The Jean Monnet Scholarship Programme in Türkiye is an EU-funded award for people who work or study in Türkiye to spend 3 to 12 months on postgraduate or research study at a university in an EU member state. It is not open to international students in general. You must be a national of Türkiye, an EU member state or one of six Western Balkan countries, and you must currently work in Türkiye or study at a Turkish university. For 2027-2028 the scholarship pays tuition up to EUR 22,000, a monthly living allowance set by host country, and a one-off EUR 3,500.
Applications for the 2027-2028 academic year close on 27 October 2026. If you qualify and have not sent your file, you have very little time. If you are a student from Africa, Asia or the Americas looking at this from outside Türkiye, the short answer is that you cannot apply, and I explain why below so you do not waste a courier fee.
Deadline: 27 October 2026
Applications are by post or hand delivery. The postmark date counts, and hand delivery closes at 17:00 Ankara time. Only nationals of Türkiye, EU member states, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia who work or study in Türkiye can apply.
- Funded by: the European Union
- Run by: the Directorate for EU Affairs (Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs), the CFCU and the EU Delegation to Türkiye
- Nationality: Türkiye, EU member states, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia
- Must also be: working in Türkiye or studying at a Turkish university
- Study: 3 to 12 months, postgraduate or research level, in an EU member state
- Awards: about 170
- Money: tuition up to EUR 22,000, a monthly living allowance and a one-off EUR 3,500
Who can apply for the Jean Monnet Scholarship Programme
The programme was set up in 1989 under an agreement between Türkiye and the European Commission. Its purpose is to train experts in the EU acquis (the body of EU law and policy) to support Türkiye’s EU accession process. That purpose explains both eligibility tests.
Test 1: nationality
The 2027-2028 Announcement Document says you must be a national of an EU member state, Türkiye, or an IPA III beneficiary. The IPA III beneficiaries besides Türkiye are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. Nationals of any other country are not eligible, even if they live and study in Türkiye.
Test 2: your current sector in Türkiye
You must currently belong to one of four groups. You pick one sector and send one application; more than one gets you eliminated.
| Sector | Who it covers | Indicative share of awards |
|---|---|---|
| Public sector | Staff of public bodies in Türkiye, including professional organisations, chambers, municipalities, special provincial administrations, development agencies and public development, investment and deposit banks | 50% |
| University sector | Academic and administrative staff of public or foundation universities; final-year undergraduates and master’s or PhD students at universities in Türkiye | 30% |
| Private sector | Employees of private companies, NGOs and resident diplomatic missions in Türkiye; self-employed people with registration documents | 20% |
People on leave from their employer, with paused enrolment, or on a short exchange such as Erasmus can still apply. Interns and volunteers cannot.
What this means for international students
| Your situation | Eligible? |
|---|---|
| Turkish citizen working or studying in Türkiye | Yes, if you meet the other criteria |
| EU or Western Balkans national working or studying in Türkiye | Yes, if you meet the other criteria |
| Nigerian, Pakistani, Indian or other non-listed national studying at a Turkish university (including on a Türkiye Bursları scholarship) | No, nationality rule excludes you |
| Turkish citizen living and studying outside Türkiye | No, you must be in one of the Türkiye-based sectors |
| Anyone from outside Türkiye wanting a full degree in Europe | No, this is a 3 to 12 month study period for people in Türkiye |
Several scholarship sites list this programme for “international students” without the nationality rule. If you are outside the eligible group and want EU-funded study, look at Erasmus Mundus joint master’s programmes, which accept applicants from any country. Our MARIHE Erasmus Mundus guide is one example.
Academic and language requirements
Degree and grades
- You hold a bachelor’s degree, or you are in the final year of one. Two-year associate degrees do not count.
- Your undergraduate CGPA is at least 2.70 out of 4.00, or 70 out of 100.
- Below that, you can still apply if you have 36 months of paid work under social security, or a completed master’s or PhD.
