r/FilipinosStudyAbroad

Hi all,

I have been awarded an EMJM scholarship, but I am struggling with the decision to leave my current job.

I am F/28 and I would need to resign from a stable position to join the program. While EMJM sounds like an amazing opportunity, moving abroad and starting over is intimidating, especially given concerns about unemployment in parts of Europe.

For EMJM alumni:

• What did you do after graduation?
• Did anyone start a PhD immediately after completing the program?
• How difficult was it to find employment afterward?
• Do you feel the experience was worth leaving a stable job for?

I would really appreciate hearing both positive and challenging experiences. As someone coming from a teaching background, I am especially interested in hearing from alumni who transitioned into academia, research, international organizations, or a different career path after the program.

Thank you in advance for sharing your experiences and advice!

Hi just wanted to post this to ask. I'm currently an MA candidate in the Philippines under a scholarship. I'm supposed to attend an academic conference in Vienna on September 17-18 2026. I initially applied for a Schengen Visa last August 7 2026 but got a rejection this August 17. I have legit papers for the conference and I really do want to return to the Philippines since I have a scholarship obligation here and I only intend to move abroad if I get a PhD offer (with scholarship).

I was rejected on the grounds of a brief meeting with a friend in Munich (round trip for me), and my proof of ties to the country.

The consulate has been responsive with my calls after and have not closed my application, since I still have a window to appeal. Any similar experiences here with the Austrian Embassy? Upon checking my initial documents my friends who have been to academic engagements in Europe also noted that my letter and itinerary could have been far more detailed and organized.

I'm worried that I may miss the conference and flight since these are non refundable. Is it hopeless? I'm expected to complete additional letters that address their concerns for rejection by around Thursday or Friday. Is two weeks a reasonable wait to see if I can still get this accepted? Any advice would be greatly appreciated or if anyone has positive experiences with the Austrian Embassy? Thank you!

I'm a graduating student from Central Luzon and I'm planning to apply for an Erasmus Mundus Scholarship.

I think I'm just an average student lang and I'm not even from big 4 uni. I don't have failed courses, but my 2nd yr 2nd sem gwa was very low (1.9). Long story why 1.9 but I swear, it wasn't because I wasn't studying well enough, huhu. My other gwa namn were okay (1.3 to 1.6).

Ang pinaka-experience ko lang was my internship in an international testing laboratory and pag-vo-volunteer ko. May orgs and committees sa uni na kasama ako, then kasama ako sa mga naging representative ng school namin for a few months (back when I was in senior high school) in an int'l program based in Italy, pero online lang.

Other than that, wala na, huhu. Original plan ko kasi was to pursue med, but our financial status right now is not the same as before I entered uni. My parents can't afford it anymore, and as I mentioned, I'm just an average student, so I doubt that I can study in med school and work at the same time, that's why I thought maybe I can pursue a master's degree abroad.

May chance kaya ako ma-accept? May isa kasi ako na-meet before na nakakuha ng scholarship na to, but he's super intelligent namn and from upd pa huhu.

Also, if ever magkaroon tlga ako ng confidence to apply, do you guys think it's better if I work here first for a year then try ko mag-apply while working or tuloy ko na preparation for 2027?

So I'm confused....if someone is like me who just wants to go abroad... originally I wanted mbbs abroad but if I get an option to study their language in their country of a scholarship then I would gladly go...so is there any country like this????

Meron ba dito yung degree eh local univ pero nagthesis ng MS abroad? Paano yung naging process? Lahat ba ay adviser based talaga or meron na external?

Hi! As mentioned po sa title, gusto ko lang po malaman if may chance ba yung isang average student na walang mga extracurricular activities or leadership roles sa college na mag-apply sa mga scholarships programs for postgrad degree sa ibang bansa? Gusto ko pa po sana ituloy pa yung study ko sa masters kaya lang kapag naiisip ko na magiging competitive siya since maraming mas deserving at magagaling na students kesa sa akin, baka masayang lang yung oras at pera sa pag-try.

