Must detail every course taken, grades achieved, overall GPA/average grade, and the university’s official grading scale.
• Authentication: Must be dated, signed, and stamped by the university. If multi-page, all pages must be merged into a single PDF file with an English translation if required.

3. Proof of Current Residence:

• Timeframe Standard: The document must be dated and issued within 12 months of the scholarship application deadline.
• Accepted Files: An official municipal residence certificate, a dated national ID showing your residential address (or merged with a recent utility bill/electricity bill in your name), or a signed employer/institutional certificate confirming your current residential location.

4. Curriculum Vitae (Europass Format):

• Format: Formatted according to the standard Europass CV layout.
• Focus Areas: Must emphasize educational progression, research work, publications, employment history, internships, thesis/project titles, and laboratory or bioinformatics skill sets.

5. Recent Passport Photo:

Specification: High-resolution digital passport photo with a clear, unobscured view of your face on a plain background.

6. English Language Proficiency Certificate:

• Validity: Tests must be taken within 2 years of the application cutoff.
• Accepted Scores:
  • IELTS Academic: Minimum 7.0 overall (with no sub-score below 6.5 in Speaking).
  • TOEFL iBT: Minimum total score of 92 (minimum sub-score of 23 in Speaking).
  • Cambridge: CAE/C1 Advanced (180–210) or CPE/C2 Proficiency.
  • Exemptions: Exclusively available to native speakers or applicants who completed their full degree in Australia, Ireland, Canada (excluding Quebec), New Zealand, the UK, or the USA.

7. Letter of Preferred Study Tracks:

• Content: A short letter indicating your 3 top-ranked mobility track choices among the partner institutions (e.g., BOKU Austria, WUR Netherlands, SLU Sweden, UGOE Germany, NMBU Norway, AgroParisTech France).
• Purpose: Brief explanation of why you selected those specific university combinations based on your research interests (e.g., quantitative genetics, genomic selection, biodiversity conservation).

8. Two Confidential Letters of Recommendation:

• Referees: Issued by two separate academic professors or professional supervisors.
• Details: Must clearly mention your full name, be signed on official university/company letterhead, and speak to your analytical skills, academic standing, and suitability for international postgraduate study.

9. Motivation Video (Core Requirement):

• Format & Length: Strictly 1 to 2 minutes in length, saved as an .MP4 file (maximum file size 50 MB).
• Naming Rule: The video file name must strictly be your application number (e.g., 12345.mp4).
• Content Focus: Succinctly introduce yourself, outline your passion for animal breeding and genomics, and explain your specific motivation for joining the EMABG consortium.

10. Special Needs Documentation (If Applicable):

• Inclusivity Provision: Students with disabilities, long-term physical/mental conditions, or chronic illnesses are explicitly encouraged to apply and may qualify for supplemental Erasmus+ financial grants.
• Document Standard: Requires an official medical/professional statement issued by a certified specialist (doctor, psychiatrist, audiologist, etc.) detailing the condition, along with a written personal statement outlining the specific mobility, travel, or classroom accommodations required.

How to Apply

1. Confirm eligibility: Review academic and language requirements.
2. Collect all documents: Ensure translations and certifications are in order.
3. Take an English test: If required, book early to avoid delays.
4. Record a motivation video: Keep it clear, professional, and within 2 minutes.
5. Select study track preferences: Choose and explain your top three.
6. Create an account on the EMABG portal: EMABG Application Database.
7. Upload all documents: Submit only in PDF format, one file per category.
8. Review application carefully: Double-check completeness and accuracy.
9. Submit before deadline: Do not wait until the last day.

How to Prepare For the Next Cycle

1. Confirm your Bachelor’s degree meets the 180 ECTS threshold and either matches Animal Science directly or demonstrates the required grounding in agricultural sciences.
2. Book your English proficiency test now if you don’t already hold a valid certificate — TOEFL, IELTS, or Cambridge exam slots can fill up, and certificates need to be current within two years of the deadline.
3. Start drafting your motivation letter and recording your motivation video well ahead of the window opening, since a polished one- to two-minute video takes longer to get right than most applicants expect.
4. Decide on your three preferred study tracks in advance, since the application asks you to explain each choice briefly rather than simply listing them.
5. Create your account on the EMABG application portal once it opens on September 15, 2026.
6. Upload all documents in PDF format, one file per category, as the portal requires.
7. Review your complete application carefully for accuracy and completeness before submitting.
8. Submit before January 15, 2027 — don’t wait until the final day, since technical issues close to a hard deadline are a common and avoidable way applicants miss out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the EMABG Scholarship currently open?

Not right now. The 2026/28 cycle’s deadline was January 15, 2026. The next cycle, for the 2027/29 intake, opens September 15, 2026, and closes January 15, 2027 — this is EMABG’s confirmed, fixed annual pattern.

Can students from Nigeria or other African countries apply?

Yes. EMABG is open to applicants of any nationality, economic background, or social background who meet the academic and language requirements.

Do I need a degree specifically in Animal Science to qualify?

Not necessarily. A directly matching Bachelor’s degree is the most straightforward route, but applicants from related fields can qualify if they can demonstrate strong knowledge across the specific agricultural science areas EMABG lists.

Is the entire scholarship guaranteed to cover all my costs?

Nearly all costs are covered — tuition, stipend, travel, and insurance — but accommodation during specific fixed events like the welcome course, summer schools, and graduation may not be fully included, so budget for some out-of-pocket costs around those points.

Can I apply if I already have a related Master’s degree?

It depends on the specific consortium university you’re targeting — some universities within EMABG may not consider you eligible if you already hold an MSc in a closely related field, so check this directly against your intended institution rather than assuming it applies uniformly.

Disclaimer: All scholarship details, deadlines, award values, and eligibility criteria in this post were verified from EMABG’s official website as of August 2026. Information is subject to change without notice. Always confirm the latest details directly on the official EMABG website before submitting your application. ScholarWaka is not affiliated with the European Commission or the EMABG consortium universities.

Official Application Portal