- There is no programme age limit, though a public employer may set its own.
You are not eligible if you have signed a Jean Monnet contract before, or if you already earned a master’s or PhD abroad on a scholarship from an EU member state or EU institution. Short exchanges do not count against you. People who applied before and were not selected can apply again.
Language certificate minimums
You choose one or two official EU languages and must hold a valid certificate for each by the application deadline. The written exam is held in the first language you list. YDS and e-YDS are not accepted for English, German, French, Spanish or Italian.
| Language | Accepted certificates and minimums |
|---|---|
| English | TOEFL iBT 86 (or 4.5 on the new scale); IELTS Academic 6.5; PTE Academic 58; Cambridge CAE grade B; CPE grade C |
| German | DSH 2; Goethe-Zertifikat C1; TestDaF 4 in each part; DSD II; telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule; ÖSD C1; Abitur |
| French | DELF B2; DALF C1; TCF 400 in each part; Baccalauréat (including named lycées in Istanbul, Ankara and İzmir) |
| Spanish | DELE B2 |
| Italian | CELI, CILS, IT&IT or PLIDA at B2 |
| Other EU languages | A certificate the host university requires, or YDS/e-YDS 80 |
Native speakers and graduates of foreign-language universities still need a certificate.
What the Jean Monnet Scholarship pays
| Item | 2027-2028 amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | Up to EUR 22,000; you pay anything above that |
| Living allowance | Monthly rate set per host country (see next table) |
| One-off payment | EUR 3,500 for visa, travel, insurance, books, registration and similar costs |
| Family members | No allowance |
| How it is paid | 90% after you sign the contract, 10% after you finish and close the file; not paid monthly |
The Directorate for EU Affairs publishes the monthly living allowance for each host country. These are the rates on its page at the time of writing. The page does not say which academic year they apply to, so confirm them in your contract.
| Country | EUR per month | Country | EUR per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luxembourg | 2,050 | Greece | 1,150 |
| Denmark | 1,950 | Estonia | 1,150 |
| Ireland | 1,950 | Slovakia | 1,100 |
| Sweden | 1,850 | Latvia | 1,050 |
| Finland | 1,750 | Czechia | 950 |
| Austria | 1,600 | Lithuania | 900 |
| Netherlands | 1,600 | Croatia | 850 |
| Belgium | 1,550 | Hungary | 850 |
| France | 1,450 | Poland | 750 |
| Germany | 1,450 | Bulgaria | 700 |
| Italy | 1,350 | Romania | 700 |
| Spain | 1,350 | Malta | 1,200 |
| Cyprus (listed as Greek Administration of Southern Cyprus) | 1,300 | Portugal | 1,200 |
| Slovenia | 1,200 |
What you can study and where
- Graduate or research-level study with a policy focus, tied to one of the 32 EU acquis chapters you select (for example competition policy, environment, energy, taxation or justice and home affairs). Chapters 10, 25 and 26 have limits on scope.
- At a university or similar institution in an EU member state. Fully online and distance programmes are not accepted.
- Between 3 and 12 months, ending by 1 March 2029. You cannot extend or postpone.
- If selected, you need unconditional offers from at least two programmes in at least two different EU countries (unless only one country teaches your programme in your chosen language). You do not send offer letters with the application.
Jean Monnet Scholarship 2027-2028 dates
| Stage | Date (Türkiye time) |
|---|---|
| Call published | 27 August 2026 |
| Last day for questions | 6 October 2026, 16:00 (passed) |
| Answers published | By 16 October 2026 |
| Application deadline | 27 October 2026 (postmark date for post or courier; 17:00 for hand delivery) |
| Written exam in Ankara | Date in Annex 3 of the call; the previous round’s exam was on 7 February 2026 |
| Placement and contract documents | Within 2 months of notification or by 13 August 2027, whichever is later |
| Latest study end date | 1 March 2029 |
Türkiye time is UTC+3 all year, so 17:00 in Ankara is 14:00 GMT.