Gusto ko lang pong malaman if meron ditong mga natanggap or may kakilalang natanggap kahit average student din at hindi walang mga ibang ganap nung college. Thank you po!

Hi! Will be starting my masters program in Belgium this autumn. Anyone can give general financial advice or tips? My insurance is covered by my university and the allowance will be provided through a debit card. I'm more interested in possibly building credit, use of credit cards, investing a small amount etc since I think kaya ng allowance because of my minimal spending. I searched up and better daw to use my debit card than my local credit cards to avoid forex fees. Any advice is appreciated, thank you in advance!

I'm currently a 27 year old taking my second degree with 2 PRC licenses and about to take law school after. My dream is actually to be come a lawyer but I also have a dream to be able to study abroad for the experience and to hone my skills. I'm planning to enter law school three years from now so I can stabilize my finances prior to law school. I estimate to finish law school by 35 years old.

Will being 35 reduce my chance to get into abroad hopefully with a good scholarship (targetting US, EU, UK, Aus, SG schools)?

If anyone here is an EMJM scholar or is currently planning to apply, I'd love to connect!

I'm very interested in applying for an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's (EMJM) program specifically EPOG, but I'd like to learn more about the experience beyond what I've already read online. I know it's a highly competitive program with a very selective admission process, but I'd love to hear firsthand insights from current scholars, alumni, or fellow applicants.

I'd appreciate any tips, advice, or personal experiences you can share. Thank you!

Good Day! I am currently a second year BS Physics student in UP Diliman, I plan to take my Masters abroad and hopefully transition to full time work there.

1. May I have any suggestions for schools or scholarship programs. My target field is aerospace science!

2. I also would like to ask for tips on how to make my application solid for higher chances of passing. Right now I am trying to bring my gwa up and deepen my knowledge on my course.

3. I would also like to ask if there is any suggested tracks other than aerospace science that I can take.

Any comment will be appreciated. Thank yo so much!

Kamusta maging student sa Netherlands? I'm a graduating student na and I'm planning to pursue an MSc there.

Nag-try ako dati maghanap ng uni and scholarship diyan bago ako mag-college, kaso dahil siguro sa pressure kasi isa-isa na natatanggap classmates ko sa mga uni here, hindi ko na tinuloy. Kinalimutan ko na to sa totoo lang, pero bigla binanggit ng mama ko ulit. Nagtanong siya kung naghahanap pa ba ako scholarship abroad🥹 Ayun pumasok na naman sa isip ko na baka pwede pa.

Pa-share naman ng journey niyoo.

Edit: cost of living and housing is not an issue naman po, tuition lang talga. I don't think I can pay for it all by myself that's why I wanted to know how ako makakahanap ng scholarship or funding 🥹

Hi po! I’m hoping to get some advice from Filipinos who have studied abroad, are currently studying abroad, or just have experience with scholarships, international universities, and moving abroad.

For context po, I was born and raised abroad and lived outside the Philippines for around 15 years before moving back here. I’m very fluent in English because that’s the language I grew up with, but Filipino has always been my biggest academic struggle.

Ever since I moved here, I’ve noticed that I can do well in pretty much every other subject, but whenever a subject involves a lot of reading and writing in Filipino, I struggle badly. I’ve even tried taking tutoring lessons and really tried to improve, but it still hasn’t worked out well for me.

Because of this, I’ve failed some exams that involved Filipino, and I was also unable to pass the UPCAT because I couldn’t meet the Filipino language requirements. It’s honestly really frustrating because I know I’m capable academically, but I’m being held back by a language that I didn’t grow up being educated in.

Now I’m starting my first year at PUP, taking Entrepreneurship, and I’ve already noticed that I have Filipino-related subjects in my schedule. That worries me a lot because I’m scared that I’ll continue having the same problem throughout university.

At the same time, I’m trying to think about my future. I’m interested in music production, audio engineering, and music in general, and I would really like to eventually study something in that field abroad.

