How an Indian Psychology Graduate Secured the Fully Funded Erasmus Mundus Scholarship to Study Clinical Linguistics Across the Netherlands, Belgium, and Finland

Hello, I am Prajna Sinha from India. I graduated from the University of Hyderabad, India, in 2024 with a B.Sc. in Psychology. Currently, I am pursuing EMCL++ (European Master's in Clinical Linguistics) with a full Erasmus Mundus Scholarship. My programme has one track, where we studied our first semester at the University of Groningen (Netherlands), currently studying the second semester at Ghent University (Belgium), and will study the third semester at the University of Eastern Finland (Finland). For our final semester, we can choose among certain places for an internship and write a thesis.

Educational Background

I completed my B. Sc. in Psychology from the University of Hyderabad, where the course was very interdisciplinary. I could study linguistics, sociology, and biology alongside my major subject. Apart from that, I did some research internships, which hugely boosted my skillset. Culturally, I was lucky to be in an institution where people from all over the country came to study. This provided me with the essential multicultural and multilingual experience that is very similar to life in Europe.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship?

I applied only for the Erasmus Mundus scholarship, and that too only for the programme I am currently in. Erasmus Mundus programmes are highly competitive, and I think my research experience related to the content of the degree was responsible for my application being successful. I think most EM programmes are very niche fields, so having experience related to the course you are applying for or having transferable skills really boosts your application. My advice is to focus on the quality of your application rather than quantity. Try to research the course you want to pursue, have an idea of the career following that course, and then explain how you are a good fit for the programme with your experience and potential in your letter of motivation and/or interview. The admission committee gets applications from numerous talented people all over the world. However, what truly matters is whether you are a good fit for the programme and whether both you and the committee can see that.

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

My degree is a very interdisciplinary one, with fields like psycholinguistics, neurolinguistics, and clinical linguistics forming the core of EMCL++. It accepts people from various fields such as biomedical sciences, neuroscience, speech and language therapy, apart from linguistics and psychology. It is a Research Master's, so we focus on learning how to do research in a particular area, coming up with ideas, creating small tests or experiments, learning computational methods, etc. Most of the courses have no exams, and the focus is on writing papers and research proposals. It is a very well-established programme with a strong and research-oriented curriculum and has been running for 25 years as of 2025.

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 have studied in the Netherlands and Belgium till now, both of which are very high-income countries in Europe. My scholarship is from the old scheme, so we get 1000 euros a month, which is more than enough in some countries. However, in the countries I have lived in, this amount squarely covered all the necessities. It was manageable, since we were given an additional transport and installation costs amount, and health insurance was covered.

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?

With respect to language barriers, I have been lucky. The Netherlands is very English-speaking, and it was easy. In Belgium, I live in the Dutch-speaking part. I have picked up a little bit of Dutch, good enough to survive and get groceries!

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

I would recommend people to apply for Erasmus Mundus programmes as it comes with opportunities and experiences that I couldn't have imagined a few years ago, like travelling within Europe, visiting the places I have read about or seen in a movie. It has helped me grow as a researcher, develop new skills, and learn from others, not only from the faculty but also from my classmates and seniors. There are challenges that come with having to move to a new place all alone, the paperwork, the language barrier, leaving friends and family back at home, however, it is worth it, trust me :)

Looking Back, Would You Have Done Anything Differently During Your Time in the Program?

I am still in my EM journey, so I have to come back to the question later