Frequently Asked Questions
see also the FAQ on the Erasmus Mundus European Commission website:
http://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/mundus/faq/index_en.html

1 Application procedure
2 Academic prerequisites
3 Eligibility for scholarship and scholarship issues
4 English language requirements
5 Study contents, schedule and degree
6 Help for visas, travelling, accommodation, …
7 Selection on the Main or on the Reserve List
8 Post-application procedure

1 Application procedure

I have read that it is not possible to apply for more than 3 EM master programs from 2008/09. What will be the consequences if I apply for more than 3 EM master programs ?

_{As of the academic year 2008/2009, the number of applications must be limited to three Erasmus Mundus Masters Courses maximum. In the eventual case that a student applies to more than three EM Courses, he/she will be excluded by the Brussels European Commission from the selection for an Erasmus Mundus scholarship.}

Is the online application the only way to apply or are there any other ways like getting a hard copy of the application form from you?

_{Online application is the only way to apply.}

Do I have to provide any hard copies or original documents ?

_{All required documents}

_{- One-page Letter of motivation}

_{- Copy of your passport (pages 2 and 3)}

_{- Transcript of marks from your curriculum in higher education (for the current year, join partial transcripts if available)}

_{- Transcripts of English test score}

_{should be uploaded in PDF format (less than 2 Mo each). In case of admission to the Erasmus Mundus Master programme Optics in Science and Technology programme (“EM MSc OpSciTech”), you will then be asked to send original paper copies of official documents (transcripts, degrees, etc.) to the host institution for the 1st year of the programme.}

Can my referees upload their recommendation letters?

_{Yes : in the Referees step of the application, you should indicate the names and coordinates of up to two referees ; they automatically receive an e-mail and are invited to upload their letter of recommendation through a specific login and password. You can check the status of  each referee/recommendation letter ("present" or "not present") and if necessary, you can activate a second automatic e-mail for reminder to the referee's address.} 

Do the referees have to send their letters of recommendation through email or through surface mail?

_{No : as described above, you and the referees MUST use the online procedure. The letters of recommendation received by mail or email will not be considered. Recommendation letters are not mandatory but highly desirable.}

_{Yes, he can. Our recommendation form can be considered as a [good] “template”.}

I cannot transfer the file of my transcript of marks into PDF format. How can I upload it?

_{You should upload your transcripts in PDF format. In case you really cannot, you can upload them in another format (image format such as TIFF or JPG) though this is not convenient to us.}

When will the selection decision be made?

_{The selection committee will meet just after the application deadline (see Calendar & Deadline page).}

Once I have completed filling in the application and uploading the required data, what else do I need to do?

_{You will need to wait until the selection committee meetings (see Calendar & Deadline page). In case you are admitted, an offer will be made that takes into account your ranking.}

Since I have no passport now, can I use the photocopy of my identity card?

_{Exceptionally and temporarily. Of course, in case of admission to the EM MSc OpSciTech programme, you will be asked to get a passport and send copies of its written pages (generally 2 and 3).}

I have lost my birth certificate. Can I upload the scanned copy of my National Identity card? 

_{Some OpSciTech hosting institutions may need a copy of your birth certificate. In case you don’t have it now, you can upload a copy of your passport (better than your National Identity card, see above). Of course, in case of admission to the EM MSc OpSciTech programme, you will be asked to provide all required documents including, in certain cases, your birth certificate (essential if you have to file for a residence permit in France, for example).}

 
2 Academic prerequisites

What are the academic prerequisites?

<sub>As indicated on the “Application” page of the EM MSc OpSciTech website:
“Applicants should have a BSc or BEng comprising significant exposure to physics and optics fundamentals. Other criteria to be taken into account are awards, external references, details of  earlier projects, and proof of English proficiency.”
What are the most important criteria for selection?
Our criteria, equally weighted, are:
- Academic excellence
- Potential/adequateness*
- Motivation
- Recommendation
- Language
* assessed on the basis of recommendation letters, institution of origin, etc.</sub>

Can a student who will graduate in a couple of months apply?

I have scored 60% in my undergraduate studies. Can I apply?

I studied physics at the undergraduate level and I am expecting to finish a MSc in physics by April next year. Can I apply?

I am currently pursuing another Master program. Can I apply or is there any restriction regarding previous education?

3 Eligibility for scholarship and scholarship issues

Am I eligible for an EM scholarship?

_{You are eligible for an EM Category A scholarship if you are:
- national coming from non-EU countries (defined as other than the 27 EU Member States)
- NOT resident of any of the European countries defined above}

_{- have NOT carried out your main activities (studies, work, etc.) for more than a total of 12 months over the last five years in any of the above countries.}

_{Some ADDITIONAL grants depending on specific regional windows may be provided (students from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo under  UNSC Resolution 1244/99, Montenegro, Serbia, or Turkey, for example, obtained 1 additional grant  in 2010 in the frame of the "Western Balkans and Turkey Window").}

You are eligible for an EM Category B scholarship if you are:

According to the website, the scholarship fund includes both tuition fees and living cost. Does this scholarship provide the same offer?

