Is GRE Required for Erasmus Mundus Scholarship? The 2027 Answer

No, the Erasmus Mundus scholarship itself does not require the GRE. The European Union sets no test rule for it: each Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's is run by a group of universities that sets its own entry requirements, and almost all of them ask for an English test and your degree record, not the GRE.

A few programmes do mention the GRE, so the honest answer is "only if your programme asks for it." Below is what the official pages said when we read them on 26 October 2026, and what Pakistani applicants should check before booking a test.

Who sets the test rules

The European Commission's Erasmus Mundus page for students says you apply directly to the institution running your chosen programme, and that each programme's own website lists "the entry requirements and all the steps of the application process". The only EU-wide condition it gives is academic: a bachelor's degree, or being in the last year of one and graduating before the master's starts. It doesn't mention the GRE or any other entrance test.

So the scholarship and the admission go together. If a programme admits you and ranks you high enough, it offers the scholarship; there is no separate EU test to pass. Our Erasmus Mundus page lists the programmes and their deadlines.

Erasmus Mundus programmes that mention the GRE

We searched the entry rules of the Erasmus Mundus programmes in our catalogue. Only two mention the GRE, and on their own pages today neither makes it compulsory:

• GrEnFIn: the 2027-28 notice for admission (University of Bologna) scores applicants on academic merit (up to 60 points), experience (up to 30) and an optional GRE or GMAT (up to 10), and needs at least 60 points overall. So a good score can add points, but you can apply without one. Some older guides, including an earlier version of ours, say GrEnFIn requires an in-person GRE; go by the current notice.
• FUSION-EP: the application page recommends the GRE Physics subject test, not the General Test, and lists a CV, cover letter, transcripts, degree certificate, passport and English proof as the documents. It says the 2027 dates are still to be decided and that the campaign is generally open from mid-November to mid-February.

Two other popular programmes we checked don't mention the GRE at all: the QEM programme in quantitative economics, and HySET in hydrogen energy.

What Erasmus Mundus programmes ask for instead

The test almost every programme asks for is English. A few examples from the pages above:

• QEM: IELTS 6.0, TOEFL iBT 76 or Duolingo 110, with an exemption for applicants who hold a degree taught in English that the programme considers sufficient.
• GrEnFIn: English at CEFR level B2, with certificates valid for three years and online tests accepted.
• FUSION-EP: TOEFL, IELTS or Cambridge, with an exemption for applicants who studied at least 120 ECTS credits in a mainly English-taught curriculum.

As QEM and FUSION-EP show, some programmes exempt applicants whose degree was taught in English, so check whether yours qualifies. Our article on scholarships without IELTS and the study without IELTS list explain where that works. For age rules, see Erasmus Mundus age limit.

Is it worth taking the GRE for Erasmus Mundus anyway?

Only if a programme you are applying to scores it or recommends it. The GRE General Test costs money and weeks of preparation, and most Erasmus Mundus programmes give it no weight. If GrEnFIn or FUSION-EP is on your list, or you are also applying to universities in the US or to programmes in Germany that ask for it (see is GRE required for masters in Germany), then one test can serve several applications. Our GRE guide for Pakistani students covers the fee, at-home testing and free official prep.

Does a GRE score improve my chances of the scholarship?

Only where the programme counts it. At GrEnFIn the GRE or GMAT is worth up to 10% of the score. Elsewhere, what decides your ranking is usually your grades, motivation letter, recommendation letters and relevant experience. Put your effort there first: our motivation letter guide and recommendation letter guide help.

Your next step

Make a short list of three or four Erasmus Mundus programmes, open each one's current admission notice, and write down whether it asks for the GRE, which English tests it accepts and its deadline. Book a GRE only if one of them needs or counts it. Programmes change their rules from year to year, so the official programme page is always the final word.