The problem is… I have basically little to no money in my name right now. 😭

I currently work part-time (remotely), and there’s a possibility that my boss may offer me a full-time position. That could obviously help me financially, but there’s another issue: because I’m working, my family expects me to help support the household. I also really want to become financially independent and eventually move out because my home environment is extremely toxic.

So I’m kind of stuck between wanting to help my family, wanting to continue my education, wanting to become independent, and wanting to eventually study abroad.

I don’t want to just randomly make a decision like “I’m going to leave the Philippines” without actually knowing how I’m going to make it happen. I want to make a concrete plan and work toward it properly.

So I wanted to ask people who have actually done this:

If you were in my position right now, what would you do?

How would you make a realistic 2–4 year plan from here?

Most importantly, how do I turn this from “I want to study abroad someday” into an actual step-by-step plan with specific goals, deadlines, and financial targets?

I know this isn't going to be easy and I'm not expecting some magical shortcut. I just genuinely want to know if this is possible from where I'm starting, and if it is, what would you suggest I do first?

Thank you po! Any advice, especially from people who have been in a similar situation, would really mean a lot. 🙏

i am currently an MA student at UP Diliman, and one of my plans after this is pursuing my PhD abroad (princeton and NUS are on top of my list), so i’m wondering how i should spend my time here in the PH - like what to focus on, for example. research publication, yes, that’s given - but is there anything else i should consider? should i join an advocacy group? do more internships? teach?

i would especially appreciate the hindsight of people who already finished their phd abroad. what would you have done differently to boost your chances of getting accepted internationally with scholarships? maybe a more grounded question would be: what does the academic climate abroad prioritize more in an applicant?

Hello.

May mga natanggap po ba dito for Saudi scholarships? Just seeing if may kasabayan ako. Not naming the institution pero I wanted to know if may naka process na ng visa or processing palang for Saudi.

Thanks!

Hello po! Now awaiting my VISA decision (positive me po na approved siyaa 🙏). Hingi lang po sana ako advice with international banking and accommodation hunting. Around Huddersfield area po me and nahihirapan po for accommodation. Mostly kasi need UK guarantor tapos full payment upfront o kaya naman po instalments. Maybe someone lives there or knows someone po regarding this.

Also, tried din po the school accommodations. Kaso po sold out iyong studios nila (I don't do well with sharing po, got terrible experiences huhu).

Salamat po in advance!!

Hi everyone. Just received my admission letter from a university in germany, but the earliest visa appointment i could get is Sep 16. The semester will start on Oct 1, although the univ stated that they can accept enrollment until Oct 31. Has anyone been in a similar situation and still gotten their visa approved on time?

I also read somewhere that such tight timeline could be a reason for visa refusal, so i'm really worried.

Thank you 😳

Is it worth it pa mag canada ngayon? Or other country nalang?

