Erasmus Mundus Master in Impact Entrepreneurship (EMMIE) Scholarship 2026

If you are a passionate changemaker, social innovator or aspiring entrepreneur who wants to build sustainable impact through a master’s degree, then the Erasmus Mundus Master in Impact Entrepreneurship (EMMIE) 2026 might be your next big opportunity. Applications for the 2026 cohort open on October 6 and close on January 6. This is your chance to study across Europe in a cutting-edge Impact Entrepreneurship master’s program with full scholarship support. Below you’ll find a comprehensive overview: programme summary, host universities, mobility and curriculum structure, exact scholarship benefits, eligibility criteria, and the application procedure.

🎓 EMMIE Scholarship 2026 — At a Glance

• Location(s): Europe (Croatia, Lithuania, Belgium)

• Consortium institutions: ZSEM Zagreb, ISM Vilnius, HEC Liège / ULiège

• Study level: Joint Master (90 ECTS)

• Target group: Students worldwide from any academic discipline

• Fields & Focus: Impact entrepreneurship, general management, innovation, sustainable business models

• Scholarship Coverage: Full tuition waiver + monthly stipend + travel / installation support

• Duration: 18 months (three semesters)

• Application deadline: January 6, 2026

• Start date: September 1 (in Zagreb)

• Eligible to: All nationalities, provided other eligibility criteria are met

🌐 Programme Overview

The Erasmus Mundus Master in Impact Entrepreneurship (EMMIE) is a 90 ECTS, full-mobility, multidisciplinary master’s programme designed to train entrepreneurial leaders capable of designing and implementing high-impact ventures.

The program runs over 18 months, split into three semesters in three different European countries: Croatia, Lithuania, and Belgium. Students not only take formal courses but also engage in transversal activities such as seminars, networking, conferences, writing for an impact entrepreneurship blog, and working on a real entrepreneurial project (which becomes their master’s thesis).

A key feature of EMMIE is that participants must design, develop, and pitch an entrepreneurial project with social or environmental impact. This project is coached and supervised by experts, and at the end of the program students may have the opportunity to be incubated in partner institutions’ incubators.

The program also emphasizes intercultural exposure, networking, and reflection on sustainable development goals (SDGs) across its modules.

🏛️ Host Universities

• University of Liège (ULiège), Belgium – Coordinating institution; offers academic excellence in entrepreneurship and innovation management.

• ISM University of Management and Economics, Lithuania – Specializes in business strategy and leadership in sustainable economies.

• University of Naples Federico II, Italy – Focuses on innovation ecosystems, design thinking, and technology-based entrepreneurship.

• Zagreb School of Economics and Management (ZSEM), Croatia – Provides advanced training in business ethics, startup scaling, and global entrepreneurship strategy.

2. Mobility and Curriculum Structure

The curriculum is structured into three semesters with cross-cutting (transversal) components and a master’s thesis / project phase. Here is how it breaks down in practice:

Semester 1 (Croatia, ZSEM)

Courses aim to build a solid foundation in management and entrepreneurial thinking. Sample modules include:

• Markstrat marketing simulation (5 ECTS)

• Managerial Techniques (5 ECTS)

• Value Maximization (5 ECTS)

• Financial Management (5 ECTS)

• Other modules (to total ~30 ECTS)

• Transversal activities (seminars, networking)

  
  

Semester 2 (Lithuania, ISM Vilnius)

This semester focuses on innovation, sustainable strategies, and social business models. Key modules include:

• Sustainable Strategies and New Business Models (6 ECTS)

• Technology for Economic, Environmental and Social Impact (6 ECTS)

• Sustainable Supply Chain Management (6 ECTS)

• Social & Sustainable Business Innovations (6 ECTS)

• More courses totaling ~30 ECTS

• Continued transversal activities

  
  

Semester 3 (Belgium, HEC Liège / ULiège)

This final semester emphasizes project execution, entrepreneurship, and impact:

• Financing Entrepreneurial Impact Opportunities (4 ECTS)

• Impact Entrepreneurship and Decision-Making (4 ECTS)

• Business Modeling and Impact Entrepreneurship (4 ECTS)

• New Ventures with Impact (4 ECTS)

• Optional: Intercultural Marketing

• Master thesis + soft skills / writing a blog / SDG understanding (30 ECTS)

• Pitching events, coaching, incubation support

• Transversal activities continue

  
  

Transversal & Extra Activities (throughout)

Across all semesters, students engage in:

• Seminars and conferences on sustainability, innovation, and SDGs

• Networking events with industry, investors, NGOs

• Writing for the program’s Impact Entrepreneurship Blog (under editorial supervision)

• Project coaching, business plan development, pitching

• Incubation pathways for selected projects

• Cross-country integration and adaptation

  
  

Thesis / Capstone Project

• Students work on a real entrepreneurial project with social or environmental impact

• They produce a feasibility/business plan, prototypes, or pilot implementation

• The final project is evaluated by a jury composed of representatives from each partner institution

• Selected projects may lead to incubation in affiliated incubators

3. Scholarship Benefits

The EMMIE program is supported by Erasmus+ (via the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master / EMJM scheme), and offers a generous scholarship for top candidates.

Here is what the full scholarship covers:

1. Waiver of participation (tuition) costs

   • Registration / master fees (~ €13,500) are fully waived for scholarship recipients.

   • Management fees, administrative costs, supervision costs, lab expenses, and other infrastructure costs are included.

   • Health & accident insurance, and access to university facilities (libraries, WiFi, computing, etc.) are included.

   • Support from the international offices of host universities in administrative, accommodation, banking, etc.

2. Contribution to travel, subsistence, installation

   • A monthly living allowance of €1,400 per full month for the entire 18 months (maximum) of the program.

