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Application deadline:

27 September 2023

Frequently Asked Questions

Admission Requirements

I have the citizenship of Canada (e.g.). Can I apply for the ERMA programme?

Yes. As a citizen of Canada you belong to a Target Group III of the programme. Students of this group are self-funded.  Please note that the costs of the MA programme for students from this group are cca 5150 EURO for:  Tuition fee (2000€), costs of Term III (cca 3.150€). ERMA does not cover travel and living costs for students of this TG, therefore you should budget accordingly. 

I have the citizenship of Kosovo. Can I apply for the ERMA programme?

As a citizen of Kosovo, you belong to the Target Group I of the programme. Bosnia and Herzegovina does not recognize Kosovo, therefore citizens of Kosovo cannot be registered as students at local Universities. You may apply for the programme, however, if you are holding a passport of a country recognised by Bosnia and Herzegovina.

I have finished a three year BA and a one year MA with a total of 240 ECTS. Am I eligible for the programme?

No. Applicants who have obtained their 240 ECTS though 3+1 studies are not eligible for ERMA programme. According to the National legislation on Higher education in Bosnia and Herzegovina, access to the two semesters (1year / 60ECTS) long second cycle programmes is available to applicants holding a degree earned during studies which lasted for either 4 (or 5) years, within the former undergraduate studies provisions, or 5 years (3+2) within I and II cycle studies provisions in accordance with the Bologna process. 

I will defend my thesis soon after the application deadline. Am I eligible to apply?

Eligible candidates are only those who have finalised their previous studies prior to the application deadline. There are no exceptions to this rule.

I have defended my MA thesis but the diploma is still in the process of issuing by my university. Can I still apply for the programme?

Yes. ERMA will accept another graduation certificate from your respective University. In case of acceptance to the programme you will be obliged to provide a certified copy (and a translation if needed) of your Diploma after you receive it. 

I have an academic background in natural sciences. Can I apply for erma?

ERMA Selection Committee will not be able to consider your application. As per the rules of the University of Bologna and the ERMA programme, candidates must hold a university degree in disciplines relevant to human rights; in particular law, social, political sciences and humanities from an accredited university to be considered.

Do I have to have work experience before I apply?

It is generally desirable for the applicants to have some activist/ volunteer/ professional experience in the field of human rights and democratisation of SEE, but it is not mandatory.

I have a degree in english language and literature. Do I need to submit a proof of english language proficiency?

Students with a degree in English language and literature do not need to submit language test results. Their diploma and transcript is considered a valid proof of the fluency in the English language.

Can I submitt the language test certificate after the deadline?

It should be provided within the application deadline. Exceptionally, if you are to receive the TOEFL/ IELTS / CAE test results within max 5 days after the deadline, you can send the screenshot of the e-results to info@erma-programme.eufor the purpose of the application. If admitted to the programme, you will have to provide the original or certified copy of the test results afterwards.

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Application Process

Can I scan my documents and send them via e-mail?

No. All  documents must be uploaded to the GC SEE / ERMA ONLINE APPLICATION.

How will I know whether my appplication is received?

Application confirmation is available in the online application form at request.

How will I know if my application is accepted?

Upon receipt of an application, it shall be screened by the Programme administration. If any mandatory supporting documents and/or information is missing, the administration will notify you as soon as possible. Please make sure to double-check the list of required documents and make sure that you included them all in your application package before you officially submit it.

How will I know if everything is okay with the documentation I submitted?

After the applications package is received, it is screened by the ERMA administration. If the documentation is complete, you will be informed about your admittance to the selection procedure Via e-mail within 72 hours. If there are any documents missing from your application, or if there is anything else that you need to do, ERMA will notify you immediately upon the screening. Please make sure to double-check the list of the required documents and documents in your Applications package before you send /submit it.

When will I receive the admission decision?

The selection will take place on the on the 21st of September 2019. All successful candidates, as well as candidates placed on the reserve list, will be notified Via e-mail by the end of September 2018 at the latest.

I am going to take my english language test in September/October. Can I still apply?

Providing a valid proof of English language fluency within the application deadline is a precondition for the application to be considered.

Can I re-apply if I have been declined?

Yes, in this case the Programme encourages highly motivated candidates to re-apply in the next academic year. 

If I am not selected, can I enroll as a self-funding student?

Depending on the number and quality of applications from TG III, the Programme may offer some self-funding places to the best candidates coming from the EU countries, in case they were not among five best students to receive scholarships provided in the TG II.

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Application Documents

Do I need to send my documents via post or deliver them in person for my online application to be valid?

No. You do not need to send your documents by post or deliver them in person. Only students who are accepted to the Programme will be asked to submit their documents in hard copy for enrolment purposes.

What is a transcript?

A transcript is a list of all the courses you have taken, either individually or as part of a programme of study, with the result (grade) you obtained, and sometimes the credit value of each course. If you are currently studying, your university’s registrar office will be able to produce a transcript of the courses you have taken so far. If you have completed your study, the transcript may also show your final award (usually as a class or CGPA).

My country does not issue a citizenship certificate. What should I do?

ERMA will accept a certified copy of any document that is specified as proof of citizenship by the Citizenship law in your country (eg. identification card).

I have an international birth certificate issued in several languages including english. Should I translate it?

There is no need to translate international documents. Submitting its certified copy will suffice.        

Must the recommendation letters be from professors?

They can, but it is not obligatory. It is highly recommended that your supervisor from your professional engagement provides one and one from a professor / supervisor at your respective University provide the second letter.

