European Master in Law and Economics (EMLE) 2027-28 Admissions, Erasmus Mundus Joint Master (Non-EU Applicants Apply by 31 December 2026)

The European Master in Law and Economics (EMLE) has opened applications for the 2027/2028 academic year. The EMLE is an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master run by a consortium of partner universities, and it has taught graduate courses on the economic analysis of law for more than 30 years. The programme directorship is currently hosted at the Institute of Law and Economics of the Law Faculty, University of Hamburg.

The programme lasts one academic year of three terms, from the beginning of October to June, and carries 60 ECTS. The whole programme admits a maximum of 105 students, with average class sizes of up to 35. The application portal lists it as a full-time postgraduate LL.M.; the exact degree awarded depends on the partner university (IGIDR Mumbai, for example, awards a Master of Science in Law and Economics).

Students either follow one of three specialisation tracks or take the non-specialised Universal Track:

• Public and International (PIL) Track
• Innovation and Intellectual Property (IP) Track
• Markets, Corporations and Regulators (MCR) Track
• Universal Track (generalised EMLE)

The partner locations are Aix-en-Provence, Arizona, Barcelona, Ghent, Haifa, Hamburg, Mumbai (Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research), Rome, Rotterdam and Warsaw. In the first two terms students choose among three teaching centres; in the third term they choose among six locations, take specialised courses and write the master thesis.

Mobility rule: every student studies at two or more universities, at least one of them in Europe, and these must be outside the student's country of residence at the time of enrolment. Allocation is done by the EMLE staff according to this rule, the student's preferences and capacity.

• At least 240 ECTS credits or the equivalent in prior higher education, which normally means four years of full-time study (a four-year bachelor's, or a three-year bachelor's followed by master's studies).
• Preference goes to applicants with a background in law and/or economics. Graduates of other disciplines may apply if their letter of motivation shows a clear interest in the economic analysis of law.
• Final-year students who expect to graduate before July 2027 may apply; if selected, they must send a copy of the diploma before mid-July.
• Indian passport holders apply in the non-European category.

If you are unsure whether your degree qualifies, write to application@emle.org.

• For each degree, the degree certificate and an official transcript or degree supplement (students still studying upload their transcript so far).
• A one-page Letter of Motivation addressed to the reviewing committee.
• At least one, preferably two, letters of recommendation on the standard EMLE form, requested through the online form using the recommender's professional email. Letters sent by applicants themselves are not accepted.
• A proof of residence issued within the 12 months before the deadline (a passport does not count).

Only fully completed applications with at least one reference letter are considered. Applications are ranked on: quality of the university career (40%), motivation letter (25%), affinity to law and economics (25%) and letters of recommendation (10%).

Proof of English is needed only after admission: TOEFL iBT 95 (or 5.0 on the new 1-6 scale), IELTS Academic 7.0 with 6.0 in each section, or Cambridge CPE (A-C) or CAE (A-B). An English-medium degree from India does not exempt you.

• Non-European students (including Indian passport holders): EUR 12,000 for the year, paid as EUR 800 on acceptance plus EUR 11,200 due 31 May.
• European students: EUR 7,500, paid as EUR 800 plus EUR 6,700.

The first instalment is non-refundable. The second is refunded in full on withdrawal before 31 July and 50% before 15 September. Living costs, travel and study materials are the student's responsibility, and non-EU students must show funds for their visa (for example, the Dutch visa required 1,235 euro per month in 2024).

Erasmus Mundus (EMJM) scholarships: the highest-ranked applicants may receive an EMJM scholarship of up to EUR 1,400 per month covering travel, visa, instalment and subsistence costs. About 15 full scholarships are awarded each year: roughly 10 on the overall ranking (open to EU and non-EU applicants alike) and 5 for designated Erasmus+ target regions. Tick the scholarship box in the application form to be considered; only complete, on-time applications qualify.

EMLE Outreach Scholarship: full tuition waivers for up to two applicants a year who are affiliated to a higher education institution and will bring Law and Economics into their teaching and research. Send a short project plan and a letter of endorsement from your institution to application@emle.org before the application deadline.

Applicants whose degree was issued by an Indian university and who wish to spend one or more terms in Hamburg generally need an APS certificate; allocation to Hamburg is conditional on it. Start the APS process early. Because of the mobility rule, you will study at partner universities outside your country of residence.

Apply online through the EMLE application portal at apply.emle.org, selecting the non-European (NON-EU citizen) category if you hold an Indian passport. Deadlines are 23:59 CET on 31 December 2026 for non-European applicants and 15 January 2027 for European applicants. Applicants hear their admission status (admitted, waiting list or rejected) by email in March 2027.