Selection procedure - emPLANT+ Master

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1- After reception, each application is checked in order to remove the following applications:

  • Incomplete applications (missing information or documents)
  • Incorrect applications (form filled out not in English, admission requirements not fulfilled, wrong documents …)

2- At the end of the call for applications, eligible applications are split in 2 groups:

GROUP 1

Countries from where more than 15 applications are received are put aside in order to make a pre-selection of the best applicants only (between 5 and 10).

Indeed, maximum 3 applicants from the same country can receive a scholarship according to the Erasmus Mundus rules so it is not efficient to assess all applications received from the same country if there are too much applications.

The selection of the 5 to 10 best applicants per country is based on academic excellence and also on the answers to the four motivation questions.

  • Pre-selected applicants are then assessed out of 100 according to the criteria detailed in point 3 below.
  • Unfortunately the other application files are not assessed and are put on the non-selected list.
GROUP 2

If less than 15 application files are received from the same country then all files are assessed out of 100 according to the critera detailed in point 3 below.

3- Each selected application from group 1 and group 2 is assessed by two universities of the Consortium according to the following criteria:

Criteria Score
Academic competencies (General academic results AND Academic results in subjects relevant for emPLANT+) based on the BSc 45
Subject-related knowledge, skills and motivation (Career plan/objective AND motivation for plant breeding) 45
Personal and interpersonal competencies (Recommendation letters, CV & open-mindedness) 10
Total 100

If a difference of more than 20 points out of 100 is found between the 2 assessing universities then a third university assesses the candidate application file.

A correction factor is then applied to all plain means in order to correct for the assessors effects and to get the final score of each application.

Selection and admission to emPLANT+ Master Programme are based on excellence.

All applications scoring less than 80/100 are put on the non-selected list.

All other applications are ranked according to the total final score they have obtained. There are 2 ranking lists: one for Partner Country students and the other one for Program Country students.

4- In each absolute ranking list, best ranked applicants will be selected for a short interview before the end of February. Non-selected applicants for interview are placed on the reserve list (in the ranking order).

Candidates are contacted at least 7 days before the date and time of the interview.

Candidates selected for interview have to pass an online test before the interview. It is a quick knowledge test about plant breeding. Questions are at Bachelor level, you have general biology questions as well as general history questions in the field of biology, but also questions of genetics and more oriented questions about plant breeding.

The online interview lasts 20 minutes maximum and is designed to check the English level, to evaluate the motivation, the basic knowledges about the program & about plant breeding, and communication skills of each applicant.

Each applicant is interviewed by two universities of the Consortium according to the following criteria:

Criteria Score
Knowledge and motivation in Plant Breeding (career objectives and excellent science knowledge among other criteria) 7
Motivation for the emPLANT+ program in particular (knowledge on emPLANT+ and personal interest for the program) 7
Communication and interpersonal skills 6
Total 20

As it is a program of excellence, all applications scoring less than 15/20 for the interview are put on the reserve list.

Applicants who have not a sufficient level of English according to the Consortium members are put on the non-selected list.

5- The final selection of candidates is based on the final score obtained for the application, the score obtained during the online test and the score of the interview: 50% for interview, 40% for application and 10% for the test. Two ranking lists are made according to these percentages: one for Program Country applicants and the other for Partner Country applicants.

In each ranking list (Partner and Program Country), the Consortium selects the best ranked applicants to be part of emPLANT+.

Non-selected applicants are placed on the reserve list (in the ranking order).

For the EMJMD scholarships and according to the Erasmus rules, the selection process involves two categories of applicants: Programme countries and Partner countries. The ranking for both lists will contain a main and a reserve list. Please note that emPLANT+ promotes equal opportunities for women/men and students with special needs as well as equity between Consortium members:

  • Without prejudice to the scientific excellence, the consortium will adjust for equitable and balanced gender participation
  • EMJMD grants are allocated according to the position in the final ranking and by respecting geographical distribution
  • Each country can only receive maximum 3 EMJMD grants
  • According to their choices expressed in their application and their position in the final ranking, the consortium strives to distribute the students evenly over the three Y1 destinations (ULS, SLU, MATE) and the four Y2 destinations (BOKU, UMIL, UPV and ULS) to ensure harmonized student distribution over the consortium members

6- Candidates are then informed around mid-March if they have been offered a place with scholarship, a place without scholarship, a place on the reserve list, or if they have not been placed on the reserve list (non-selected). According to each of these options, candidates are requested to confirm their acceptance to the Consortium.

Selected candidates must provide legalized documents such as diploma and transcript of records in order to be definitively accepted in the emPLANT+ program

Appeal

If you want to appeal against the Consortium decision, the appeal procedure consists in writing to the emPLANT+ Executive Board within 7 days after receiving notification of your rejection mail, in using the emPLANT+ appeal form. The emPLANT+ coordinator will prepare the response which will be submitted to the Executive Board for approval. Before sending the response to the enquirer, the Coordinator might consult with the relevant EACEA staff. You will be notified in writing of the outcome of your appeal within 14 days after your appeal submission.

The decision reached by the emPLANT+ Executive Board is final and not subject to further appeals

Last updated : March 29, 2023