FAQs
1. How do I know if my country of origin is a Programme Country, or a Third Country not associated to the Programme?
The list of countries as well as their status can be consulted here: https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/programme-guide/part-a/who-can-participate/eligible-countries_en
2. My nationality is XXX. Am I eligible for an Erasmus Mundus scholarship?
EMJM scholarships can be attributed to students form all over the world. More info here.
3. What is SMACCs?
It is a two-year Erasmus Mundus Joint Master (EMJM) Programme in SMArt Cities and Communities, organized by four EU universities active in the field, and divided into four mobility tracks.
4. How many credits does the Programme consist of?
The EMJM SMACCs consists of 120 credits, 2 academic years, 60 credits per academic year.
5. What are the Universities taking part in the SMACCs Programme?
The partners of the SMACCs Programme are:
- University of Mons (UMONS), coordinator
- The University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)
- International Hellenic University (IHU)
- University of Vaasa (UWASA)
6. What is the duration of SMACCs?
SMACCs is a two-year Master’s Programme.
7. How is the mobility scheme organized?
The general mobility arrangement within the academic programme is as follows:
- SMACCs students start to earn their first 30 ECTS credits during their first academic year at UWASA (Finland) or UPV/EHU (Spain).
- SMACCs students continue to earn their next 30 ECTS credits during their first academic year (second semester) at UMONS (Belgium) or IHU (Greece).
- During their 3rd semester, SMACCs students will study at UWASA or UPV/EHU.
That means that each student will have the opportunity to study at least 1 semester at 3 different Partner Universities and 3 different countries. - Study periods outside of the four SMACCs main partner universities (typically during the 4th semester) will be arranged on a student-by student basis depending on the courses and thesis supervision offered by the associated partners (universities, research institutes and companies) as well as the student’s interest, academic performance and language abilities.
More information is available here
8. What are the Programme’s specialization topics?
The Specializations offered in SMACCs are on:
- ‘Smart Grid Soluions’ (UWASA, Finland)
- ‘Sustainable Urban Planning, Energy and Transport’ (UMONS, Belgium)
- ‘Information and Communication Technologies’ (IHU, Greece)
- ‘Energy Efficiency on Buildings’ (UPV/EHU, Spain)
9. How does the credit system work?
Students are expected to successfully complete a total of 60 ECTS credits per year. All academic achievements are assessed using the European Credit-Transfer-System (ECTS): 30 credits have to be earned during each semester (including the completion of a Master’s Thesis worth 30 ECTS in semester 4).
10. What is ECTS?
European Credit-Transfer-System (ECTS) is a standard for comparing the study attainment and performance of students of higher education across the European Union and other collaborating European countries. One academic year corresponds to 60 ECTS-credits that are equivalent to 1500–1800 hours of study in all countries irrespective of standard or qualification type and one credit corresponds to 25-30 hours of work.
11. Which is the grading scale used by EMJM SMACCs?
Grades received by each partner are transferred into a common A-F grading scheme based on grade distribution tables in each individual university. The minimum passing grade for a course in SMACCs is E.
12. When does the programme start?
The program starts either in the first week of September in Vaasa or mid September in Bilbao (depending on your chosen mobility path).
13. What certification do I get when I finish the master’s course?
You will receive:
- the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master degree in Smart Cities and Communities (SMACCs), issued by the University of the Basque Country, and recognised by the four Universities taking part in the Consortium.
- the “MSc in Technology, Master’s Programme in Smart Energy, Major
in Smart Grids” / “Diplomi-insinööri, Master’s Programme in Smart Energy -koulutusohjelma, Smart Grids opintosuunta” from UWasa
Additional degree options are possible under certain conditions depending on your mobility path (see https://www.smaccs.eu/the-programme/programme-structure/masters-degree/).
14. Where can I find information on the courses?
The description of the offered courses is available using the following links:
1. How can I apply?
The application for EMJM SMACCs has to be made online through the master’s programme website: https://www.smaccs.eu/practical/application/
See the https://www.smaccs.eu/admissions/instructions for further details.
If you have any question or problem please email: info@smaccs.eu
2. Is there a deadline for applications?
Yes; Info on deadlines can be found on https://www.smaccs.eu/admissions/deadlines.
3. Can both European and non-European students apply for the SMACCS Master’s Programme?
Yes.
4. My undergraduate degree is in XYZ. Am I eligible to apply as an EMJM scholarship student in your programme?
Yes. While the program is geared towards students with an engineering or science degree, this does not mean that candidates with a non-engineering or science degree cannot submit their application. More information about the admission criteria can be found on https://www.smaccs.eu/admissions/admission-criteria/
Admission instructions are provided on https://www.smaccs.eu/admissions/instructions/
5. Can students apply for EMJM SMACCs through the European Commission?
No. The only way to apply for the programme or the scholarships is through the online application process indicated on the SMACCs programme webpage.