What is the total number of students from China you plan to enrol in the program this year?

_{For 2010-11, 10 scholarships were available  for non-EU applicants plus 1 scholarship via the abovementioned specific regional window. Among these scholarships, a maximum of 2 students with the same nationality was allowed. Note that the number of Chinese students (or any other nationality) without scholarship is not limited.
The “Grants (scholarships)” page of the EM MSc OpSciTech programme website gives all information about Erasmus Mundus grants for non-EU (as well as for EU) students.}

Can I apply for 2 Erasmus Mundus Master programmes and EM scholarships?

_{Yes. Third country students and scholars can apply for admission to more than one Erasmus Mundus Masters Course. However, in the case they get accepted for more than one Masters Courses, they must decide which Course they want to follow as they can receive only one Erasmus Mundus scholarship. As of the academic year 2008/2009, the number of applications must be limited to three Erasmus Mundus Masters Courses maximum.}

4 English language requirements

My instruction starting from my elementary grades and during my undergraduate study was undertaken in English. Do I need to provide an English test?

_{If your first degree (Bachelor or equivalent) was taught in English in: Australia, Canada, Ireland, Guyana, New Zealand, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States of America or West Indies, an English test score is not required but you should upload a letter certifiying that you have taken the degree through the medium of English. Failure to do this will result in your application file not being processed.
In all other cases you should upload proof of  proficiency in English.}

What kind of proof should we provide for English proficiency?

_{Transcripts for one of the following tests:}

_- IELTS

_{- Computer-based TOEFL}

_{- Internet-based TOEFL (iBT)}

_{- Paper-based TOEFL (PBT)}

_{- Cambridge CPE}

_{- TOEIC (not accepted by Imperial College London)}

_{Chinese students wishing to study at TU Delft MUST provide an IELTS score, as the TOEFL is not accepted by the Netherlands Education Support Office in Beijing.}

Is there a required score for the TOEFL?

_{There is no standard common to all sites for EM MSc OpSciTech programme. You can consider that a score of 215-250 at the TOEFL computer based is a reasonable minimum and convert it to TOEIC or IELTS (see scales on the website application form).}

I will not be able to receive the results of my TOEFL test before the application deadline. What can I do?

_{You can at least provide the proof that you have taken the test (upload the .PDF document that certifies it).}

Do you require an official TOEFL grade report sent by ETS, or do you accept the copy of the grade report?

_{Yes, you should arrange for official reports to be sent to us.} 

 
5 Study contents, schedule and degree

Could you tell me some more details about the study schedule ? When would the semester exactly start and when should I arrive in the Country hosting me ?

_{See the “Course Programme” page, Detailed Course contents section and specific 1st year programme on your site.}

On the “Paris” site, will the whole first year be spent in Institut d'Optique Graduate School or in University Paris-Sud 11?

_{The programme is common for all students from these institutions (it is a co-accredited programme) and the degree has the same title: “Master in Optics, Matter and Plasma” (see the “Course Programme” page, degree section). All the courses are given in Palaiseau during year 1 and Palaiseau and Orsay (2 miles away) during year 2. In practice, you will be registered either at Institut d'Optique Graduate School or at Université de Paris-Sud 11.}

I am wondering where I will spend the second year in the program, as Paris was my choice for the second year in my application, and it now becomes the site for my first year.

_{You have been proposed the first site available (Paris) among your site preferences for the first year. We took good note that your preferred choice for the first year was different (London). The final choice of your 2nd year will be made during the 1st year according to your preferences and results. If you are invited to spend your first year of MSc course in a first given institution, it is not possible to change the location to another one.}

Has the site for the second year study been determined now?

_{NO. Your preferences have been taken into account but the choice will be made during the 1st year according to your preferences and results.}

The invitation e-mail required me to make my decision ASAP. That said, what is the deadline for making my decision on accepting the offer or not?

_{In practice, we would like to have your final answer as quickly as possible in order to organize your support in obtaining visas, accommodation,...}

Exactly what degree would I be given after 2 years ? I know it will be a dual degree. But would it be a Masters of Sc. or Masters of Eng.? Are these degrees Masters of Physics and Masters of Optics?

