75 Indian Students Awarded Prestigious Erasmus+ Scholarships for Higher Studies in Europe

NEW DELHI June 22: Seventy-five Indian students have been awarded the prestigious Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD) scholarships for the 2026–2028 academic cycle, reaffirming India’s status as the largest beneficiary of the European Union’s flagship higher education programme since 2004.

India is among the top three countries globally in this year’s Erasmus Mundus intake, reflecting the growing interest among Indian students in pursuing advanced studies in Europe. The announcement comes at a time when nearly 100,000 Indian students are enrolled in higher education institutions across Europe.

To mark the achievement, the Delegation of the European Union to India hosted a pre-departure ceremony in New Delhi, bringing together scholarship recipients, representatives of EU member states, Erasmus alumni, and education stakeholders. The event served as an orientation platform for students preparing to embark on their academic journeys across Europe.

The selected students will study at leading universities across 15 European countries, including France, Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Poland, Austria, Hungary, the Netherlands, Greece, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Romania and Lithuania, as well as partner institutions in other countries.

This year’s scholars will pursue interdisciplinary master’s programmes in areas aligned with both European and Indian strategic priorities. These include cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, smart urban development, renewable energy, nanosystems, vaccinology, pharmaceutical sciences and gender studies. Several students have also opted for programmes in literature, cultural studies and social sciences, reflecting the breadth of academic collaboration between India and Europe. The 2026 cohort continues the trend of near-equal gender representation among scholarship recipients.

Congratulating the students, European Union Ambassador to India Hervé Delphin described Erasmus+ as “more than a scholarship,” calling it “a passport to a first-class experience.” He said the programme provides access to world-class education, diverse cultures and international networks that strengthen ties between India and Europe.

“These students will not only earn a degree but also develop the skills and perspectives needed to facilitate the mobility of talent that will power the India-Europe strategic partnership,” Delphin said.

In a parallel initiative aimed at deepening academic engagement, the EU also launched the EU-India Student Ambassadors’ Network, comprising 40 student ambassadors from 20 universities across 14 states and union territories. The network is designed to promote awareness of European higher education and research opportunities while strengthening youth engagement in the EU-India partnership.

The ambassadors represent a diverse cross-section of India’s academic landscape, including institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Technology in Madras and Bombay, the Indian Institute of Science, Jawaharlal Nehru University, the University of Delhi, the University of Mumbai, and several emerging centres of innovation and regional universities.

According to the EU, the initiative aligns with the EU-India Strategic Agenda’s focus on youth, innovation and knowledge-sharing. The ambassadors are expected to promote academic opportunities, encourage cultural exchange and strengthen university partnerships.

Since 2004, Erasmus+ has awarded more than 7,500 short-term and long-term scholarships to Indian nationals, including over 2,500 Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees, one of the world’s most competitive international scholarship programmes.

Europe remains one of the leading destinations for higher education, with more than 5,000 institutions, 17.5 million tertiary students, 1.35 million educators and over 1.17 million researchers. The growing number of Indian students choosing Europe underscores the continent’s appeal as a centre for academic excellence, innovation and research.

Beyond student mobility, Erasmus+ has also played a key role in fostering institutional collaboration. Since 2021, Indian universities have participated in 16 Capacity Building in Higher Education projects aimed at modernising curricula, improving governance and strengthening university-industry partnerships. During the same period, 17 projects involving Indian academics have received support under the Jean Monnet Actions programme, which promotes excellence in European Studies.

Launched in 1987, Erasmus+ is the European Union’s flagship programme for education, training, youth and sport. Operating under a budget of €26.2 billion for the 2021–2027 period, it supports international mobility, academic exchange and collaborative research across the globe.

As India and the European Union continue to deepen their strategic partnership, educational exchanges and youth mobility remain central pillars of cooperation, fostering greater understanding, innovation and collaboration between the two regions.