Student Handbook

GEM integrates the academic excellence of four leading universities and their respective MSc programmes in geospatial science in a strategic partnership to support innovative academic practices. Each partner addresses different aspects of human-environment interaction challenges with applied geospatial science: 

• Natural resources management at ITC-University of Twente, the Netherlands (ITC)  
• Ecosystems and the environment at Lund University, Sweden (LU) 
• Agriculture and land use planning at UCLouvain University, Belgium (UCLouvain)  
• Socio-ecological systems and urban planning at the University of Tartu, Estonia (UT)   

There are four tracks to choose from. These tracks integrate academic excellence from the four universities in geospatial science applied to societal challenges for a sustainable world. The MSc programme lasts two years. Each year is spent at a different university in a different European country, depending on the track you chose. At the end of your study, you will get a double degree from the two universities of your chosen track. Successful completion of the two-year course will earn you a minimum of 120 credits (60 per year) which are needed to obtain the double degree diploma.  

More information can be obtained here 

All GEM students will be enrolled at the University of Twente, Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), irrespective of the university where the student will start the first year.   

Your enrolment for the GEM programme can only be finalized after your registration on the GEM website and payment of EUR 5,000 (EU Member States and 3rd Countries ) or EUR 18,000 (Other countries). For self-funded students, there might be other costs you will need to pay before you are enrolled in the program. Please check the GEM website on Finances for self-funded students.  

Assessments at the course and programme level:    

• Assessment at the course level - The assessment regulations and procedures of the partner that offers courses are applied to that course. In other words, the 1st year courses will be examined by either Lund under the Lund regulations or Tartu under the Tartu regulations. The 2nd year courses will be examined by either ITC under the ITC regulations or UCLouvain under the UCLouvain regulations.    
• Assessment at the programme level - The university awarding the degree needs to assess, based on their regulations, whether all requirements for awarding the degree are fulfilled across the programme. 

This Study Guide provides an overview of the structure and courses in the GEM programme for the academic year starting in September 2026.  The study guide can be viewed here.

Upon graduation, a GEM student receives two diplomas, one from each of the two universities in your chosen track. Each university has its own grading system. These grades are recorded on the Transcript of Records that accompanies each diploma. 

The GEM programme issues a Joint Course Record (JCR), an unofficial document that reports the courses and grades from the 1st and 2nd year universities in one document. The document on how the 2025 grades are translated can be found here.

What degree will you obtain?

Graduates of the Erasmus+ Master of Science Degree (MSc) Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation for Environmental Modelling and Management (GEM) Programme will be awarded the Double degree (in English):

Track 1:
UT: Master of Science in Geoinformatics for Urbanised Society
ITC: Master of Science in Geoinformation Science and Earth Observation with a specialisation in Environmental Modelling and Management

Track 2:
UT: Master of Science in Geoinformatics for Urbanised Society
UCLouvain: Master in Agriculture and Bio-industries, Professional focus: GIScience & EO for Environmental Modelling and Management

Track 3:
LU: Master Programme in Geo-information Science and Earth Observation for Environmental Modelling and Management
ITC: Master of Science in Geoinformation Science and Earth Observation with a specialisation in Environmental Modelling and Management 

Track 4:
LU: Master Programme in Geo-information Science and Earth Observation for Environmental Modelling and Management
UCLouvain: Master in Agriculture and Bio-industries, Professional focus: GIScience & EO for Environmental Modelling and Management

University of Tartu

• Madli-Johanna Maidla, madli-johanna.maidla@ut.ee

 Lund University    

• Academic issues and housing: Jean-Nicolas Poussart (Jean-Nicolas.Poussart@nateko.lu.se) 
• Course registrations and other practical issues: Eva Kovacs (Eva.Kovacs@nateko.lu.se) 
• Overall issues relating to study in Lund: Jean-Nicolas Poussart (Jean-Nicolas.Poussart@nateko.lu.se) 

 UCLouvain 

• Brigitte Bedoret: brigitte.bedoret@uclouvain.be 
• Adeline Paulet: mobilite-agro@uclouvain.be  

University of Twente  

• Laura Windig: gem-msc-itc@utwente.nl 
• Marielle Liedenbaum: gem-msc-itc@utwente.nl 

For General information and other requests:  gem-msc-itc@utwente.nl 

- Study Details 

- ITC Rules and Regulations 

- Regulations and documents 

- Regulations on Plagiarism/ethics/behaviour 

- Students rights and guidelines 

- International welcome guide 

Admitted GEM students are advised to contact the 1st year university as soon as possible after they have received the official GEM acceptance letter to for the course in order to receive assistance with arranging visa formalities. 
 
