I have been asked many times about the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship Interview Questions since I got selected for the Erasmus Mundus Waves Program last year. Many Erasmus Programs conduct interviews as part of their selection process, however, not all of them do. This interview is the final but most critical step of the scholarship process. Here are some tips from my experience, along with answers to common Erasmus Mundus Scholarship Interview Questions.
Some Quick Tips on Erasmus Mundus Scholarship Interview
Here are some basic tips you should know before you start preparing for the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship interview questions:
- Interview Time: Make sure to consider the time zones when you receive a call for the interview. If you are not available on the suggested date or time, you can request for a change. Once decided, make sure to be present before time for the decided time slot.
- Install and prepare the meeting software beforehand: Read the email carefully to see on which platform the interview would be conducted (normally Skype is used), download that software, decide a quiet place, with good internet speed, and good lighting.
- Dress well: There is no need to be formal for the interview but you should look presentable enough.
- Have the necessities: Make sure you have your ID Document, a page, a pen, and a calculator.
- Prepare a brief introduction of yourself considering your past, your present, and your future goals.
- It is a good idea to research the program well and to look up the interviewers as well if you know the panel already. Having basic knowledge about the people on interview panel will definitely help you understand their questions well.
Are you still unsure how to prepare your documents for the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship? Read my blogs on Letter of Motivation and Letter of Recommendation to learn how to prepare these documents effectively.
Erasmus Mundus Scholarship Interview Questions
When preparing for the interview, remember each program is different and therefore Erasmus Mundus Scholarship interview questions will vary for each program. However, here are some basic questions and things to prepare for.
- Introduce yourself: Prepare a brief introduction, considering your past experiences and future goals. You can add something interesting about yourself too that you could not mention in your Letter of Motivation.
- Basic Questions of Science and/or Math: Depending on your Erasmus program, you might be asked basic concepts regarding your previous education. Revise the basic concepts before the interview. Some quick videos on YouTube maybe helpful for this.
- Questions about your final year project OR Internship/job experiences: They may be interested to know more about the projects you have worked on in the past. The techniques you used, the software you acquired, or the skills you learned. Make sure you know everything you mentioned in your CV and Letter of Motivation.
- Interests and Future Goals: The interview panel would be interested to know what you plan to do in the future. Erasmus Mundus is designed to meet the needs of the European Industry. So they are looking for people with the aim of pursuing a job there or a PhD with them.
- What you expect from the program: This question determines how passionate you are about the program and how well you have researched the program objectives. Erasmus Mundus Scholarship offers interdisciplinary programs and therefore they are looking for people who are willing to take on challenges and learn new things.
- How well can you interact in a new or stressful environment: Living in a new environment, with people from various backgrounds, and completely different cultural norms can be stressful. How would you manage yourself in such a situation and collaborate with your colleagues. These are the questions that you need to think about before the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship interview.
- Are they expecting only correct answers: Based on my experience with the programs I was interviewed for, the answer is NO! They are more interested in understanding how you approach or think about the topic. They might ask you to write equations or solve quick mathematical problems. If you do not remember anything correctly, just tell them instead of faking it or giving wrong answers.
- Do you have to be too formal: Yes, somewhat. However, how formal it is largely depends on how you handle it. You can make the session more relaxed.
When you receive the email about being selected for the interview, you’ll also get a list of areas related to the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship interview questions. If you do not receive any such information, you can always email and ask the coordinator of the Erasmus Mundus Program for an idea of the interview structure.
If you are also interested to study in UK, check out my blogs on Commonwealth Scholarships and Chevening Scholarships
An Important Point to Remember: Erasmus Mundus Scholarship Interview is not the type of interview where they’ll ask about your goals, strengths, or weaknesses like a job interview. So, don’t waste time memorizing elaborate answers to those kinds of questions!
Stay relaxed and confident. If you do not know something, speak up and admit it. Don’t just sit silently. Best of luck with your interview!
I was fortunate to be accepted into the fully funded Erasmus Mundus Scholarship for the WAVES program in 2023. Since then, I have helped many candidates, many of whom were selected this year. Consider using our Professional Services to polish your application and stand out from the crowd.
For detailed videos on relevant opportunities check out:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is there an interview for Erasmus Mundus Scholarship?
Many Erasmus Programs conduct interviews as part of their selection process, however, not all of them do. You may be selected without an interview if your profile is very relevant and fulfils all requirements.
Does GPA matter for Erasmus Mundus Scholarship?
There is no minimum GPA criteria to be selected for Erasmus Mundus Scholarship. GPA is one factor among the many factors that makes your profile strong. But with relevant projects, a good research or work profile, you can still make it to Erasmus.
