Spokesman Report
Brussels: Pakistan has once again claimed the top spot in the world for fully-funded Erasmus Mundus scholarships, marking the fifth consecutive year the country has secured the top spot in the European Union’s Erasmus+ program.
The European Union congratulated 98 Pakistani students selected for the Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters scholarships for the 2026 cycle, describing the achievement as another major milestone in Pakistan’s growing academic engagement with Europe.
Both the Embassy of Pakistan in Brussels and the EU Delegation in Pakistan took to social media to celebrate the announcement, reflecting the warmth and depth of a partnership that stretches far beyond diplomacy.
Pakistan leads with 98 winners, ahead of Bangladesh with 80, India with 75, the United States with 68, and Italy with 67; out of a total of 1,872 scholarships awarded to students from 135 countries worldwide.
The figures underscore just how fiercely competitive this program has become, and how consistently Pakistani students are rising to meet that challenge.
The Embassy of Pakistan in Brussels called the achievement a testament to the excellence of Pakistan’s youth and the growing strength of the Pakistan–EU knowledge partnership, reaffirming its commitment to advancing science diplomacy and deepening bilateral ties in higher education, research, innovation, and emerging technologies.
The Embassy also acknowledged the contributions of former First Secretary Muhammad Adeel, whose work during his Brussels tenure helped strengthen Pakistan–EU cooperation across science, technology, and academic exchange.
The Erasmus Mundus scholarships are among the most competitive academic awards globally, attracting tens of thousands of applications every year for fewer than 2,000 fully funded seats.
The program enables selected students to pursue joint master’s degrees across multiple European universities under a single academic framework.
The package covers full tuition fees, monthly stipends, travel allowances, installation support, and medical insurance, with mobility opportunities across countries including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Portugal, and Finland.
