The European Union has selected 19 Ukrainian students for the 2026 Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree programmes, the EU Delegation to Ukraine announced on 15 June 2026. The cohort includes 15 scholarship holders and 4 non-scholarship holders, chosen from 3,111 winners representing 144 nationalities. The students — 17 women and 2 men — will begin their studies this autumn at leading universities in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Their chosen fields span Journalism and Media, Public Policy, Urban Studies, Ecology, Education, Museum Studies, Medicine, Space Biology, Linguistic Data Science, Economics, International Business, Digital Arts, Sports Management, and Ethics.
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters are integrated programmes developed by consortia of at least two European universities. The EU-funded scholarships cover full tuition, travel costs, insurance, visa support, and a monthly stipend of EUR 1,000. Students also receive language courses, traineeships, and cultural immersion.
Since 2014, 434 Ukrainian students have won Erasmus Mundus scholarships. Since the programme's launch in 2004, 722 Ukrainians — including teachers, Master's and PhD students — have benefited. Alumni now work in public service, state institutions, private sector, and international organisations in Ukraine and worldwide, acting as 'ambassadors' promoting Ukraine in Europe and contributing to the country's development and reforms.
The Erasmus+ Programme, which funds these scholarships, supports lifelong learning through mobility, projects, partnerships, and policy development in education, training, youth, and sport. It is open to people of all ages and backgrounds, with nearly 40 calls for proposals available to Ukrainian organisations.
Impact on stakeholders
For Ukrainian students, the scholarships provide full financial support and access to high-quality international education, enhancing their career prospects and personal development. The programme strengthens Ukraine's human capital by training future leaders in critical sectors such as public policy, sustainable development, and digital arts.
EU universities benefit from increased diversity and the expertise of Ukrainian students, enriching their academic communities. However, the limited number of scholarships (19 out of 3,111 winners) means the vast majority of qualified Ukrainian applicants do not receive funding, potentially creating a gap between demand and opportunity.
The Ukrainian government and civil society gain a pool of skilled alumni who can drive modernisation and reforms, though the impact depends on alumni returning or engaging with Ukraine remotely. The EU's investment in Ukrainian education also supports broader strategic goals of integration and resilience, but the scale remains modest relative to the country's needs.
No further institutional follow-up has been announced beyond the annual call cycle.
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