The Erasmus Mundus ILSPSD Scholarship 2027 offers international students a fully funded, two-year joint Master’s degree in International Law of Security, Peace and Sustainable Development (ILSPSD) across several European countries.

Funded by the European Union through the Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters programme, ILSPSD combines international law, international security, peace, human rights, global governance and sustainable development. A consortium of six European universities delivers the programme and provides students with opportunities to study in different academic environments throughout Europe.

For the 2027–2029 intake, the application period opened on 1 October 2026. Applicants seeking an Erasmus Mundus scholarship must submit their applications by 4 January 2027 at 23:59 Central European Time (CET). Self-funded applicants have a separate deadline of 31 March 2027.

The scholarship provides a monthly allowance of €1,400 for the 24-month programme, exemption from tuition fees, and contributions toward travel, visa, installation, and living costs. The programme welcomes applicants from all nationalities, subject to the academic and other eligibility requirements.

The Erasmus Mundus ILSPSD Scholarship is available for:

Master’s degree
Master of Laws (LLM)
Master of Arts (MA)
Full-time postgraduate study
A two-year joint Master’s programme

The programme lasts 24 months and consists of four semesters. Students study at multiple European institutions, select a specialised study track and complete a dissertation during the final semester.

The programme is designed for graduates interested in international law, security, peace, conflict resolution, human rights and sustainable development.

Available Subjects

The ILSPSD programme focuses on the relationship between international law, global security, peace and sustainable development.

The programme is particularly relevant to students interested in:

International Law
International Security
Peace and Conflict Studies
Human Rights
International Relations
International Politics
Global Governance
Public International Law
International Economic Law
Environmental Law
Sustainability Law
International Criminal Law
European Human Rights Law
United Nations Law and Practice
Security and Conflict Resolution
Globalisation and Law
Sustainable Ocean Law and Governance
International Development
Diplomacy
Peacebuilding
Humanitarian Affairs
International Organisations
Related legal and interdisciplinary fields

Applicants should choose a study track that matches their academic background and professional interests. Additional entry requirements apply to some specialisation tracks, particularly those offered by the partner universities in Glasgow, Brussels and Tartu.

Partner Universities

The Erasmus Mundus ILSPSD programme is delivered by a consortium of six European higher education institutions.

The partner universities are:

Leuphana University of Lüneburg: Germany
Institut Barcelona d’Estudis Internacionals (IBEI): Spain
University of Glasgow: United Kingdom
Université libre de Bruxelles: Belgium
Universidade NOVA de Lisboa: Portugal
University of Tartu: Estonia

Students begin their studies in Germany and continue to Spain before selecting a specialised study track at a partner university for the third semester. The final semester is primarily dedicated to dissertation research at the university where the student completed the third semester.

This structure provides international academic mobility and exposure to different European legal and policy environments.

Programme Structure

The ILSPSD Master’s programme lasts two academic years, with study periods distributed across partner institutions.

Semester 1: Germany

Students begin at Leuphana University of Lüneburg.

The available routes include:

LLM track: International Law of Security, Peace and Sustainable Development
MA track: International Law of Security, Peace and Sustainable Development

The LLM track requires a suitable background in law, while the MA track accepts relevant subjects such as political science, international relations, and related social sciences.

Semester 2: Spain

Students continue at the Institut Barcelona d’Estudis Internacionals in Barcelona.

The semester focuses on international security theory and related elective subjects, including human rights, United Nations law and practice, European human rights law and international criminal law.

Semester 3: Specialisation

Students choose a specialised track at one of the partner universities:

University of Glasgow: International Law and International Security
Université libre de Bruxelles: Security and Conflict
Universidade NOVA de Lisboa: Globalisation, Law and Security
University of Tartu: International Law and Human Rights

Each track has its own additional admission requirements. Applicants should check these requirements before selecting their preferred specialisation.

Semester 4: Dissertation

The final semester is primarily dedicated to research and dissertation preparation at the institution where the student completed the third semester. A work placement may also be possible, subject to programme arrangements.

Benefits

Successful Erasmus Mundus ILSPSD scholarship recipients receive financial support for the full 24-month programme.

