Application processes are now closed.
The new calls for applications will open in October 2016 and close at the very beginning of January 2017 (for the 2-year programme) and at spring 2017 (for the 1-year programme).

Admission requirements

1. A Bachelor’s or equivalent degree (180 ECTS) in economics or in political science and law (with a minimum of 24 ECTS – or equivalent – in economics and 6 ECTS in statistics or econometrics). Candidates who plan to graduate by 31st July will be provisionally accepted and will be required to provide copies of their degree certificates by 31st August.
2. A good level in English, with proof of the level. For example: TOEFL (Computer-based: 237; Paper version: 580; Internet version: 87 or above), IELTS (6.5, academic version); Cambridge Proficiency Examination (C), Cambridge Advanced English Test (B), CERF (B2). Knowledge of French, Italian or German is not mandatory, but is taken into account. Those students concerned must provide official proof of their language skills (foreign language diploma or DIALANG European test). If you have a Graduate Record Examination (GRE) with a General Test score of at least 450 for verbal reasoning, 4.1 for analytical writing, and 650 for quantitative reasoning, it can be considered a proof of your proficiency in English.
3. A clear motivation for the field and for international studies. The applicants should also highlight their interest, knowledge and motivation to engage with heterodox approaches of economics.

Eligibility criteria slightly differ according to the option/track chosen (see the Mobility section for details on each option). Students with other academic backgrounds than strictly economics (political science, law, international relations, business administration) may be considered provided applicants can prove they have validated the equivalent of 24 ECTS in economics and 6 ECTS in statistics/econometrics/mathematics (description of ECTS in the FAQ section). The details or those requirements vary from option to option:

• For option A (Knowledge and Innovation Policies), the 24 ECTS can include any type of basic/advanced economics courses, and management courses can constitute part of the 24 ECTS
• For option B (International macroeconomics and financial policies), the 24 ECTS should include microeconomics and macroeconomics, as well as international economics for Major B1 (International Economics and Governance)
• For option C (Development policies), the 24 ECTS should include basic/advanced economics courses (for Major C1 – Knowledge, Industrial and local development) or more specifically microeconomics, macroeconomics and international economics (for Major C2 – macroeconomic development and finance).
• In case a student only has 6 ECTS or equivalent in statistics (or econometrics), he/she may be asked to attend an extra course if he/she is enrolled in the programme.

Please consider thoroughly the options you wish to apply for (two choices only) since the focus of courses, the degrees they lead to and the host institutions and countries differ according to the option and major.

Application procedure (online submission – opened by beginning of November 2014):

1. Completed application form (online only)
2. Full curriculum vitae (possible on Europass format, but not mandatory);
3. Electronic (scanned) version of all higher education academic records (academic transcript, awarded degrees, supplement diploma…), with original and official English translation. Proof of English proficiency (see above) except for students from countries where the Bachelor’s is taught in English. Non mandatory proof of French, Italian or German proficiency;
4. Statement of purpose (no more than 500 words highlighting the candidate’s reasons for applying to EPOG Master’s Course, any relevant academic and work experience, and future career plans). The statement will also indicate the option(s) and major(s) they wish to choose (and order of preference);
5. Two official recommendation letters (from teachers/professors or job supervisors) assessing the student’s ability to follow the EPOG Master’s Course;
6. Personal details including (see online application form) a scanned copy of the passport;
7. Document giving details of other funding (e.g. scholarships, with name of funder or awarding authority, and value of award).

All these documents have to be uploaded in the Attachments section of the application form. Please do not send them by email.

Timing (2016-2018 cohort)

• The call for application has been launched since October 30, 2015. The deadline for all students is January 6, 2016.  An second call might been opened also later for self-paying students (i.e. without Erasmus Mundus scholarship).
  

• The EPOG Consortium committee will meet in mid-February (for scholarships) with a final decision from the European Commission expected at the end of April. Applicants selected for scholarships (and placed on the reserve list) will be informally notified by the beginning of March, and officially notified by the beginning of May.

• Admitted students will have to supply certified photocopies of the education academic records and all documents necessary to complete enrolment.

• A call of students from the reserve list (if relevant) will be made within the reserve list between July 1st and September 15th. Early admission decisions could possibly be delivered to foreign students with complete applications, in order to facilitate their Visa application.

Selection criteria and process

The criteria are:

• educational background (15%) as demonstrated by the curriculum vitae (quality and relevance of academic qualification, knowledge in economics and research / professional experience),
• academic records (35%). Candidates’ academic records should have a minimum Grade Point Average for the Bachelors degree of at least 70% of the maximum scale;
• motivation and letters of recommendation (20%)
• and proficiency in English and another language of the partners’ countries (30%).

The coordinator will conduct an initial filtering (based on minimum requirements) and submit the remaining applications for consideration by the Consortium committee. For each applicant, two referees from two member institutions will be appointed. A preselection of the best students among the completed submissions is then  made by the Consortium committee. The preselection of these students will depend on the excellence of their studies. For the preselected students, a video-conference will be organised in February by the Consortium committee to complement the evaluation. The joint selection committee of the consortium will draw up a final list of students (main list and reserve list) in accordance with the criteria defined above. Unanimity of the awarding institutions will be required in order to meet the highest standards.

Regional, gender and social situation will be taken into account in the final selection (i.e. among the best candidates) but will not take precedence over merit, quality and competence. The process will respect the principles of Euraxess “European Charter for Researchers” and the “Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers” including non-discrimination, equal treatment, transparency, recognition of qualifications, lifelong development and mobility experience. The final selection of candidates will comply with the maximum number of scholarships per country and per institution of origin defined by the European Commission. Students with special needs will benefit from extra time for examinations and will benefit from dedicated installations in each partner institution.

For specific questions, please check the FAQ section of our website.