In addition to study programmes in their official languages, most European countries also offer many programmes taught in English. Have a look at the different country profiles, where you will find more information.

We would recommend contacting the International Office of the higher education institutions in Europe you are particularly interested in to ask for detailed information on admission requirements. You may also look on the country profiles on the Study in Europe portal, where you will find useful information on all European countries and general information on admission requirements.

Costs for accommodation, food and drink, transport etc. vary across Europe. The country profiles may help you to find out more. Do not forget to ask the International Office of the European higher education institution that you are interested in about the average living costs in their city. Additionally, we have put together some tips on how to save money as a student in Europe.

Applicants need at least four years of university studies and six months of relevant professional experience.
They should also have a strong interest in transatlantic affairs as well as basic knowledge of the EU.

Applicants will typically have a university degree in one of the following areas:
• International Relations
• Political Science
• Diplomatic Studies
• Law
• Economics or Business Administration
• European or American Studies
• Contemporary (European or American) History

Depending on the study track chosen, specific prerequisites exist. For the Economics track, students should have successfully followed courses in Statistics, Microeconomics and Macroeconomics at an intermediate level. For the International Relations and Diplomacy Studies track, students should have previous knowledge of EU institutions and decision-making. For the Legal Studies track, students should have a legal background and a prior knowledge of EU institutional law. 

The programme is structured into five study tracks:
• Economic Studies (Bruges);
• International Relations and Diplomacy (Bruges);
• Interdisciplinary Studies (Natolin);
• Legal Studies (Bruges);
• Political and Governance Studies (Bruges)

Generally students beginning at The Fletcher School are required to take seven courses with at least one course from each of the three divisions: International Law and Organizations; Diplomacy, History and Politics; and Economics and International Business. MATA students spending their first year at the College of Europe are affiliated with one of the five study programmes and follow a tailor-made study track: European Economic Studies, European Interdisciplinary Studies (Natolin), EU International Relations and Diplomacy Studies, European Legal Studies or European Political and Governance Studies. All MATA students will also follow a joint transatlantic course during their first year in the programme.

Students spending their first year at The Fletcher School will do an internship in semester 3 of the programme and spend their final semester at the College of Europe and integrate into one of its academic departments. Students spending their first year at the College of Europe can choose to do their internship in semester 3 or 4 and will, during the remaining semester, do coursework at The Fletcher School.

In general, studying in Europe offers good value for money. Each European country has its own tuition fee policy. Have a look at the country profiles, where you can see the typical tuition fees per country.

Study in Europe is not a higher education institution. Study in Europe is a European Union project, which aims to help international students to find out about higher education study, research and scholarship opportunities in Europe. Please visit this page of the Study in Europe portal if you wish to learn more about the project.

With thousands of world-class universities, higher education institutions and research institutes in Europe, it is difficult to tell you which university will be the best for you. Each student has different priorities, interests and wishes. We propose to check the Study in Europe checklist to start gathering information about European higher education institutions. If you want to consult a university ranking, U-Multirank is a user-driven ranking that covers different aspects of higher education and can be adapted to your needs and priorities. U-Multirank is an independent tool, financially supported by the European Union in its first years.

This is handled differently by each country and sometimes even by each higher education institution. We recommend contacting the International Office of the European university where you want to study to check if the certificate/degree that you already obtained will be recognized. You can also find more information on the recognition of academic and professional qualifications on the ENIC-NARIC portal.

Almost every non- EU/EEA resident needs a visa when he or she wants to stay in Europe for a considerable period of time. Students are often required to apply for a student visa. With this visa, you can stay in your host country for a fixed period of time. The rules concerning visas may differ from one country to another. Check the EU Immigration portal for more information and contact the respective embassy of the European country you are interested in studying in.

Study in Europe informs international students about higher education in Europe. For this, we do not charge fees to students.

Many students work part-time whilst they study or during the university holidays to help support themselves financially. Each country has restrictions on the maximum amount of hours that an international student can work during his/her studies. Check the immigration website for each country to find out more on this topic.

Each country, even each higher education institution, decides on its admission requirements. We would recommend contacting the International Office of your selected higher education institution in Europe to ask for detailed information on its specific requirements regarding English language certificates.

