The European Union has awarded full Masters Scholarships to 48 Ethiopian students for the 2024-2025 academic year through its flagship Erasmus+ education initiative. The students will spend two years studying full-time at prestigious European universities across 12 different countries.
The Master’s degree programs are offered by university consortia, which include universities from at least two EU member states. This initiative aims to enhance the quality of higher education through scholarships and academic cooperation between the EU and the rest of the world.
Ethiopia has been a top beneficiary of the Erasmus program. Since 2004, it has been one of the top 10 performing countries globally and among the top 5 in Africa in terms of student selection and application for the Erasmus Scholarship. Since 2010, the European Union has awarded the Erasmus scholarship to more than 600 Ethiopian students.
EU Ambassador to Ethiopia, Roland Kobia, highlighted the significance of this opportunity, stating, “The Erasmus+ European scholarships highly contribute to the country’s human development effort in higher education. The program offers a lifetime opportunity for young Ethiopian students to pursue their studies at the highest level, to learn more about European cultures, languages, academic systems and, not least, people at some of the best universities in Europe.”
Beyond improving the students’ expertise, the scholarships are also intended to enrich their life experiences, foster mutual understanding, and promote openness between people and cultures. The EU hopes that these scholarships will help the students excel and return to Ethiopia with enhanced skills and knowledge, which will benefit both the students and the country.