_{As indicated on the “Course Programme” page , degree section:
Each graduate is awarded the Master’s degrees of the 2 institutions involved in his/her individual study path (TU Delft: Master of Science in Applied Physics; FSU Jena: Master of Physics, Imperial College London: Master in Optics and Photonics; Université Paris-Sud 11 and Institut d'Optique, Paris : Master in Optics, Matter & Plasma (co-accredited also with Ecole Polytechnique); Warsaw University of Technology: Master in Automatics & Robotics specialized in  Photonics Engineering).}

Can you provide me with the statistics of the last few years, like which are the companies that have recruited the students, the average pay packages, the highest and lowest pay packages, etc..?

_{Each partner institution of the Erasmus Mundus MSc OpSciTech has its own detailed statistics about employment of his graduates. For instance, Institut d'Optique Graduate School organizes every year a survey for the last 2 cohorts of graduates. The results are available - in French - on :} http://www.institutoptique.fr/formation/Ingenieur-Grande-Ecole/Debouches-et-devenir-des-diplomes _{(a translation into English will be available later on). The EM MSc OpSciTech programme will organize in itself so as to :- refer the graduates to the Erasmus Mundus Alumni Association (EMA), created in June 2006 : http://www.em-a.eu} (being a scholarship student opens the right to be a member free of charge) 

I want to join the OpSciTech programme. Could you please give me the contacts of relevant professors?

 
6 Help for visas, travelling, accommodation, … (see also Calendar & deadlines page)

I am accepting your proposition of a scholarship. Please let me know what are the official and other formalities that I need to carry out right now. It would be of great help to me if you provide me the travelling expenditure due to my financial constraints.

_{There are of course other formalities (visa procedure, housing, opening of bank account,…) that the coordinator of the institution hosting you will detail you.}

Can I bring along my Spouse and my 14 month old daughter? If so, is the financial help I’m getting enough to maintain my family, because it is really tough to figure out the cost from my country ? And if I can afford within that limit, is there any help that I can expect from you regarding visa context ?

_{We proposed you to go to a given partner University for your 1st year. In order to know if this amount is sufficient to bring your family and also in order to know if, in those financial conditions, visas can be obtained from the immigration services of the host Country, we suggest you to get in touch will the site coordinator of the Institution hosting you.}

In a metropolis like Paris, I am also wondering whether the EM scholarship will be enough for my living expense.

_{As indicated on the Fees and Grants page of our OpScitech website, considering tuition fees (10,500 EUROS/year) and scholarship (24,000 EUROS/year), 13,500 EUROS/year are available for living costs. As you may know, the Institut d’Optique Graduate school is located on the Campus Polytechnique 20 km South of Paris (with an express train that brings you downtown in 30 mn).
For OpSciTech students who beneficiate of the scholarship, we generally provide accommodation on the Campus itself at walking distance at a cost of 122 €/month ( see http://www.polytechnique.edu/home/campus-life/ ); Meals are served in the restaurant of Ecole Polytechnique for an approximate price of 3 €/meal. Most services (http://www.polytechnique.edu/home/campus-life/orientation/ ) are available on site. All other academic services such as Library, Network access are included in the tuition fees.}

7 Selection on the Main or on the Reserve List

How many students are ranked on the main list?

_{In principle, about 20 students, as many as the number of scholarships available each year for the programme.}

May I know my rank on the Reserve List ?

_{We cannot communicate the precise number of persons on the Reserve list, nor your rank.}

Can you please forward me the names of those who are selected for a scholarship ?

_{We cannot give this information. However, please note that statistics for nationalities of scholarship recipients are published on the site of the European Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/mundus/projects_en.html) and are updated each year.}

Can you please tell me how long it will take before I could be shifted from the Reserve list to the Main list ?

_{It depends on the decision (accepting our offer or dropping out for other MSc programmes) of the students themselves. As soon as you will be in a position to shift, we will let you know it.}

Could you please let me know why I failed to be in the Main list ?

_{We cannot give you the quantitative results (marking and ranking) resulting from the selection commission.}

If I accept your proposition now, does it mean I must follow the EM MSc OpSciTech programme? 

Is it required to send my formal acceptance mail by regular post.

_{No. Your email is sufficient for the moment but you will be asked by the hosting institution for the 1st year to send paper versions of some documents uploaded during the application (e.g. transcripts,…)}

Is there any date by which I am expected to communicate my decision?

_{For the moment, we offer you a scholarship for the 1st year in a given partner University and we are eager to know if you accept or not this proposition. In case you do not, the scholarship will be offered to another applicant and we would like to know the reason for your withdrawal.}

Would I receive any official admission letter if I accept this offer?

_{YES. We will send you an e-mail/a letter of invitation/acceptation as soon as possible.}

I would like to know when I will find out if I finally got the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship or not?

_{As soon as the European Commission, through the Education Executive Agency will have checked (in March or April) the eligibility and cases of  double admission to different Erasmus Mundus MSc courses. See also Calendar & deadlines page.}