6. I am from <insert country of choice here> and I would like to know if I am able to apply for this programme.
Nationality is not a criteria for joining the program, you are therefore of course able to apply. Nationality will be only considered to assign available scholarships. For more details see https://www.smaccs.eu/practical/scholarships/ (‘Eligible Students’ section)
7. I have not graduated yet: can I still apply for the SMACCs?
Yes. Students in their final year of undergraduate education may also apply and can, if considered qualified, receive a conditional offer. If this applies to you, you should include a written statement from the degree administration’s office (or equivalent department), confirming that you are enrolled on the final year of your education and giving your expected completion date as well as your current academic transcripts.
However, you will be required to present (send by email to smaccs@umons.ac.be) the certificate for the Degree (original document to be translated in English).
Please note that generally only students having at least a Bachelor (or Master) degree awarded and who satisfy the relevant prerequisites will be eligible for the programme.
8. What are the selection criteria?
The selection process is based on an evaluation of the following: Academic records, Motivation letter, Work experience, R&D experience, and Reference Letters (from two referees, at least one from academia). Applicants are ranked according to a global merit score, and those who reach a minimum threshold AND fulfill the eligibility criteria (https://www.smaccs.eu/admissions/admission-criteria/) are admissible to the SMACCs Master, as self-funded students (at least), provided that max number of students per cohort (40) is not reached.
The best admissible applicants who have applied for scholarships at the application stage are invited for a remote Teams interview with the SMACCs Application Evaluation Panel, usually in early April (please check the agenda here), scheduled by the SMACCS consortium. Please ensure your availability at these dates, should you be selected for an interview: no extra interview opportunity will normally be given to applicants who miss their assigned interview slot.
The EMJM scholarships, SMACCs consortium scholarships and Associated Partner scholarships are awarded to applicants who succeed in the interview process. Students who pass the interview but are not awarded a scholarship can still enroll as self-funded in the SMACCs. Self-funded may benefit from Erasmus+ support for inter-semester mobility.
9. When and how will I know if I have been admitted to SMACCs and if I have been granted a scholarship?
You will receive a notification of acceptance with or without scholarship. Information about the deadlines for informing the applicants about their status can be found on https://www.smaccs.eu/admissions/deadlines/
10. How shall I fill out the form? Is a hardcopy necessary?
There is an electronic form in our website that you have to fill in with all the required questions and necessary documents. PLEASE READ THE WEBSITE INFORMATION CAREFULLY (here).
No hardcopies are necessary for submitting the application, we consider electronic applications exclusively.
11. Do I have to send the original physical documents or just upload the original document in digital version?
You will need to upload the original documents in digital form on the platform when submitting your application; should your application be successful you will have to present the originals during registration.
12. Is there a specific format for the CV?
No, there is no specific format for the CV, but Europass template is highly recommended.
13. Is there a specific format for the letters of reference?
You can find the template for the reference letter at https://www.smaccs.eu/admissions/instructions/
Please note that the reference letters must be signed, otherwise they will not be considered in the selection process.
14. I would like to apply for the SMACCs programme as well as other programmes that are offered at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Mons/University of the Basque Country/University of Vaasa/International Hellenic University. Can I apply for all of them?
SMACCs is an Erasmus Mundus programme with its specific admission requirements, application procedure and application deadline. For other programmes at the partner universities, please refer to their respective websites and follow their instructions.
15. I have previously taken part in an Erasmus Mundus (EM) master’s programme and have been awarded a scholarship. Can I still apply for SMACCs?
If you have been awarded a prior EMJM scholarship, you are jot eligible for obtaining a new EMJM for the SMACCs. Please note that this does not apply to students who have benefited from an EMJMD (Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees, ) scholarship in the past.
16. Is an ID card an acceptable ID document instead of the passport?
Although an ID card for EU students is acceptable, we would prefer all applicants to get a passport (if existing).
17. What is meant by “Degree final mark” in the application form?
This is the general average (final) grade after you have got all the ECTS required to complete your studies.
18. May I use CGPA as ‘Degree final mark’ and ‘out of Degree Final Mark Max’ for applying in SMACCs programme?
Yes.
19. I have no scientific publications. Does that mean I have no chances in being considered for the scholarship?
Publications are only one of several criteria. We are aware that a lot of our applicants won’t have publications. So do not let this keep you from applying to the programme and scholarship.