As the Erasmus+ Programme concerns student mobility, you may have to check different visa requirements for each university / country. The information on visa applications can be found here: 

• Visa and Immigration in The Netherlands: Intra EU mobility for students  
• Visa and Immigration in Estonia  
• Visa and Immigration in Sweden  
  **There is a fast-track option available for studies in Sweden.  In order to be eligible for this fast-track option, you must have a valid residence permit for studies in another EU-country already. This must be valid for the entire period of studies in Sweden. The residence permit must be issued for studies (or similar). Read this document for more information. 
• Visa and Immigration in Belgium   

Students should initiate the visa process as soon as possible to check the requirements and the embassies’ availability in the different countries. For example, many countries do not have Estonian embassy and applying for a visa might require travel to another country.    

In European countries, it is mandatory to have a health insurance. All students with an EMJMD scholarship will be insured through the AON ICS Complete+ insurance package for international students. This will be arranged automatically by the GEM Coordinator once you confirm your participation. This insurance is valid and has coverage for all European countries. More information on the AON ICS Complete+ insurance package can be found on the AON website (https://www.aonstudentinsurance.com/students/en/insurances/icscomplete/)   

Students without an Erasmus+ scholarship from non-European (EU) countries or are from a non-European Economic Area (EEA) strongly advised to arrange insurance via AON ICS Complete+ or an equivalent insurance scheme.  

Students without an Erasmus+ scholarship from EU and EEA countries are strongly advised to be insured according to the minimum requirement for the health and accident insurance coverage under EMJMD.    

As students your daily life is almost as important as your education. To see how it is to study and live in the GEM Partner Countries please visit these websites:   

Student life at the University of Twente  

Student life at the University of Tartu  

Student life at Lund University  

Student life at UCLOUVAIN  

Admitted GEM students are advised to contact the 1st year university as soon as possible after they have received the official GEM acceptance letter to the course in order to receive assistance with finding accommodation. 

University of Tartu   
Students coming to Tartu need to apply for university accommodation from 1st to 10th of June through the online booking form.   
Note: Due to housing constraints, we strongly encourage to look for the other options too, besides the university’s dorm: https://tartuwelcomecentre.ee/basics/housing/ 

Lund University   
Students coming to Lund University needs to register for an LU Accommodation student account and to make a late application for accommodation for the academic year 2025/2026: https://applications.luaccommodation.lu.se/applications/ 
Please also see the links found below about the application/room allocation process at Lund University:  

The application and allocation process  

When will I receive the results of my housing application?  

Will I get a room?  

FAQ Application process - after applying  

Terms and Conditions of the housing guarantee  

 If needed, you can also contact LU Accommodation at luacc@service.lu.se.  

University of Twente  
Information about housing can be found here: https://www.itc.nl/education/prepare-your-stay/before-arrival/housing-and-accommodation/  
For reservation please contact the Admission Office: education-itc@utwente.nl 

UCLouvain   
There are several possibilities to find housing in Louvain-la-Neuve. 
The best way to participate in student life is to live on the campus itself. Indeed, Louvain-la-Neuve is an unusual pedestrian campus with more than 19 000 students and 20 000 inhabitants. 
 
Due to housing constraints, we strongly advise all the students to reserve their room well in advance through the UCL housing service (Service des Logements -LOGE). Indeed, all the student rooms are assigned on a “first come-first served” basis, so it is in your own interest to send your housing request form as soon as possible! 

How to book a room in advance with the UCLouvain housing service: 
This is an online procedure via https://uclouvain.be/en/study/accomodation/about.html 

All students should own a personal laptop suitable for the two years of studies with the minimum specification indicated on this page: https://www.itc.nl/education/technical-requirements-online-education-and-laptop/. 

(Note that you cannot order a laptop through ITC's service) 

During your study we recommend you have an (online) European bank account. The Student Office at Lund University and the University of Tartu will help you get information on how to open a bank account. For students with scholarships, the GEM coordinator will transfer your settlement allowance (only Partner Country Students), monthly living allowance and travel allowance to the European Bank account number. Please send your bank account information to gem-msc-itc@utwente.nl as soon as possible to avoid transfer delay.   

Study/Student costs can be found here (https://www.gem-msc.eu/application-procedure/finances-for-self-funded-students/) .  

For students with scholarships, you can find the details of your funds here https://www.gem-msc.eu/application-procedure/scholarships-and-finances/

To get an idea of living expenses in Tartu, Lund, Enschede and Louvain-la-Neuve you can visit these links below:   

Living Expenses for Enschede, The Netherlands (University of Twente – ITC)   

Living Expenses in Lund, Sweden (Lund University)  

Living Expenses in Louvain, Belgium (UCLouvain)  

Living Expenses in Tartu, Estonia (University of Tartu)