I got my Schengen Visa approved by the Italian Embassy in Manila! I just want to thank everyone here, especially that one reddit user (i think u know who u are! grazie mille). Y’all have no idea how this community helped me in my application. And I wanted to do the same for others who are still in the process and future applicants, especially exchange students. Most of the time, I come across applications that are degree-seeking and almost none, when it comes to student exchange programs, so this guide might be biased or more catered to those with the same circumstance. For context I am an incoming exchange student for 1 semester (6 months). Nevertheless, this guide will also cover general tips.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Completely filled out visa form (can be retrieved from the website); do not leave blanks—put N/A; personal remarks: i put my hotel address at #31 and i put the contact of the international mobility officer; in #32 i put the name of uni, contact, and the name of international mobility officer again
• 2 passport photos (Schengen format)
• Passport; photocopy of the contents of your passport A.) bio page B.) every page with stamps and visas C.) last page of the passport
• Accommodation; i got a hotel reservation for 16 days (at least 15 days) i also submitted letter of promise explaining how i will find long term accommodation
• One-Way Flight Ticket
• Admission Letter from the host uni
• Proof of Agreement between home and host uni (I submitted the Memorandum of Agreement i requested from my home uni)
• Certificate of Enrollment (i presented my registration form in my home uni, since i am in residency [not taking any units but still enrolled in my home uni]); i also presented my duly signed residency letter addressed to the chancellor of my home uni
• Signed Universitaly Pre-enrollment Form
• Schengen accredited Travel Insurance (i got mine from AXA Philippines) which covers the entire duration
• Proof of Financial Means (my mother is my sponsor so i presented her bank statements and certificate along with business documents: 
  • A.) Complete set of DTI/SEC Registration. Must include Article of Incorporation and General Informa
  • B.) BIR Certificate of Registration
  • C.) BIR "ASK FOR RECEIPT" Plate
  • D.) BIR Permits and License
  • E.) Financial Statements
  • F.) ITR
  • G.) License to Operate since our business is a pharmacy
  • * Based on what i saw online, the amount increased just recently around €10,200 but the higher the better; also i think justifying the financial means through complete business documents matters more than just satisfying the required amount.
• Letter of Sponsorship from my mother
• Notarized Affidavit of Financial Support (got this from the website as well)
• Cover letter detailing my exchange program, accommodation, travel document, sponsorship and family background, purpose and length of stay, travel history (if applicable) signed and with e-mail address and 2 mobile numbers
• Birth certificate 
• Diploma (in my case i presented a photocopy of my senior high school diploma)
• printed VFS appointment file
• printed VFS checklist

*i submitted all the printable documents in A4 size, only the business docs had a different size

*in my case, i didn’t need CIMEA/DOV/comparability but check the universitaly form as well; i checked mine and it indicated DOV not required

TIMELINE:

21 July: submission of documents at VFS
23 July: dispatched to the Italian Embassy
31 July: got a call from embassy asking for more documents, no issue regarding the financials, just needed justification for the 16-day hotel reservation and the intended period of stay; needed proof of enrollment and exchange program

i immediately emailed the visa section regarding the period of stay, also sent the additional documents tho barely since i gathered more for several days,

03 Aug: i sent another email to VFS regarding the addtnl docs and justification

06 Aug: sent additional document to visa officer since the host university recently just issued the learning agreement.

throughout the week i really tried sending relevant documents that are requested by the embassy

07 Aug: being dispatched via courier

10 Aug: picked up the package from a courier branch

Links for your reference:

VFS checklist: https://assets.ctfassets.net/xxg4p8gt3sg6/2x03kLARHotheQzGuWjlUw/ea4cdf35099fd1142020a9ee1b7961b0/STUDY_LONG.pdf

Visa Form (Type D): https://ambmanila.esteri.it/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Application-Form-Type-D.pdf

Hi! I'm a 25 yo who has been out of college for almost 3 years now and has recently started working in the academe. Since working in this field, I've come to realize that I want to pursue higher education -- specifically, abroad because I've been thinking about migrating (for a lot of reasons, but generally for better quality of life). I am just torn right now because I want to get all my medical procedures done here first, especially my teeth.

I'm planning on getting braces again but I know that'll take me 2-3 more years, meaning I'd have to stay here to be compliant with my dental visits. But that would mean my masters would have to be put off. I just want to ask what would be a good age for -- generally -- moving abroad / accomplishing a master's degree? I'm quite torn right now and I would like to know if 28/29 is too late ? Or would it be, if ever, a better age for adjusting to a foreign country?

EDIT: Its such a silly reason I know but I just generally need advice since I’m torn 😆

Hello! I just quit Ateneo Law because I realized law was not for me. Now I want to try getting a master’s degree abroad, specifically in the journalism/media studies field.

May I ask for tips on how to begin? I tried checking Erasmus, Fulbright, and individual universities but it seems closed na applications. Where else can I check for programs with open applications?

Also, how do I go about looking for scholarships? I really can’t afford tuition + living expenses abroad. Any tip would be helpful!