20. What are the language requirements for the programme?
Please see https://www.smaccs.eu/admissions/admission-criteria/ for information (paragraphs above the table with minimum test scores for English competency)
21. My first degree was taught in English. Do I still have to provide an English proficiency certificate?
If a candidate has completed his/her previous studies with English as the language of instruction, the SMACCs programme can usually accept this as evidence of the English level (an official letter confirming the language of instruction from the student’s university is required for confirmation). More information on https://www.smaccs.eu/admissions/admission-criteria/
22. My IELTS centre does not issue any certified copy of Test Report Form (TRF). Can I use scanned copy of my original TRF instead?
Yes.
23. I have a TOEFL degree with a sufficient score that is 3 years old. Can I submit this to prove my proficiency in English or do I have to take a test for this exam again?
The language test should be reasonably recent, but there is no expiring date on your language skills per se. Test results from the last two years will be accepted for this year’s application as well; if your test results are even earlier, please contact us at info@smaccs.eu.
24. To what UMONS Department/Administration should I send my TOEFL Test Scores? (When selecting the UMONS UNIVERSITY (code: C194), a school/department must be provided).
The programme is offered by UMONS’ Faculty of Engineering.
25. I have booked a computer based IELTS test; the results will be available online before the deadline, while the hard copy (Test Report Form) will only be available after the deadline. Is the online result valid to secure my application?
Yes, you can forward the online results with the Test Report Form Number included.
26. I would like to ask about the length of the motivation letter. Is there a word count/page limit? Is it compulsory to submit only one page? Can I exceed one page?
There is a 1-page limit. We are aware that this could be a brief space for expressing everything, but the ability to express oneself short and concise is one of the aspects we are looking for.
27. Is it necessary to translate the documents?
If the supporting (official) documents, certificates or letters have been issued in a language other than English, you should enclose the corresponding legalized or sworn translation.
28. What is meant by a certified document/how shall I certify my documents/who needs to certify my documents?
The copies (in English) should be officially signed and stamped by a state authority (e.g. by a competent official at the municipal administration of the country) or an authorized office or by your University. Should they be in another language, you will need to have them translated by a certified translator. In this case the translator’s report would count as the certified copy.
29. Do I have to certify the Application form/Motivation Letter/CV?
The application form, the motivation letter and the CV are written by you, the applicant, and as such are considered originals by default.
30. Would a scanned certificate issued by a company where I did my internship counts as certified?
Both can be accepted given that they are officially signed and stamped by the Company and are in English. Should your application be successful, you will have to present the originals of these documents at registration.
31. I did not see any parts in the online application form where I can include my referees’ name
The referees’ details should be filled in the application form (Word document) found on https://smaccs-apply.ihu.edu.gr/
When submitting your application file to the SMACCs system, you will receive a unique application ID and a URL that MUST be used by the two referees to upload their reference letter.
It is your responsibility to share your Application ID with the referees, and to instruct them that they have to visit the url to submit their reference letter. Reference forms have to be submitted no later than 15 calendar days after the application deadline that corresponds to your case. Reference letters uploaded after that date will NOT be processed.
More information on the deadlines can be found on https://www.smaccs.eu/admissions/deadlines/
32. Can I upload the reference letter myself?
No. The recommendation letters must be uploaded by the referees, strictly following the procedure mentioned here: https://www.smaccs.eu/admissions/admissions/
33. Can I provide more than 2 letters of reference?
Two letters of reference are enough (one referee from the academic sector, and one from the professional sector). Additional letters will not be considered.
34. What is the deadline for my professors to submit their reference letters?
More information about the deadlines can be found on https://www.smaccs.eu/admissions/instructions
35. To get a proof of residency, I need to specify an address to send it to. Which address should I use?
Please address the documents to the project coordinator at the University of Mons:
Université de Mons
Erasmus Mundus Joint Master in Smart Cities and Communities, Service de Génie Electrique
Boulevard Dolez, 31
7000 Mons, Belgium
36. In part A of the application form, in “Choosing the path of study”, what should I write exactly in the brackets?
Put your preferences in the brackets according to the study paths listed in the form; for example, if your preferred study path would be UWASA – UMONS – UPV/EHU, then place a “1” in the bracket next to it; we will try to give each students their preferred path of study, but it might not be possible. So we ask you to identify your second and third favourite path as well by writing “2” and “3” in the brackets next to them, respectively.
37. Which type of document can I provide as proof of residency for a successful application?
The form of your “proof of residence” will depend on the administration/legal situation in your country. Some countries have a system in place that will give you an official proof of residence (i.e. Germany or Austria), some countries don’t have anything like that (i.e. the UK). In case that there is no official register, you can also use (for example) utility bills showing your name and address as proof of address.
