Erasmus Mundus Joint Master in Insects as Solutions for a Sustainable Future

ISSF — Insects as Solutions for a Sustainable Future — is a two-year Erasmus Mundus Joint Master delivered by four universities: Université de Tours and Université d’Orléans in France, KU Leuven on its Geel campus in Belgium, and Universidade Nova de Lisboa in Portugal. The consortium describes it as the only Erasmus Mundus Joint Master dedicated to insect sciences.

Students change country each semester. Semester one in France covers insects in eco- and agrosystems, semester two in Belgium covers insects in industry and innovation, and semester three in Portugal covers insects and public health. The fourth semester is a six-month master’s thesis internship that can be done anywhere in the world through a network of more than 60 partners in 33 countries.

Each semester is anchored to a working facility: the Insect Canopy Observatory in Tours, the Insect Pilot Plant at KU Leuven, and the In Vivo Arthropod Security Facility in Lisbon. Graduates are pointed towards research and PhD study, insect-based industry and bioeconomy ventures, environmental and food-security policy, and conservation or development work.

Benefits & funding

60 EU-funded Erasmus Mundus Joint Master scholarships across the four cohorts; 20 students enrol each year.
A scholarship runs the full 24 months and covers participation fees and registration at all four partner universities.
Monthly stipend of €1,400, meant to cover living costs, accommodation and travel.
Scholarships are awarded on academic excellence and geographical balance, and some are reserved for applicants from targeted world regions.
Self-funded route: participation fees of €4,500 per year for EU students and €9,000 per year for non-EU students, with the same academic programme and facilities.
Self-funded students must produce a Guarantee of Full Financial Support before enrolment, for the visa file.
The consortium also points self-funded students to Erasmus+ mobility funds (Key Actions 131 and 171), home and host university scholarships, and national Erasmus+ offices.

Eligibility

Open to EU and non-EU graduates; no nationality or residency restriction.
A BSc in life sciences, biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, bio-engineering, biosciences or a related field, held by the time of enrolment.
Students in the final year of a bachelor’s degree may apply before graduating.
A working foundation in biology, mathematics, statistics, microbiology, physics and chemistry is expected.
English proficiency: TOEFL iBT 79 overall (MyBest scores not accepted), IELTS Academic 6.5 overall (One Skill Retake not accepted), Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency, or ITACE C1/C2 for Belgium.
The English test is waived for applicants whose earlier diploma came from an English-taught programme in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK or the USA.
Anyone who has already held an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master scholarship cannot receive a second one.

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Education required
Bachelor · Bachelor Enrolled

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Application process

1
Check the ISSF how-to-apply page: the online application for the 2027 intake and the list of required documents have not been published yet.
2
Prepare the motivation letter around the four questions the consortium publishes — how you found ISSF, how insects connect to your studies or work, which of the three specialisations you want, and what applied research or internship topic you would pursue.
3
Assemble degree evidence and, unless exempt, an accepted English test result at the stated minimum.
4
Apply online once the portal opens; admission and the Erasmus Mundus scholarship are decided from the same application.
5
Self-funded admitted students prepare a Guarantee of Full Financial Support before enrolment.

Program timeline

Application deadline for the first intake, academic year 2026/27.
Feb 28, 2026
First cohort begins with the France semester.
2026/27
online application and required documents to be announced by the consortium.
2027 intake