How to apply

Application Process

Application procedures and entry requirement compliance (eligibility) tests are managed by the services of the University of Gothenburg.

The admission procedure is carried out by the Joint Admission Committee of the EMHRPP, composed by the conveners and administrative coordinator at Gothenburg on the basis of commonly pre-determined criteria.

The ranking is divided into three parts:

  • academic competence (including English proficiency based on an overall assessment of requested documents);

  • motivation letter;

  • work experience and recommendation letters.

The sum of all three parts can give a maximum of 100 points. Ranking is done taking into account the final score given to each candidate (from the highest to the lowest final score).

Due consideration shall be given to equal opportunity measures capable of promoting the participation of students from disadvantaged groups.

Entry requirements 

To be eligible for the programme you must have the following:

  • A first degree equivalent to 180 credits or 180 ECTS from an internationally recognized university or college. 

  • A minimum of two year’s practitioner experience in the field of human rights. Practitioner experience may include regular employments, internships, and voluntary work. More information about this under FAQ.

  • A minimum English language qualification of English B/English 6 at upper secondary level or the equivalent level of an internationally recognized test, for example, TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent alternatives as stated in the call for applications each year by the University of Gothenburg. More information about this under FAQ and in the checklist for application.

Selection criteria

You also need to provide the documents below as they are used in the ranking process carried out by the Joint Admission Committee of the EMHRPP: 

  • official transcript of records in English;

  • motivation letter in English, well structured, and written in clear and concise language, please use the assigned form available below;

  • Curriculum Vitae (CV): 

  • and two letters of recommendation

Read more about this in the checklist for application.

Application

Please use the application checklist to make sure you upload all required documents for applying to the programme. Checklist for application. The same applicant is only allowed to apply once a year.

If you also are applying for the Erasmus Mundus scholarship, find information and form on the Cost and scholarship page.

Key dates

Admission is closed. Next call for admission will open in October 2025 at the earliest (TBC).

Processing personal data

When you apply to the master’s programme, you create an account at the Swedish University Admissions and upload all your documentation there. Read more about how your personal data is processed at the University Admissions website. By applying to an Erasmus mundus programme, the personal data is also processed by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Read more about how your personal data is processed by EACEA.

Contact Details

Email: emhrppugot@gu.se

Telephone: +46-31-786 58 02

Address: School of Global Studies, Box 700, SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden

Frequently Asked Questions

Documentation

Do you accept the Europass CV?

Yes, any CV format is accepted.

I have applied in the past, do I need to resubmit the requested documents?

All documents must be resubmitted except for ToR, diplomas and still valid English test.

Do I need to send my academic documents to University Admissions by AirMail or can I just upload them in the application portal?

Please check the required documents for your country on the University Admissions website.

Can I submit my documents in another language than English?

Work experience certificates, letters of recommendation, motivation letter and other documents to support your eligibility will only be accepted in English, so please make sure to submit an official translation together with the original in case the latter is in another language.

Some academic documents can be submitted in languages other than English, please visit the
University Admissions website to find out what the rules are for your country and level of studies.

Can I send my documents to you directly via email?

You should upload all documents on the admissions platform directly, unless the country specific requirements state otherwise. You can check these requirements on the University Admissions website.

What documents can I submit as proof of residence?

The proof of residence has to show where you have been living at the time of application. It should be issued within 12 months before the application deadline. Here are some examples of valid documentation you can submit:

* A residence certificate issued in accordance with the candidate's municipality’s normal registration rules, in English or Spanish.

* A certificate from the candidate's place of work, study or training issued by the employer or institution. These certificates must be submitted in English, otherwise a certified English translation must be provided with the original.

* A document confirming the applicant’s place of residence (in English) issued by a notary is also acceptable.

You can find more valid ways of documenting your residency on the PRADO website.

Which proof of residence should I submit when I am temporarily living outside of my country?

You need to submit proof of residence of the country you are living in before travelling to Sweden.

Should my documentation be legalized?

All documents must be officially issued. You can read more about how to submit your documentation on the University Admissions website.

Eligibility

Is there an age limit to apply for the programme/scholarship?

No, there is no age limit. As long as you fulfill all the criteria you should be eligible.

Am I eligible if I have a degree within x subject?

Degrees within Social Sciences are eligible for the programme, but this does not discard the possibility to be admitted to the programme with a degree within another area, such as engineering, technology, medicine, etc. As long as there is a relevant connection to Human Rights in your background and fulfill the rest of the requirements, you are eligible.

Can I still apply for the programme/scholarship if I do not fulfill all the criteria? I.e. I do not have my English certificate yet or I am missing a few months of work experience.

No, you have to fulfill all the criteria by the application’s deadline.

I have finished my Bachelor´s programme, but my degree will be issued after the deadline, can I still apply?

If your university can issue a certificate which states that you have finished all your programme courses, and therefore, have the right to a degree which will be issued at a later date, then that should be enough for us to mark you as eligible. This document has to be uploaded on the admissions platform by the application’s deadline at the latest.

Does volunteer work count as work experience?

Yes, as long as it is relevant to the field of Human Rights.

Is my work experience/volunteer work relevant for the programme?

Unfortunately, we are not able to do a preliminary assessment of the relevance your experience has for applying to the programme/scholarship. The reviewing commission will evaluate this upon receiving your application and take the relevant aspects that are in line with the programme into consideration when making their decision.

English Requirements

What are the English requirements I need to fulfill?

You need to fulfill two different criteria for two different purposes. The criteria you need to fulfill to be admitted to the programme is the one you can read about at the University Admissions website.

Read more about this in the Checklist for application.

For the visa requirements, you need to fulfill the requirements stated on the gov.uk website.

The programme I studied was in English, do I need to submit proof of English proficiency?

Please refer to the instructions available on the University Admissions website.

Which English Test is valid to apply for a UK visa?

Students only need an academic IELTS/Other valid English proficiency certificate to apply for this programme. However, since a work placement forms part of one of the Roehampton modules the student will need to apply for a General student visa, as the short-term study visa doesn’t allow for any work.

Read more about this in the Checklist for application.

Scholarship

Are the programme application and scholarship application the same procedure?

Both processes overlap. If you wish to apply for the scholarship, you need to submit the scholarship application form together with your programme application on the University Admissions website. If you do not upload the scholarship application form, we will process your application as a self-funding candidate.

In case you do not receive the scholarship, you can choose to be processed as a self-funding candidate in the scholarship application.