The scholarship includes:

€1,400 per month for 24 months.
Exemption from tuition fees.
A contribution toward travel expenses.
A contribution toward visa expenses.
A contribution toward installation costs.
A contribution toward subsistence and living expenses.
The opportunity to study at several European universities.
Access to an international academic and professional network.
Multidisciplinary education in international law, security, peace and sustainability.

The total monthly allowance over 24 months amounts to €33,600. This is calculated from the published monthly rate of €1,400, excluding the additional financial value of tuition-fee exemption and the applicable contributions toward travel, visa and installation expenses.

The exact financial arrangements are governed by the programme’s Erasmus Mundus scholarship rules. Applicants should review the official scholarship conditions before preparing their financial plans.

The Erasmus Mundus ILSPSD scholarship provides a comprehensive funding package for selected students.

It covers the full tuition fee and provides a monthly allowance of €1,400 for the two-year programme, together with contributions toward travel, visa, installation, and subsistence expenses.

However, applicants should review the scholarship agreement to understand the exact conditions and eligible expenses. The programme’s published funding information describes these payments as contributions toward the costs incurred by scholarship recipients.

Students who do not receive an Erasmus Mundus scholarship can still apply as self-funded candidates, but they must arrange the required tuition and living expenses themselves.

Eligible Nationalities

The Erasmus Mundus ILSPSD scholarship is open to applicants from all nationalities.

International applicants from Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas and other regions can apply if they satisfy the academic and programme-specific requirements.

The programme divides scholarship allocations into different categories, including students from EU Member States and associated countries, other non-associated countries, and additional allocations for selected regions.

The consortium generally applies a rule limiting scholarships awarded to students of the same nationality to no more than 10% of the overall scholarship allocation, subject to exceptions for targeted regions.

Applicants should review the current scholarship regulations because nationality and residency can affect how an application is categorised for scholarship allocation.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants for the Erasmus Mundus ILSPSD Scholarship 2027 should generally meet the following requirements:

Hold a completed undergraduate degree from an accredited higher education institution.
Have at least 180 ECTS credits or an equivalent amount of recognised higher education study.
Hold a degree that provides access to Master’s-level study in the country where it was awarded.
Meet the entry requirements of the selected study track.
Meet the English-language requirements.
Submit a complete online application before the scholarship deadline.
Provide the required academic documents, references and personal statement.
Meet any additional requirements for the chosen specialisation.

Applicants from outside the European Higher Education Area must provide sufficient information for their previous degree’s workload to be assessed against the ECTS system.

A completed Master’s degree does not automatically disqualify an applicant. The programme’s FAQ states that applicants who already hold a Master’s degree may apply, provided they explain their reasons for pursuing ILSPSD in their motivation letter.

Applicants who have previously received an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master scholarship are not eligible for another EMJM scholarship.

Academic Requirements

The programme requires a completed undergraduate qualification equivalent to at least 180 ECTS credits.

Applicants must have a degree that qualifies them to enter Master’s-level study in the country where the qualification was awarded.

The requirements for individual study tracks differ:

Leuphana LLM track: at least 60 ECTS in law.
Leuphana MA track: at least 60 ECTS in relevant subjects, such as law, political science, international relations or related social sciences.
University of Glasgow track: normally a UK 2:1 Honours degree or equivalent in law, although relevant international relations, politics, social sciences or humanities qualifications may also be considered.
Université libre de Bruxelles track: an LLB or Master’s degree or equivalent, with at least 240 ECTS or four years of study in law or a relevant subject.
University of Tartu track: a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or equivalent, including at least 60 ECTS in law or law-related courses.
Universidade NOVA de Lisboa track: no additional track-specific requirements are listed on the current ILSPSD entry requirements page.

Applicants should check the official requirements for their preferred track before applying.

English Language Requirements

Applicants whose first language is not English and whose undergraduate studies were not completed entirely in English in a recognised country must demonstrate English proficiency at CEFR C1 level.