Note: The document must be in English.
38. I am in employment; do I need to provide a document from my workplace?
You can submit a certificate from your current occupation and/or any other certificate available to support your application. In general, relevant professional background may enhance candidate’s profile during his/her application.
39. Will you inform the applicant if anything is lacking in his application documents?
No, there will be no notification. Any incomplete applications will be rejected. For more information: https://www.smaccs.eu/admissions/instructions/.
1. How many applicants have passed the selection process and how many of them will be admitted?
The number of applicants varies every year. Some applicants do not fill in the online form and thus are not considered. Some others do not meet the general requirements and are not considered as well. The number of admissions depends on each year batch, their level of competency and the minimum acceptable level for SMACCs.
So it is not possible to mention a number for this question.
2. I have applied for SMACCs and all my documents are complete. I have not been selected to benefit from an EMJM scholarship, despite the fact that I am a top student from a top university who meets all the requirements. I would like to know why I have not been selected in the final round and what my weak points are. Am I in the reserve list?
Selection criteria are mentioned clearly on the SMACCs website under the “Student admission”, Student admission criteria link
https://www.smaccs.eu/admissions/admission-criteria.
The number of EMJM scholarships, as well as the number of study places, available for SMACCs is limited and the application process highly competitive. The merit ranking is based on a total evaluation of the following: university content of degree/s, study success, motivation letter, references, work experience, publications and proficiency in English.
Your application was evaluated together with a large number of applications of the highest qualification. Based on this evaluation, your qualifications were not competitive enough as compared to the others. You may have not received an EMJM scholarship (or other scholarships available, see here), but could be allowed to enrol on a self-funded basis. You will receive all the necessary information when contacted by the consortium after the selection process. We will not communicate your ranking in the list.
Please note that this is an extremely competitive programme: fulfilling the eligibility criteria alone is not sufficient for a scholarship offer, or even for being admitted on a self-funded basis.
Please note as well that no more than 10% of the total number of scholarships awarded during project implementation should be awarded to candidates from the same nationality.
3. I have not been awarded a SMACCs scholarship (EMJM, or other, see here) and could not find any fund for my studies yet. Is it possible to apply for the SMACCs Erasmus Mundus Programme in my condition?
Yes. You can apply for SMACCs as a self-financing candidate and if admitted, join the SMACCs programme.
Please note that Erasmus+ funding opportunities do exist for non EMJM scholarship holders, see https://www.smaccs.eu/practical/scholarships/
Please note however that the SMACCS admits a maximum number of students per Edition, which may vary from year to year (around 40).
1. How will I know if I have been admitted to the SMACCs Programme?
You will receive a notification of the status of your application by the SMACCs programme. Information about the deadlines for informing the applicants about their status can be found on https://www.smaccs.eu/admissions/deadlines/.
2. As an admitted candidate, what is the next step?
Admitted candidates will have to enrol in the program, following the guidelines provided by the secretary of the SMACCs programme.
Please note that, should your application be successful, whether your are a scholarship or a self-funded student, you MUST, in order to finalize enrolment:
- present the originals of documents constituting your application file at registration. All annexes to your application must be certified original copies (certified copies are made by a competent official at the municipal administration of the country in which you are).If the certified copies of the originals are not written in English, they must be accompanied by a translation into English by a sworn translator.
- receive the authorization from the University of the Basque Country (i.e. the institution awarding the SMACCs Master degree) for accessing a Master’s degree with a foreign qualification, issued into or outside the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). The procedure and the requested documents are available on the UPV/EHU’s website: https://www.ehu.eus/en/web/masterrak-eta-graduondokoak/admission-of-foreign-students . WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND APPLICANTS TO START THAT PROCESS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Admitted students who do not fulfill these criteria will NOT be allowed to start their SMACCs studies.
3. Do I need a health and accident insurance?
The Consortium will pay the health insurance costs for all scholarship and self-funded students (i.e. it is included in the tuition fees).
4. How can I arrange journey and accommodation?
All admitted candidates, both scholarship holders and self-financing, will be sent a specific Student’s handbook containing information on visa procedures, journey and accommodation arrangements, among others, that will help them prepare everything.
5. How will I be transferred the scholarship money?
The scholarship money will be transferred once you have arrived in Europe and have opened a bank account.
Candidates need to have a European bank account for the scholarship money to be transferred. Those candidates who do not have a European bank account shall open one upon arrival in Europe. Staff from the corresponding University will guide and help them in the process of opening one.
7. Haven’t found the answer you are looking for?
If you haven’t found the answer you are looking for or you still have doubts, please contact us at info@smaccs.eu.