Frequently Asked Questions

Applicants should have a first or upper second class (2.1) BSc honours degree, or equivalent, from a recognised university in a discipline related to the course.
There is no specific type of background that is needed for the course, it can be technical, social or computing background. Ofcourse it helps if your background is in the area of the topics within the programme, but applicants that have a different background are welcome too.

No, the programme cannot be online, you need to be there for the full duration in person. 

You can find the detailed Programme Guide for all study tracks at all partners universities here.

No, there is no age limit, not for the study nor the scholarship

No. The requirement is a First class or Upper Second (2.1) class BSc degree or equivalent.

These are definitely not vital but can be useful

If you are finalizing your bachelor degree studies before 1^st of September 2022, you can apply at an earlier stage indicating clearly the expected period when the official bachelor degree and complete transcript will be uploaded. Please note for application, a letter of the present university stating your status, finalization date and the transcript of courses followed and your grades should be uploaded before the deadline of 14^th of January.

Yes. If your country is not on the list of exempted countries, you need to submit the results of a recognized English test, e.g. British Council/IELTS.

Please refer to the admission requirements for more information on the English proficiency prerequisite.

An English digital test is not acceptable, unfortunately. Here you can find more information about English Profciency: https://www.gem-msc.eu/application-procedure/admission-and-eligibility/

However, a computer based official TOEFL/IELTS is acceptable!

You will need to take the IELTS Academic test, either paper based or computer based.

If you are a national of one of the following countries, we will not ask you to provide evidence of an English language test.

For the list please check: The list of countries with exemptions.

Yes, it is acceptable.

If you are applying for the Erasmus+ Scholarship we need all documents before the deadline of 14 January 2022.

If you are self-funded we need it at least 3 months before the start of the course.

Sometimes it is also dependent on the situation and needs to be determined on a case by case basis. In that case contact us in time if you think you will have this problem.

A description of your provisional research topic is used to check if you are academic capable to join the GEM course.
You can change your research topic during the course, if desired.
The description of the provisional research topic is to contain a concise description of the research you propose.
This should not be more than about 1000 words (about 1 to 2 pages of standard text).

No, it is not needed to provide a recommendation/reference letter.  

Yes, it is possible to apply for multiple tracks, but if you are accepted for those courses you will be asked to choose 1 track before the start of the course as you can only follow 1 track at a time.

Also consider that you need to submit a research proposal for each of the tracks you will select. 

First check your spam or junk mail and if you still have not received please contact the GEM Education Support office via email : gem-msc-itc@utwente.nl

No, for each track you need to write a separate research proposal and motivation letter.

Yes, it is possible. It is important to consider that the research proposal in your application is to highlight your skill to propose a subject but your GEM courses will clearly drive your final choice for the master thesis.

Approximately 15 EM scholarships are awarded each year. 

Registration before 14^th of January 2022 will be considered for an Erasmus+ Scholarship.

The deadline for registration for Non-EU students is 1st June 2022 and for EU students it is 1st July 2022.

• European citizens pay € 18,000 tuition fee for the whole course.
• Non-European citizens pay € 18,000 tuition fee for the whole course.

University of Twente, ITC
Link to information on COVID: https://www.utwente.nl/en/service-portal/topics/coronavirus/

University of Lund
Link to information on COVID: http://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/about-lund-university/universitys-handling-coronavirus

University of Tartu
Link to information on COVID: https://www.ut.ee/en/corona

Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) 
Link to information on COVID: https://uclouvain.be/en/discover/mesures-prises-a-l-uclouvain-dans-le-cadre-de-la-covid-19.html

We are sorry, but as we are not an initial Master’s program, we cannot participate in the Erasmus Exchange program.

There is no specific format or template for the research topic. The ideas and logic in the proposal is more important then the format. Perhaps the proposal/research for your BSc study could be used.

For the time schedule of the selection process, please visit the Scholarships and Finances page  here . 

Many students end up in Academics or in professional organisations or end up starting their own companies. For an idea, please visit the testimonials page on our website.

The requirement for the motivational letter is that it should be 1 or 2 pages max or a max of 1000 words.

Yes, but we will assist you wherever possible.

However, The visas required for your second year will be handled once you start the GEM course.

Also, since you apply for a Schengen visa, this enables you to travel/study in all Schengen countries of which all of the universities are part of. 

We strongly advise you not to bring your partner for the full duration of the whole course.

The scholarship will not cover the costs for your spouse.  Should you insist to bring your spouse/partner, then the programme/hosting university is not responsible for any arrangements regarding visa/logistics/finances. 

The cost of living in the EU varies slightly from country to country. As an example, accommodation and living costs in the Netherlands are estimated at a minimum of € 850 per month.

No. The course starts in September every year.

Participants are required to have a laptop/notebook that meets the foundation year university requirements.

Course participants can either bring their own laptop/notebook or purchase one from other sources as long as they meet the minimum requirements.

Computer access and facilities with desktops are provided, and the opportunities to download the needed softwares into your personal laptops (free). Also Open Source softwares is used often.

Yes

No, the entire programme is taught in English. 

Yes, this is allowed. However, the GEM MSc is a programme of full-time study.

Yes. Fieldwork can take place in any country providing that the research proposal is approved by your host university and that the fieldwork can be conducted safely.

Note - If you are an Erasmus+ scholarship holder and the fieldwork takes place in your country of residence, then you will face a deduction in the grant towards your subsistence costs. If you are an Erasmus+ scholarship holder and the fieldwork takes place in a partner country for more than three months, then you will face a deduction in the grant towards your subsistence costs. Information on partner countries can be found here.

You gain more knowledge and expertise because you are studying more topics in greater detail.

120 ECTS MSc is required for entry to many European PhD programmes, as well as increasingly by industry and government.

Not all EU and International employers consider a 60 ECTS Master as a university degree.

Successful candidate will be awarded with two MSc Degrees depending on the Tracks below :

• Track 1: MSc (Geoinformatics for Urbanised Society) and MSc Geoinformation Science and Earth Observation with specialisation in environmental modelling and management
• Track 2: MSc (Geoinformatics for Urbanised Society) and Master in Agriculture and Bio-industries, Professional focus: GIScience & EO for Environmental Modelling and Management
• Track 3: Master Program in Geo-information Science and Earth Observation for Environmental Modelling and Management and MSc Geoinformation Science and Earth Observation with specialisation in environmental modelling
• Track 4:  Master Program in Geo-information Science and Earth Observation for Environmental Modelling and Management and Master in Agriculture and Bio-industries, Professional focus: GIScience & EO for Environmental Modelling and Management

Yes, within the two year study you will be doing an internship

There will be many types of software depending on the track you choose. Examples are: GIS, Python, R, QSL, Matlab. Important to note is that the course is more aimed to learn about the methods and use the software as tools, rather then learning the software in detail/in a technical form