STEPS is an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master run by four European universities: the University of Oviedo in Spain as coordinator, Kiel University in Germany, Sapienza University of Rome in Italy and the Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra in Portugal.
It is a 120 ECTS degree over four semesters of 30 ECTS each, taught entirely in English, with two study tracks: Sustainable Transportation and Electrical Power Systems.
Students follow one of two mobility paths, Coimbra–Kiel–Oviedo or Rome–Kiel–Oviedo, and spend the fourth semester on an internship and master’s thesis at a partner university or company in Europe, the Americas or Asia. The joint master’s degree is recognised in all four partner countries.
Benefits & funding
- Full Erasmus Mundus scholarship: tuition covered plus €1,400 per month toward living costs for the whole programme, up to 24 months.
- Tuition fee waiver scholarship: the €9,000 per year participation cost covered, without the monthly allowance.
- The number of awards in each category is set by the consortium each year; no more than two students of the same nationality receive a scholarship in one cohort.
- Self-funded route: €9,000 per year, €18,000 in total, half payable at enrolment and half before 31 December.
- Fourth-semester internship with a partner or associated university or company in Europe, the Americas or Asia, with the thesis often co-supervised by the host organisation.
Eligibility
- Open to applicants of any nationality; the consortium states that selection is on merit regardless of gender, ethnic or national origin, age, disability, religion or sexual orientation.
- A bachelor’s degree in engineering: at least three years of university study and at least 180 ECTS, or the equivalent under the applicant’s own country’s rules.
- Non-native English speakers must show B2-level English: IELTS Academic 6 (no component below 5.5), TOEFL 79 (writing 17, reading 18, speaking 20) or PTE Academic 55 (no element below 51), taken within two years of registration.
- Scholarship categories follow Erasmus+ rules: Partner Country applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity in a Programme Country for more than 12 months in the previous five years.
- No age, work-experience or residency requirement for admission.
Can you apply?
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Education required
Bachelor
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Application process
- 1Register for credentials on the consortium’s online application system at emjmdsteps.em.uniovi.es.
- 2Submit the application form with digital copies of certificates and transcripts of previous studies before 15 January.
- 3Wait for preselection; the 40 to 60 best-ranked candidates are invited to a personal interview, which may be held by videoconference.
- 4Preselected candidates post hard copies of every required attachment, postmarked before the assigned deadline.
- 5Accept the admission decision and complete enrolment between 1 and 30 June.
Program timeline
Call for applications opens for September 2026 entry
Oct 15, 2025
Application deadline
Jan 15, 2026
Interviews with preselected candidates
Mid-January to February 2026
Informal notification of results
Mar 15, 2026 to Mar 31, 2026
Official admission decision
Mid to late May 2026
Enrolment
Jun 1, 2026 to Jun 30, 2026
Classes start
Early September 2026
Next call expected to open, with the same 15 January deadline
Oct 15, 2026