Programme fee structure options
Joint Programme fee
The consortium determines a programme fee applicable to all students, regardless of local tuition fees. For most JPs, the programme fee differs between EU citizens and non-EU citizens. The joint programme fee is typically used in Erasmus Mundus or EIT programmes having external funding instruments which might regulate the fee policy.
Local tuition fee
The consortium offering a JP may also decide not to have a joint programme fee. This scheme is usually followed in bilateral dual-degree collaborations. In this case, the students follow the local university’s tuition fee policies.
For details of local tuition or other fees, check the Joint Programme Design Filtering Tool
There are two options for this:1. Policy of the entry university:
The students follow the local tuition fee policy throughout the whole programme, even when they are studying at another university. The students do not pay any tuition fees to the other universities they are studying at but only to “home university” (first entry point).
2. Policy of the university where the students are currently studying:
The students follow the local tuition fee policies where they are currently studying. For example, students pay tuition fee to the entry university in the first year and to the exit university in the second year. This means that the amount of the tuition fee for the same student is different in the first and second year. This option may not be possible for all universities. Also, for some partners, it is possible to collect the tuition fee only per academic year, not per semester.
In no circumstances should a student be
liable to pay multiple tuition or programme fees at the same time and the
student should be well informed in advance which tuition fee policy is in use.
If a joint programme fee is used, it covers the local tuition fees and no
additional local fees are to be collected. If local tuition fees are used, there
should not be multiple tuition fee liabilities at the same time.
Defining the joint programme fee
When defining a JP fee, the first step is to find out the legal and regulatory rules concerning tuition and other fees collected from students at each participating university of JPs:
- tuition fee policy concerning EU/EEA/non-EU citizens (nationality-based criteria)
- possibly other categorisation criteria: residency status (residence permit types)
- other compulsory or voluntary fees (student union, health care services, registration fees, etc)
A comparison table of the required fees among the consortium partners is helpful when trying to find out a solution for the fee. The amount of the local tuition fee may vary from 0€ up to 15 000€-20 000€ per academic year and there might be significant differences between the tuition fee amounts for EU/EEA and non-EU citizens. In addition, universities may have different tuition fee rules for international joint programmes than for local programmes. Some universities have flexibility to determine the programme fee in international JPs to be higher or lower than the local tuition fee, some universities have the requirement that the programme fee must cover at least the amount of the local tuition fee.
The consortium should try to find a solution where the local tuition fee requirements of each consortium partner are met, the programme fee is sufficient to cover the costs of running of the programme and make a risk analysis of potential financial challenges and risks.
It is also good to bear in mind that local tuition fees might change during the implementation phase of the programme. These changes can be extensive. Discuss whether the consortium shall, on a yearly basis, re-negotiate the fee with reference to local tuition fees, or if the universities can commit to keep their fees during the scope of the consortium agreement. The Joint Programme fee policy and details should be described in the consortium agreement and updates made if needed.
Defining the programme budget
It is important to make a full-cost budget for the Joint Programme, including all running costs which can be identified. It should be clearly agreed and communicated to future applicants/students what the programme fee covers and what it does not. When making the budget plans, it is necessary to try identifying also any additional costs which occur when running the programme, such as:
- organisational and coordination costs (salary)
- student registration/enrolment costs
- insurance costs (required by Erasmus Mundus)
- consortium meeting costs (travel and logistics)
- curriculum development costs
- mobility costs (staff or students)
- possible IT costs
- purchase of equipment/services
- summer/winter schools and possible related mobility of students and staff
- marketing and dissemination costs
- degree certificate issuing
- external evaluation costs (European Approach)
- alumni event costs,
- etc...
The distribution and allocation of programme fee income between the consortium partners should be described in the consortium agreement. Typically, the coordinator is managing the consortium budget, income and distribution/allocation of programme fee income to participating universities. This is to be checked if there are no legal obstacles to coordinate and manage the consortium funds this way. If the JP is benefitting from an external funding instrument, e.g., Erasmus Mundus funding, the program fees (institutional costs) are paid directly to program coordinating universities by the Commission.
There are various ways to approach the distribution of participation costs to consortium partners. Some examples: either each university invoices/receives the local tuition fees set in the consortium agreement based on the number of enrolled students or each participating university receives the same amount per enrolled student/x number of credits offered. The pros and cons of these methods should be analysed when drafting the budget plan. Students' mobility plans should also be taken into account in the budget plan since they affect the distribution in one way or another.
In Erasmus Mundus(EMJM), the maximum amount of institutional costs is defined by the EMJM rules. This takes the form of a unit cost per enrolled student and is intended to cover part of the costs linked to the implementation of the EMJM programme[1].
The unit cost includes staff costs (teaching, travel), invited guest lecturers, promotion, dissemination, organisational costs (including full insurance coverage for enrolled students, financial support to enrolled students with individual needs, assistance with accommodation, and other student services), administrative costs, and all other costs necessary to implement a successful Master's programme. The maximum contribution to the institutional costs is: 750 Euros/month x DR x NRES
Where:
● DR = max. duration in months of the Master's programme (i.e. 12, 18, 24 months)
● NRES = number of enrolled students (scholarship and non-scholarship holders) foreseen for the entire duration of the grant agreement.
To sum up, EMJM maximum contribution to programme fee is 750€ x 24 months/student = 18000€/two year programme. This is the maximum contribution from EMJM funding for the programme fees per student. (Erasmus + 2021-2027).
[1] For further information: https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/programme-guide/part-b/key-action-2/erasmus-mundus .
Scholarships
If tuition fees/programme fees are collected, the consortium should indicate clearly what the scholarship opportunities are for students. Usually, the scholarships cover programme fees, tuition fees, mobilities and/or living expenses. For funding sources see the chapter concerning Funding Instruments.
The EMJM (Erasmus Mundus) scholarship for students covers travel, visa, installation and subsistence costs. It is calculated on the basis of a monthly unit cost for the entire period needed by the enrolled scholarship holder to complete the study programme. As an example, the EMJM scholarship is calculated as: 1 400 Euros/month x DS (for ex 24 months), total 33600 €/student/two-year programme (Erasmus +2021-2027). The participation costs (programme fees) are included in the “institutional costs” (see above) paid to the coordinating university directly.
In addition, it is recommended that each consortium looks for additional funding sources, from industry, foundations etc. to offer student scholarships.
If the programme is following the local tuition fee policies of the universities (i.e. not having a Joint Programme fee), the local scholarship schemes of the universities may be available also for the Joint Programme students (for ex Erasmus + mobility scholarships).
Fees after normative duration of studies
The consortium agrees in the consortium agreement what is the fee policy for students who are not able to complete their studies in the normative duration of the programme. The rules and legislations of each university must be considered.
Minor delays due to the design of the programme (unsynchronized semesters, administrative procedures for graduation) should not lead to extra costs for students. If after the end of the 2nd year of studies (allowing for a marginal delay), a student has not fulfilled all academic requirements of the programme, the student in this situation should have the opportunity of new enrolment according to the regulations of entry and exit universities on their own expense unless otherwise agreed with the consortium partners. In this case, the student will be subject to local regulations and local fees.
If the programme is following the local tuition fee policies of the universities (i.e. not having a joint programme fee), it should be agreed to which university the local tuition fee is paid after the normative duration of the studies.