Admission criteria:

Candidates are considered eligible if they meet the following requirements:

• recognition of home institution having awarded a first degree in forestry, nature management or related life sciences,
• evidence of English language proficiency,
• submission of all required documents and respect of the application deadline.

Assessment of the eligible candidates is carried out by the MSc EF Consortium by evaluating the following 6 selection criteria:

1. background in forestry/nature management
2. academic excellence
3. recommendations
4. motivation
5. work experience/professional qualifications
6. international experience

For each of the criterion, numerical scale is used (1-5). The assessment results in a ranking of merits of all eligible applicants.

Selection process and information to applicants

The MSc EF secretariat will examine all application files sent within the deadline. Only those applications that meet the eligibility criteria demanded (see above) will continue to be examined against the selection criteria. The selection will consider the criteria exposed in a competitive process among the eligible applicants. If considered necessary, the MSc EF Secretariat will carry out short phone interviews with the preliminary selected candidates.

The University of Joensuu will inform all students on the results of the selection process by email, tentatively by mid March (in the case of EU nationals applying within the extra call for EU applicants, information will be sent by the end of June). Thus, email will be sent to those students that are preliminary selected, all those who form the reserve list, and also all students that are not accepted. However, it is EU's Executive Agency who has the final decision on awarding the Erasmus Mundus scholarships; such decision is made by the end of May and forwarded to the students. Soon after (end of May / beginning of June), all admitted students will be sent by post an invitation letter by the University of Joensuu, together with other relevant information and documents. The enrolment is only official after replying and accepting the conditions of the invitation letter.