I have a C1 level certificate from a local school of foreign languages. Can this be accepted?

 

Certificates from local foreign language schools cannot be recognized as valid. The Master Programme recognizes the following international English Language proficiency certificates only:

  1. TOEFL – minimum score of 560 paper-based, 220 computer based, IBT not less than 83
  2. British Council’s IELTS - minimum band 6.5 and no less than 6.0 in any of its subsections.
  3. CAE and CPE Cambridge exams

Do I need to provide reference letters?

No. You will be asked to put the names, titles, and contacts of two referees, so the Programme can contact them if needed.

Do my referees need to be my university professors?

They can, but it is not obligatory. It is highly recommended that you include among referees a supervisor from your professional engagement, if you have any. You can include a professor and/or supervisor at your respective University as a second referee. If you do not have any prior professional engagement, both referees might be your University professors.

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Financial Matters

Is ERMA scholarship enough to cover living costs in Sarajevo?

Students from TG I and TG II receive study grants covering normal living costs during term I and II (November to July) in the overall amount of 4.500€ gross, which is about 500 € gross per month. This is the amount which is equal to an average salary in the Canton of Sarajevo for 2019 and is sufficient to cover normal living costs in Sarajevo.

I am a citizen of Turkey. Am I eligible for ERMA scholarship?

As a citizen of Turkey, you belong to a Target Group III of the programme which means that you are eligible to apply for the programme as a self-funding student.

Can the tuition fee be paid in installments?

Tuition fee can be paid in two equal instalments. The first one is to be paid immediately upon the enrolment and the second one until the end of March 2021.

If I am admitted as an applicant from the Target Group III, how should I pay the costs of the programme?

TG III students can pay the tuition fee in two instalments: the first one (1000 EURO) immediately after the enrolment and the second one (1000 EURO) by the end of March 2021 to the ERMA Programme. The same stands for students of TG II. The costs of the term III have to be covered before it begins, by the end August 2020 the latest, directly to the Residential Center of the UNIBO in Italy.

Will ERMA programme cover my diploma recognition costs?

ERMA Programme covers travel expenses, health insurance and other costs related to the programme for the students of TGI and TG II such as diploma recognition, residence permit, visa and document translations, where applied, up to 1.200 €, in total, for the whole academic year. If the costs of the recognition together with other costs are within this sum, then yes, the costs can be covered.

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General

Does ERMA offer a joint or a double degree from UNSA and UNIBO?

The ERMA programme awards successful students with a double degree. This in practice means that graduates receive two diplomas, one from the University of Sarajevo and another from the University of Bologna.

Which degree do ERMA graduates obtain?

ERMA awards the Master of Arts degree.

Does the programme provide accommodation assistance?

Students are responsible for arranging their accommodation during the I and the II term of the programme by themselves. The programme does, however secure the lodging and meals during the III term in Italy, at the University of Bologna Residential Center.

Are the learning materials provided by the programme or do I have to purchase them?

All mandatory readings for each of the courses at ERMA programme are provided by ERMA to each of students, both in electronic versions and in hard copies.

If I am admitted, can I defer the programme in a later semester?

No. ERMA is a one year full time intensive programme with an obligatory attendance rule. Students are required to follow strict deadlines, commence their studies in the first week of November and submit/ defend their MA thesis by the end of October of the following year.

Can I study part time?

No. ERMA is a one-year full time intensive programme with an obligatory attendance rule. Students are required to follow strict deadlines, commence their studies in the first week of November and submit/ defend their MA thesis by the end of October of the following year.

Can a student work full-time and pursue this degree?

No. ERMA is a one-year full time intensive programme with an obligatory attendance rule. Students are required to follow strict deadlines, commence their studies in the first week of November and submit/ defend their MA thesis by the end of October of the following year.

Can I take the programme as an exchange student?

Exchange students cannot be enrolled for the full duration of the programme. However, if there is an agreement between your University and the University of Sarajevo, you may take one or several courses at the ERMA programme as an exchange student. For further information, please contact the International Relations Office of the University of Sarajevo (http://www.erasmus-unsa.ba/).

When should I start the procedure for obtaining residence permit?

Please visit the official website of the Service for Foreign Affairs for information on the procedure and the necessary documents you should bring to Sarajevo.

What is the procedure for obtaining residence permit?

Please visit the official website of the Service for Foreign Affairs for information on the procedure and the necessary documents you should bring to Sarajevo.

When do I have to start a procedure for an academic recognition of my diploma?

The request for academic recognition has to be submitted by the moment of enrolment at the GCSEE/ERMA programme at the latest. A formal request and supporting documentation should be submitted to the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies of the University of Sarajevo which will administer a diploma recognition at the university level. A diploma recognition certificate will be issued by the University of Sarajevo Rectorate.

Do I have to have a health insurance while residing in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy?

Yes, all students are required to have a health insurance for the full duration of the programme, from the beginning of the academic year until the end. The students can claim reimbursements for the health insurance policy in line with the rules of the programme.

What kind of health insurance should I get and when?

Foreign students should buy their travel health insurance covering the full duration of the programme before they arrive to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Students coming from Bosnia and Herzegovina should buy the travel health insurance before departing for the internship and before the term III in Italy. Students are free to choose their health insurance policy.

How will the lectures be organized having in mind the COVID-19 pandemic? Are accepted students obliged to come to Sarajevo?

As the situation has now stabilised,the plan for the 2022/2023 academic year is to have lectures in the classroom at ERMA premises in Sarajevo. This means that all accepted students should plan to come to Sarajevo and settle in before the beginning of the programme.

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