How I Secured a Fully Funded Master's at Central European University, Austria Through the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Scholarship

Hi, I’m Rayhan, originally from Indonesia, but I have been living abroad for the past 6 years. After graduating from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Japan with a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree in International Relations in 2024, I continued my studies with the Erasmus Mundus Master of Arts in Public Policy (Mundus MAPP). Through this program, I got to study and live in Vienna, Austria, and Barcelona, Spain, as a student at both Central European University and Institut Barcelona d’Estudis Internacionals. I recently submitted my Master’s Thesis and am now waiting for my final transcript and diploma.

Educational Background

As an IR student, I frequently engaged with courses on Political Economy, Macroeconomics, Public Administration, and Global Governance, all of which are core elements in the study of Public Policy. My undergraduate thesis also discussed the policy analysis of Indonesia’s foreign policy strategy under former President Joko Widodo. This research brought me into contact with national policymakers and relevant stakeholders, thus improving my semi-structured interview skills, which are often used in qualitative methods alongside textual analysis.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to Universities?

Applying to any Erasmus Mundus program means that you apply to a consortium of universities that jointly offer the specific coursework in that field as an integrated study program. Hence, I did not really apply to a specific university, because my application was already tailored to the requirements of the program. For my master’s degree, I only applied to the Central European University private scheme as a backup plan for my Mundus MAPP application. Luckily, I also got the CEU Financial Aid scholarship for the MA in IR (2-year) program, but I went with the Mundus MAPP one, as it gave me more opportunities to grow, since I could experience two countries and two university environments. The Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s (EMJM) Scholarship, the official name of the fully funded scheme for all Erasmus Mundus programs, is, I think, the most lucrative educational opportunity for everyone, both from inside and outside the EU, as it gives you guaranteed two-year funding for your living allowance during your studies, besides the obviously free tuition. It is also one of the most effective immigration mechanisms for attracting young professionals from all over the world to establish an international career in Europe, and it serves as a launching pad for further postgraduate study.

Were You Offered Any Other Scholarships?

As mentioned earlier, I was also offered the Central European University Financial Aid as a private student for the MA in IR (2-year) program. During my undergraduate years, I also managed to secure four other scholarships between 2020 and 2024:

JASSO Monbukagakusho Honors Scholarship 2020  Reception Period: Monthly between October 2020 – September 2024  Received this scholarship for placing in the top 5 in the Examination for Japanese Universities (EJU) Fall 2019 scores across Indonesia and Southeast Asia.

JEES Makita Jinichi Scholarships  Reception Period: Monthly between April 2022 – September 2024  Received this scholarship through a separate internal Ritsumeikan APU Funding Scheme for Active Students.

1. Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University Tuition Reduction Scholarship  I received this funding upon my admission to the campus in November 2019.
2. Oita Koutsu Bus Scholarship  Reception Period: Monthly between April 2022 – September 2024  Received this scholarship through a separate internal Ritsumeikan APU Funding Scheme for Active Students.

Could You Briefly Discuss the Erasmus Mundus Program You Pursued and the Specific Field of Study It Focused On?

I enrolled in the Mundus MAPP – Global Public Policy track, with a central focus on the policy process at the international and global level, including the design and operation of international organizations and global policy regimes. The track is designed to provide students with a thorough understanding of public policy in both national and international contexts. This includes analysis of policy networks, international organizations, and global policy regimes. We also studied courses on macroeconomics, public administration, and public management.

What Did You Pursue After the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Scholarship?

I have been offered a Ph.D. position in Political Science at a public university in Sweden under an EU-wide funding scheme similar to Erasmus Mundus. However, I cannot disclose more information about this, as I am currently bound by an NDA with the consortium.

How Did the Cost of Living Vary Across the Countries You Studied In? Which Country Was the Most Affordable or Expensive, and How Did You Manage Financially?

I think living costs varied between Japan, Austria, and Spain not only due to geographical distance and national economic conditions, but also because I lived in these three countries during different periods of our geopolitical world. When I entered Japan, life was not that easy, because the country was in total isolation from the outside world, as it imposed one of the strictest border regulations in combating the spread of Covid-19. However, Japan is famous for its part-time working culture (called “Arubaito” in Japanese), and therefore I got to work in many roles during my studies there. I worked as a waiter in a local Udon restaurant chain, a service cleaner for public facilities, an assistant language teacher at a local high school in Oita, and an English tutor at a cram school also based in Oita. Moreover, the many scholarships I received during my life in Japan made me financially independent, and even allowed me to join a field study in Europe. For Austria and Spain, the cost of living is generally much cheaper in the former than in the latter, as Barcelona is more touristic and has a more vulnerable housing market. However, the financial support from the EMJM Scholarship can still comfortably support a single student’s life across the EU, no problem.

Did You Face Any Language Barriers, and if so, How Did You Overcome Them? Did the Language of Instruction Change from One Country to Another?

Although I studied primarily in English in all three countries over the past 6 years, I had to learn three languages, Japanese, German, and Spanish, in order to integrate with local communities. Still, it was fun and exciting, as I got to personally experience ‘code-switching,’ which was one of the most interesting experiences of my life.

Would You Recommend the Erasmus Mundus Program to Others? What Advice Would You Give to Someone Considering This Scholarship?

YESSSSSSS! Be proactive with organizations and engage in many global events that would increase your international exposure. I had already taken a field study program conducted jointly by Ritsumeikan APU and the Bratislava International School of Liberal Arts (BISLA), and that was, I think, one of my better decisions, as it gave me a head start on the European context compared to other applicants.

What Would You Have Done Differently if You Were Going Through the Process Again?

Personally, I feel it would be much more rewarding, useful, and beneficial for anyone considering a master’s degree to first have full-time working experience. By the time I applied to Mundus MAPP, I had only completed one internship with the Central Bank of Indonesia and some part-time teaching roles in local Japanese schools. Although working experience is not a mandatory component of Mundus MAPP applications, those who have had full-time working experience, regardless of sector, most definitely perform better in class compared to those who were fresh graduates ‘out of the oven.’