How selection works
Every applicant who meets the minimum criteria is invited to a written exam in Ankara. There is no make-up date. Questions can cover your chosen acquis chapter, the EU in general and Türkiye-EU relations, and you need at least 60 out of 100 to pass. Ties are broken by your score on the EU questions, then gender, then age. Awards are then made by score within the sector quotas, up to about 170 places, subject to budget.
Documents checklist
| Document | Who |
|---|---|
| English application form for 2027-2028 (Annex 1); the Turkish form is not accepted | All |
| Copy of ID card or passport identity pages | All |
| Language certificate(s), valid on the deadline | All |
| Undergraduate diploma or graduation certificate (or e-Devlet document) | All except final-year undergraduates |
| Undergraduate transcript with official verification (no student portal printouts) | All |
| Graduate diploma or proof of 36 months’ work | Only if CGPA is below 2.70/4.00 or 70/100 |
| Employer consent letter dated after 27 August 2026 | Public sector and university staff |
| Payroll or employment letter, plus social security record | Private sector |
| Student certificate dated after 27 August 2026 | Students |
How to submit your application
- Download the 2027-2028 Announcement Document and its annexes from the EU Delegation to Türkiye or the programme site (jeanmonnet.org.tr). Read the whole call.
- Fill in the English application form and gather your sector’s documents in one dossier.
- Seal it in an envelope marked with the call title, your name, phone number and address, and the “not to be opened” statement in English and Turkish as set out in the call.
- Send it by registered mail or courier, or deliver it by hand, to the Central Finance and Contracts Unit (Merkezi Finans ve İhale Birimi), Gelir İdaresi Başkanlığı Eğitim Merkezi ve OECD Ankara Çok Taraflı Vergi Merkezi, 25 Mart Mahallesi, İstiklal Caddesi No: 7, Yenimahalle, 06200 Ankara, Türkiye. Email, fax and cash-on-delivery are rejected.
- Watch your email for the exam invitation and venue.
Digitally signed PDFs are not accepted as proof; electronic documents need a verification code, QR code or barcode. If you need a reference from a supervisor for your later university applications, our recommendation letter samples may help.
Obligations after the scholarship
The contract itself does not require you to return to Türkiye or serve a set period, though a public employer may impose its own return or service rule. You send placement, progress and final reports. You must stay in the sector you applied from (changing employer within it is allowed). If you do not finish your studies or break the contract, you repay all or part of the money.
FAQ on the Jean Monnet Scholarship Programme
Can international students apply for the Jean Monnet Scholarship in Türkiye?
Only if they hold Turkish, EU or Western Balkan (IPA III) nationality and currently work or study in Türkiye. Other nationals are not eligible.
Does the Jean Monnet Scholarship fund a full master’s degree?
It funds 3 to 12 months of postgraduate or research study, so it covers a one-year master’s in many EU countries but not a two-year degree.
What IELTS score do I need for the Jean Monnet Scholarship?
IELTS Academic 6.5 overall, or TOEFL iBT 86, PTE Academic 58, or the other certificates listed in the call. YDS is not accepted for English.
Can I apply online for the Jean Monnet Scholarship?
No. You send a sealed paper dossier by post, courier or hand to the CFCU in Ankara by 27 October 2026.
Sources and updates
Eligibility, nationality rules, grades, language minimums, amounts, quotas, documents and deadlines come from the 2027-2028 Announcement Document published by the EU Delegation to Türkiye, and its 27 August 2026 call notice. Monthly living allowances come from the Directorate for EU Affairs’ stipends page. The programme background and selection method come from the programme’s own site, jeanmonnet.org.tr. The February 2026 exam date comes from the Directorate for EU Affairs’ notice on the 2026-2027 written exam. Information checked on 24 October 2026. I will add the 2027-2028 exam date when it is confirmed.
I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.