Each European country has adopted different regulations to allow students to stay on after their studies to look for a job. However, the European Union has requested that international students can stay at least for 9 months to look for a suitable work opportunity. Check the immigration website for each country to find out more.

Study in Europe does not offer scholarships at all. The Refugee Welcome map offers an overview of different initiatives for refugee students and researchers.

On the Study in Europe portal, you will find lots of information about studying in Europe, including a country profile for each European country. Browse the different country profiles and learn more about the higher education systems. The Study in Europe checklist will help you to plan the different steps you have to take to study in Europe. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram where we post interesting facts and information about studying in Europe.

A maximum of five students may begin at each institution each year. Therefore, in any academic year there could be a total of twenty students since the program takes two academic years to complete.

Graduates of this joint academic programme will receive a Master of Arts in Transatlantic Affairs (120 ECTS).

The average length for degree programmes is:
• Bachelor’s degree programme: 3 years
• Master’s degree programme: 2 years
• Doctorate/PhD: 3 years

There are a lot of scholarships and funding schemes available across Europe, e.g. the Erasmus+ program or scholarships proposed by each country. On the Study in Europe portal we list the main programs.

The MATA requires four semesters or two academic years. The fall semester begins in late August (Fletcher)/September (College of Europe) and runs through December. The spring semester begins in January and finishes in late May (Fletcher)/June (College of Europe).

During the fall semester of the first year, MATA students will take a joint course (via video conference) focused on the cultural, economic, legal and political aspects of the transatlantic relationship. In the spring term, MATA students will be engaged in a joint transatlantic project focused on solving a problem of a transatlantic nature.

Students are strongly encouraged to seek an internship of four months, which is also the maximum possible length. A minimum of three consecutive months is required.

As long as they have a transatlantic focus, internships may be in any sector and may take place in Europe or North America. In principle, students spending their first year in the US will do their internship in Europe and vice versa.

If you wish to start your studies at the College of Europe, you have to submit your online application on the College of Europe website between early November and mid-January of the year during which you wish to commence your studies. The deadline for the two (online) letters of recommendation is early February.

Your file will be evaluated in February so we can interview (via Skype) all preselected applicants in February and inform the admitted students around mid-March. (If you want to start your studies in the US, please go the relevant website of The Fletcher School to find out more about the application process.) If you are applying for the MATA programme as well as one of our other programmes you will have to apply twice! If you only apply for the MATA programme, you only have to fill in the online application for the MATA

For this programme you will have to provide us with two academic letters of recommendation, that is letters from university professors. Additional letters, including professional references, can also always be uploaded additionally. Recommendation letters are in the form of online recommendation questionnaires that are automatically sent to your nominated referees via email through your online application.

The College of Europe and The Fletcher School offer scholarships and tuition waivers to a high percentage of their students across all study programmes, including the MATA programmes. Additionally, we encourage students to apply for external funding sources, for instance via the Fulbright Schuman programme.

As far as your internship is concerned: please check the national regulations for the country where you will do your internship. As far as your studies are concerned: please check the national regulations for Belgium/Poland/the US. If you study a full academic year in Belgium/Poland, you will need a visa type D (ask for a Schengen visa, multiple entry).

Yes, you can. However, applying also to the one-year College of Europe programmes will require a separate application form including two letters of recommendation from other professors.

Graduates of this programme will be prepared for positions of leadership in a variety of areas – ranging from international and national public sector functions to responsibilities in the private and non-profit sectors – with an international outlook and the ability to deal with cross-border issues in a multidisciplinary manner.

Graduates of the College of Europe and The Fletcher School have gone on to exciting careers in international organizations (United Nations, NATO), the European Union, national diplomatic services and ministries, private companies, consultancies and law firms, non-for-profit organizations, think tanks and academia.

If you spend a full academic year at the College of Europe, the College will automatically reserve a room for you in one of its student residences for the entire academic year.

If you only spend the fourth semester of the MATA programme at the College of Europe, the College will automatically reserve a room for you in one of its student residences for the duration of this semester, that is from January to June.

If you do your internship in Belgium and you would like to stay in one of the student residences during the third semester of the MATA Programme, you should check well in advance if a room is available by contacting Mrs Katrijn PIETERS (General Services).