European Master’s Programme in Human Rights and Democratisation – Apply by 1 February

The European Master’s Programme in Human Rights and Democratisation (EMA), co-funded by the European Union, is accepting applications for the 2026/2027 academic year.

EMA is organised by the Global Campus of Human Rights and co-designed and co-implemented by 43 participating universities representing all EU Member States and the United Kingdom. The University  of Padua, Italy, assumes the role of university of first enrollment. 

EMA offers an opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge of human rights and democratisation, while building a strong foundation in key theories, concepts, and research methods.

EMA is a fast-paced and packed one-year programme consisting of three components:  

• First semester (September-January): Coursework at the Global Campus of Human Rights headquarters in Venice (30 ECTS credits).
• Second semester (February-July): At least two courses hosted by one of 43 partner universities across Europe (9 ECTS credits).
• Research thesis: Preparation of a thesis under the supervision of a faculty member from the second-semester university (submission in August and graduation in September) (21 ECTS credits).

While studying in a multicultural environment, students have the opportunity to be taught by leading academics representing the 43 EMA participating universities, representatives of international organisations (including the European Union, the United Nations and the Council of Europe), experts, activists and human rights defenders from civil society.

EMA accepts a maximum of 90 students from EU and non-EU countries each year. Candidates must hold a university degree of a high standard in a field relevant to human rights, including disciplines in Law, Social Sciences and Humanities (Bachelor/General Degree) and have certified knowledge of English at least at level B2. 

The tuition fee for the academic year 2026/2027 is €6,450. The Global Campus of Human Rights does not offer full scholarships. However, there are nine partial scholarships available for qualified candidates, some of which are funded by the European Commission. 

The deadline for applications is 1 February.

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Press release