   • Travel, visa, and installation costs (moving to study locations) are covered.

   • Note: for the EMJM periods (study / research / thesis) spent in the student’s country of residence, the subsistence contribution may not be granted.

ℹ️ Additional notes and caveats:

• If a candidate has previously received an EMJM / Erasmus Mundus Master scholarship, they are not eligible for another Erasmus+ scholarship under EMMIE.

• Candidates without the full scholarship can apply for partial grants based on financial need and merit (for self-funding students) — but these are limited and decided by the program’s coordinating committee.

• Scholarship recipients are exempt from participation fees, but other incidental costs (such as costs incurred before program start, local transport beyond what is considered, additional personal costs) may remain the student’s responsibility.

In short: the scholarship is full coverage (tuition + monthly stipend + travel + insurance) for the duration of the 18 months, making it extremely competitive and attractive.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for admission (and for the scholarship) to EMMIE, candidates must satisfy the following:

• Hold at least a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) with minimum 240 ECTS (or equivalent international standard)

• The program is open to all academic disciplines — no specific field is required.

• Degrees and transcripts must be submitted in English or officially translated to English, and certified by issuing institutions.

• If a candidate’s degree was taught entirely in English, a language proficiency test may not be required; otherwise, an English test (TOEFL, IELTS) must be submitted, with a minimal B2 level (C1 recommended)

• Applicants must apply for either full or partial scholarship and indicate their interest in this in their motivation letter (if seeking scholarship).

• The applicant should be located in their country of nationality or provide valid proof of residence for at least 12 months if they live outside their passport country. Documents may include residence certificate, rent contracts, utility bills, or employer/study certifications.

• Be present on site and in person for the full duration of the program (i.e., you cannot do it fully online or remotely)

• Applicants cannot already hold another Erasmus Mundus / EMJM scholarship or equivalent EU-funded master-level funding.

🔍Selection Process & Criteria

• First, an eligibility check ensures candidates meet the formal criteria and have submitted a complete application.

• Applications are then evaluated by a selection committee composed of representatives from the partner institutions.

• Key evaluation criteria include:

 1. Academic excellence (grades, transcripts, rigor of prior programs)

 2. Motivation letter, clarity of goals, alignment with impact entrepreneurship

 3. Language skills and communication

 4. Entrepreneurial experience or potential / ongoing projects

 5. Reference letters (academic or professional)

 6. In some cases, an interview (first round or secondary) may be required

• When candidates are tied in quality, priority may be given to under-represented genders to encourage diversity.

• The program imposes a maximum of 2 candidates per country to ensure geographic diversity.

• After selection, if a candidate believes the process was procedural faulty, they may submit a written appeal within 7 working days of notification, citing procedural errors (not disagreement with outcome).

📝 Application Procedure

📅 Application Timeline

• Opens: October 6, 2025

• Closes: January 6, 2026

• Start of program: September 1, in Zagreb

• After deadline, no modifications allowed to the submitted application (so make sure everything is final before submission)

  
  

🗂️ Required Documents

To complete an application, you must upload:

1. Birth certificate (English translation, PDF) if available

2. Photo (JPEG)

3. CV in English, recommended in Europass format

4. Motivation letter (1 page, English) — indicate whether you seek full or partial scholarship

5. Diplomas and transcripts of all higher education (Bachelor and Master, if applicable), certified and in English (or legally translated)

6. English language proficiency test (TOEFL or IELTS) unless your degree was taught fully in English

7. Two recommendation letters (in English) — academic or professional (not from family/friends/co-workers)

8. If you already have an entrepreneurial project, include one-page description (problem, solution, development stage)

9. Proof of residence (if you live outside your passport country) — e.g. residence certificate, rent contract, utility bills, employer or institution letter (issued within last 12 months)

10. Any additional supporting documentation you wish to include

    
    

📝 Steps to Apply

1. Visit the official EMMIE application portal and register.

2. Fill in the online application form with personal, educational, and project details

3. Upload all required supporting documents (as above)

4. Submit before the deadline (January 6, 2026)

5. Wait for initial eligibility check; if passed, your application goes to full evaluation

6. If shortlisted, you may be invited to an interview

7. Final decision is communicated, and successful scholarship recipients are notified

8. Admitted students prepare travel, visa, and relocation to start the program

9. If needed, lodge appeals (within 7 working days) for procedural grievances

💫 Tips from Past Applicants

• Many candidates advise reflecting deeply on your personal motivation and purpose, because the motivation letter is crucial.

• Even if your entrepreneurial idea is on paper only, you can still apply — the program admits such candidates, but you need clarity about problem-solution fit and realistic goals.

• Prepare well for the interview by revisiting your motivation, CV, and project idea

• Submit ahead of time and ensure your documents are certified, legible, and complete

• Use networking and references to strengthen your credibility

• Since competition is high (e.g. > 1,300 applications in some years) , emphasize distinctiveness and consistency in your narrative

🚀 Final Remarks & Things to Verify

• Keep in mind that the scholarship is highly competitive, particularly because only a limited number of candidates (max two per country) may be selected.

• Confirm whether there are regional or country-specific quotas, additional partner scholarships, or local funding opportunities you can combine.

• Make sure your entrepreneurial project is well thought-through (even if not fully implemented) and aligns with social impact / sustainability themes, as your project is a central pillar of evaluation.

• If any parts of your documents are not originally in English, ensure the translation is certified.

• Be timely in preparing visa, residence permit, and travel logistics early — some countries may require bureaucratic lead time.

• Engage with current or former EMMIE students (e.g. via social media or the EMMIE blog) to get inside tips.

🔗 Apply Now

🔗 Official Website

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