Admissions
By joining the EMA Programme, you are joining a global network of students, alumni and faculty who strongly believe in the power of education as a force for positive change in the world.
How to apply
Deadline: 1st February 2026 at 23:59 CET.
Early applications from both scholarship and self-funded applicants are encouraged. NON-EU applicants are specifically advised to apply early, bearing in mind VISA and enrolment documents verification procedures.
EMA Online Open Day
Join us for a Q&A session on Zoom and learn more about the overall
EMA experience, from application to career pathways
Wednesday 17 December 2025 at 1.30 PM CET
Deadline for non-EU Candidates, EU Candidates, and all candidates who wish to be considered for financial assistance:
Deadline: 12 February 2024
Deadline for EU citizens (Requests for financial assistance will not be considered in this call):
Deadline: 16 April 2024
- Transcript of records and degree diploma
- Curriculum vitae
- 2 reference letters
- Copy of passport picture page
- Proof of English language proficiency
- Receipt of payment of the application fee of €50.00.
Who can apply?
EMA accepts a maximum of 90 students from EU and non-EU countries each year. Candidates must meet the following minimum requirements:
- Hold a university degree of a high standard in a field relevant to human rights, including disciplines in Law, Social Sciences and Humanities, and must have a minimum of 180 ECTS (Bachelor/General Degree).
- Have certified knowledge of English at least at level B2. Accepted certificates are IELTS (min. score 6), TOEFL (min. 80 for the IBT) and Cambridge exams (min. score 160-179), obtained no more than 3 years before the start of the programme.
Applications will be assessed against the following selection criteria:
- Academic ability and background (i.e. university final grade, relevance of the degree and thesis subject)
- Relevant additional academic work, courses or publications
- Relevant practical experience
- Motivation
Fees and scholarships
The tuition fee for the academic year 2026/2027 is €6450,00 (€6300,00 tuition fee + enrolment fee of €150,00) payable in instalments.
The tuition fee covers attendance costs and participation in the field trip, learning materials, the canteen service (on class and exam days), and access to the Global Campus library resources. Travel, visa and accommodation costs during both the first and second semester are the responsibility of student.
Students who have a disability certificate pursuant to Article 3, paragraph 1 or 3 of Italian Law n. 104 of 5 February 1992 issued by an Italian Medical Committee or with civil disability equal to or greater than 66% attested by an Italian Medical Committee are exempt from payment of tuition fees. They are only required to pay the pre-registration fee (Euro 30.00), insurance costs (Euro 6.50) and a tax duty (Euro 16.00).
Scholarships
The Global Campus of Human Rights does not offer full scholarships. However, there is a total of 9 partial scholarships available for qualified candidates. All scholarships include a full tuition waiver and a modest stipend of €4500,00 as a contribution toward living expenses. This stipend is paid in two instalments: the first half mid-way through the first semester, and the second half at the beginning of the second semester providing that the student has successfully completed the first semester.
Right Livelihood-EMA Scholarships on Children’s Rights
Two scholarships are reserved for qualified candidates who commit to researching issues related to Children’s Rights for their thesis project. Support for these scholarships is provided by the Right Livelihood.
Nicola Tonon Scholarship
This scholarship is reserved for a qualified candidate who commits to researching the topic of Information Technology and Human Rights. This scholarship has been created in memory of Nicola Tonon who was the IT and Web Marketing Coordinator for the Global Campus for 16 years, and who passed away suddenly in 2022. This scholarship is funded by the European Commission.
EMA-GC Scholarships
The remaining five scholarships are open to all qualified candidates regardless of their research interest. These scholarships are funded by the European Commission.
Scholarships will be awarded according to the following criteria.
Right-Livelihood-EMA Scholarships on Children’s Rights:
- The academic evaluation of the candidate’s application
- Expressed interest in children’s rights as a research topic
- Whether the applicant comes from a country that is under-represented in the programme
- Issues of inclusiveness
- The extent to which the candidate could be considered an individual at risk due to their defence of human rights
Nicola Tonon Scholarship:
- The academic evaluation of the candidate’s application
- Expressed interest in IT and Human Rights as a research topic
- Whether the applicant comes from a country that is under-represented in the programme
- Issues of inclusiveness
- The extent to which the candidate could be considered an individual at risk due to their defence of human rights
EMA Widening Participation Scholarship (reserved to candidates coming from one of the following countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia):
- The academic evaluation of the candidate’s application
- Issues of inclusiveness
- The extent to which the candidate could be considered an individual at risk due to their defence of human rights
EMA-GC Scholarships:
- The academic evaluation of the candidate’s application
- Whether the applicant comes from a country that is under-represented in the programme
- Issues of inclusiveness
- The extent to which the candidate could be considered an individual at risk due to their defence of human rights
The allocation of scholarships will be determined by the EMA Executive Committee based on the criteria listed above under each scholarship. Candidates who wish to apply for these scholarships should specify it in the online application form, to be submitted according to the deadline for applications. It is only possible to apply for one type of scholarship.
Scholarship recipients are responsible for bearing all additional costs associated with the EMA programme and they should ensure they have sufficient funds available to carry out their studies and pay for rent and living costs in Venice and in the second semester.
A security deposit of €650,00 is to be paid upon acceptance of the admission and scholarship offer, which already includes the €150,00 enrolment fee. The remaining €500,00 will be returned upon successful completion of the first semester.