Master Scholarship in Democracy and Human Rights at the University of Sarajevo


The European Regional Master’s Degree in Democracy and Human Rights in South-East Europe (ERMA), is a regional interdisciplinary one–year full time MA programme. It is established in 2000, by eleven participating universities and research centers, coordinated by the Center for Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Studies of the University of Sarajevo in cooperation with the University of Bologna through its Istituto per l’Europa Centro–Orientale e Balcanica. The ERMA programme is an educational activity intended for students that would combine practical experience in human rights issues with further academic study.

Deadline: 1/9/2010
Open to: students with a degree in human rights, in particular law, social and political sciences and humanities
Fund: SEE-counties: full tuition fee waiver, EU-countries: grant

The ERMA Programme is part of the Regional Masters in Human Rights and Democratisation network.
The programme is co-financed by the European Commission and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

General description

The ERMA is a Master programme intended for students that would combine practical experience in human rights issues with further academic study. After recognizing that human rights go across the disciplines of study, as political science, law, sociology, philosophy and social sciences in general, the Programme has adopted an interdisciplinary approach. The Master Programme promotes development and realisation of young generation of officials for state management, inter-governmental and non-governmental organisations, for universities and think tanks in Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo as well as in the countries belonging to the EU, the rest of Europe, and worldwide. The structure of the lectures, the access to internships and the Faculty are defined in order to emphasize among the participants a shared consciousness that the democratic development and human rights promotion, protection and implementation in the region depend on plurality of factors. Most of the relevant issues in the SEE stability, democracy, and development are mutually correlated and influence each other. Thus, a common regional effort in achieving them will have more chance for success in a context of inclusive policies and in the framework of a rapid European Union integration process.

Click here for more details about the course structure.

For the full course of study, the programme awards a total of 70 ECTS and it can be taken only as a full time study.

The deadline for submitting the full application package is: September 1, 2010.

Admission Requirements

ERMA offers a limited number of places therefore it is a highly competitive programme. It is open to candidates who hold a high standard university degree in disciplines relevant to human rights, in particular law, social and political sciences and humanities from an accredited university. The university degree of the applicants must be earned during studies lasting 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.

Fluency in English is a necessary prerequisite for admission, as the Programme language is English. Therefore the students must have sufficient language skills and provide evidence for their proficiency. The Master Programme recognizes the following international English Language proficiency certificates:

  1. TOEFL – minimum score of 550 paper-based or for computer based TOEFL is 213, IBT not less than 80
  2. British Council’s IELTS – minimum band 6.5 and no less than 6.0 in any of its subsections.
  3. Applicants with English as native language or applicants who had previous university education in English language need to provide proof of competency through their transcripts or certificates issued by the respective universities.

The upper age limit of potential applicants is 35 years of age.

Currently, twenty-five (25) places are reserved for citizens of the countries of South East Europe involved in the program – Albania; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Croatia; Macedonia; Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo. Five (5) places are reserved for citizens of the European Union countries.

The selection of candidates will be performed by the Executive Board of this Master Program on the basis of submitted applications and required documents in English

  • filled in application form (.doc);
  • university diploma-certified copy;
  • academic record/transcripts-original or certified copy;
  • documentary evidence (certificate of proficiency etc.) of the knowledge of the English language;
  • passport photocopy;
  • certificate of citizenship;
  • birth certificate;
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV) in English;
  • Two recommendation letters (to be submitted in sealed envelopes in English).

Tuition Fees and Scholarships

The tuition fee is determined for each academic year by the Executive Board of the programme. In the academic year 2010/2011, the tuition fee is 1000 EURO. Full tuition fee waiver is available for the citizens of the countries of South East Europe involved in the programme (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo). The students from the EU are not offered tuition fee waiver. The students from the SEE countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo) as well as the EU citizens are eligible for students’ maintenance grants in the amount 400€ per month for the first and second term while the third term is covered by the Programme. For the non–EU and non–SEE students unfortunately the Programme cannot offer any financial support – scholarship or tuition fee waiver.

For more information, go to the official website.

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