As for the application for Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree Programs, almost all the programs had similar requirements, although there were some small differences. Deadlines are usually in January. Today, I would like to write about how I obtained each document. Keep in mind that I lived in the United States at the time of application, and the documents to submit can be slightly different depending on the country.
1. Application Form
This form is usually downloaded from each program website and differed depending on the program, but it was mainly about my personal information, educational background, activities outside of school, volunteer history, etc. It is pretty much like a resume. Fill in the forms after downloading the form from their respective websites and submit them online with other documents.
2. Motivation Letter
Write your reason for the application and how it is tied to your background. It is not good to write a lot of pages, and generally, it is limited to a couple of pages. If there is no limit on the number of characters, summarize it in one or two pages in an easy-to-read manner. In addition, grammatical and spelling errors are a big no-no, and it is important to create a mistake-free document. I've always been a writer and I was pretty confident in my work, but even then, I used the university's Writing Center to have a professional review of my essay for graduate school applications to see if there were any errors. This type of service not only detects grammar errors but also gives advice on how you can better the content itself. I think it's important to have a third person read it, in the sense that even if someone who doesn't know you reads it, it will be clear to understand. I would like to write an article on how to write a motivation letter for graduate school in another post if anyone is interested.
3. English Proficiency document
I completed my bachelor’s in the United States, and this qualifies to prove that I had attended an English institution for more than the required number of years. All I had to do was to submit a copy of my university diploma. If you have no experience studying abroad, you will probably have to submit results from TOEIC or IELTS. It seems that some programs accept Tests in Practical English Proficiency (Eiken,) if you have taken this exam in Japan.
4. College Diploma and Transcript
From my university, I ordered a transcript, then scanned it into an electronic copy. At the time of submission of the application, I did not have my college diploma because I still haven’t had graduated at that point. Later when I got accepted into the program, I was requested to submit the diploma and the complete transcript. If these documents are not in English, it seems that it is necessary to have it officially translated. At the time of my application, I was still in college, so I was asked to submit a certificate of enrollment as well. I also had a classmate sending their high school diploma and transcript, but at the end of the day, it did not seem necessary.
5. Resume/Curriculum Vitae
One of the programs mandated to use of a website called Europass to create a CV. Even though I already had my own resume that I was using for previous job applications, I decided to use the same Europass format for other programs as well. You can create your resume for free on this website. Although there were various bugs on the site when I was creating it, it is a website you can easily create a resume just by filling in the forms. I would probably still recommend using this website if you don’t already have a CV.
6. Professional Experience/Certificates
I obtained a certificate in English from the internship company I was working for during my university days and submitted it as a scanned copy. In these programs, work experience can weigh as much as academic records do, so proving work experience is crucial as a part of the application.
7. Letter of Recommendation
Almost every program required two letters of recommendation. As the name suggests, this is a letter that recommends you, and your recommenders are asked to write 2-3 pages explaining why you should be recommended. It could be written by either a professor or a working professional (university worker or your employer), but if I had one piece of advice, it would probably be best to ask a university professor to write it. Professors are always in contact with academic subjects, and it is a prerequisite that they have solid writing skills. The writing skills of the people I worked for were not always the best, even though they were native English speakers. As a note, in the case of graduate schools in the United States, it is normal for three recommendations to be required, so I had the impression that the hurdle for this requirement was a little lower in Erasmus Mundus applications.
8. Copy of Passport
If you do not have your passport at this point, all I can advise is to get it as soon as possible because getting this type of document almost always takes a long time.
9. Proof of Residency
I submitted my ID card (California driver's license) with my address written on it, and it seemed to have been fine. These documents will vary depending on the country.
10. Others
Depending on the program, sometimes other documents are required, such as the graduation thesis from the bachelor, a photograph of your headshot, the declaration (signing a paper that all the documents to be submitted are genuine), etc. Please refer to each program website on the list of documents you need to submit.
In summary, you will be submitting identification, proof of educational background, and proof of occupation, with an explanation of what your interests are based on your experience so far, what you want to do in the future, and why you want to participate in the program, all in one package.
I lived in the United States and did both university and internships in the United States, so naturally, all the documents I submitted were already in English. That eliminated the need for official translation. I also got to skip the language tests because I had already been studying in English institutions for more than the required years and was considered fluent in English. In that sense, I would say that these applications were much easier for me compared to those who were applying from non-English speaking countries.
If you have any questions regarding the application, feel free to ask in the comments!
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