The programme currently accepts:

IELTS Academic: overall score of 7.0.
TOEFL iBT: score of 95 for examinations taken before 21 January 2026; the programme lists a score of 5 under the revised scale for tests taken from that date.
Cambridge English Advanced (CAE): C1 level.
Cambridge English Proficiency (CPE): C2 level.

English-language test results must be no more than two years old at the time of application. The programme does not accept Duolingo English Test as a substitute for the listed tests.

Applicants may qualify for an exemption if English is their first language or if they completed an undergraduate degree, or a Master’s degree lasting at least nine months, entirely in English in one of the countries recognised by the programme.

Additional requirements apply to some specialisation tracks. For example, students selecting the University of Glasgow track may need IELTS 7.0 with no component below 6.5 or an accepted equivalent. Students selecting the Brussels track must demonstrate passive French at B2 level or provide an accepted qualification from a French-speaking higher education institution.

Required Documents

Applicants should prepare the documents required by the official ILSPSD online application.

These include:

School-leaving certificate or university entrance qualification.
Bachelor’s degree certificate.
Academic transcripts or transcript of records.
Personal statement of ideally fewer than 1,000 words.
Two reference letters.
Curriculum vitae or résumé.
Proof of English-language proficiency.
Proof of French proficiency if required for the Brussels track.
Additional academic documents where applicable.
Workload information or ECTS conversion calculations for qualifications obtained outside the ECTS system, if required.

The personal statement should explain why the applicant wants to study ILSPSD, how the programme relates to their previous studies and career goals, their research interests, their preferred study track, and their intended placement or practice goals.

At least one reference letter must be academic. The second may be academic or professional. References should normally be dated within two years before the application and include the referee’s contact details.

Documents issued in languages other than English or the consortium’s accepted languages must be accompanied by an appropriate certified English translation. Apostilles are not required under the current application guidance.

How Winners Are Selected

The ILSPSD selection process includes eligibility screening, academic assessment and, for shortlisted candidates, an interview.

The scholarship competition considers the applicant’s academic background, suitability for the programme, motivation, research interests and preferred study track.

To be considered for an Erasmus Mundus scholarship, applicants must first secure a conditional or unconditional offer of a place on the degree programme and submit the scholarship application on time.

The programme’s admissions office at Leuphana University of Lüneburg assesses applications and informs applicants about admission decisions. Eligible applicants are then considered for the scholarship competition.

Scholarship selection is competitive, and admission to the programme does not guarantee an Erasmus Mundus scholarship.

Application Procedure

The application for the Erasmus Mundus ILSPSD Scholarship is completed online through the programme’s official application platform.

Applicants should follow these steps:

Review the ILSPSD entry requirements.
Check the additional requirements for the preferred study tracks.
Prepare the academic documents, CV, personal statement, and reference letters.
Obtain proof of English proficiency and French proficiency if required.
Convert previous study workloads to ECTS where necessary.
Visit the official ILSPSD website and open the scholarship application form.
Complete the online application for admission and scholarship consideration.
Select first, second, and third preferences for the third-semester study track, following the application instructions.
Upload all required documents.
Review the application carefully and submit it before the deadline.
Monitor your email for interview invitations and scholarship decisions.

Applicants do not need to submit separate applications for admission and the Erasmus Mundus scholarship. A single application is used to apply for the programme and, where applicable, the scholarship.

There is no application fee. All applications must be submitted online through the designated portal, and supporting documents must be uploaded before the relevant deadline.

Application Deadline

For the ILSPSD 2027–2029 intake, the current official application timetable is:

Application opens: 1 October 2026.
Erasmus Mundus scholarship deadline: 4 January 2027 at 23:59 CET.
Interviews for shortlisted applicants: February/March 2027, dates to be confirmed.
Preliminary notification of results: March/April 2027.
Final scholarship results: April/May 2027.
Self-funded application deadline: 31 March 2027 at 23:59 CEST.

Applicants seeking the Erasmus Mundus scholarship must submit the scholarship application by 4 January 2027. Self-funded applicants can apply later, until 31 March 2027.

Applicants should verify the current programme timetable before submitting an application because the consortium may update interview and notification dates.