How to get scholarship: EM Master in Membrane Engineering for A Sustainable World

Finally this is the time I explain about the master program I signed into. As a flashback, I applied 2 master programs from Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD) in 2017, the year of my graduation from Environmental Engineering bachelor degree. If you want to start to have a look on what the best program that suits you, go to this link to see the EMJMD catalogue: https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus-plus/library/scholarships-catalogue_en 

I was actually more prone to adapt with a program called IMETE: International Masters of Science in Environmental Technology and Engineering (link on: https://www.imete.eu/programme) hosted in Czech Republic, Delft and Gent. However, I also did two research on Electrodialysis and electrochemical oxidation for leachate from sanitary landfill. This opened a new option for me: Erasmus Mundus Master in Membrane Engineering for A Sustainable World (link: http://em3e-4sw.eu/em3e/index.php). At that time of the application (September-January 2018) I was also working in a research institution Eawag that is based in Switzerland but has many projects in developing countries. One of their project is about treating organic waste with Black Soldier Fly larvae. This project is located in Sidoarjo, a smaller city 1h of Surabaya, Indonesia. This work also gives me a lot of new skills especially to work in international environment. 

Selection Process 

To be honest, I do not know how many applicants were involved in my competition. In IMETE, you need to complete the documents and selected based on that. In EM3E, you will have additional interview via skype with one of the 5 countries involved in hosting you. To be able to pass this, I strongly recommend you to prepare the best of your CV, recommendation letters and motivation letter. Also, practice a lot and be natural in the interview. All the documents needed are different from one program to another, therefore, just open the link I shared in the beginning and comply the deadlines. Most of the applications started from late September until the coming end of January. The interview take time in late April. On May you will get your announcement and proceed your visa, accomodation and departure orientation arranged by your local Erasmus organization in your country. 

Courses

Turned out on March 2018, I received both acceptance on both scholarship program. I chose membrane because I wanted at once in my life to be consistent at something. I mean, I had research about it in bachelor so why not learning what really is happening inside the reactor and membrane interfaces ? I also believe that someone can be an expert not only because of his intelligence and talent, but how many years he dedicate himself on a certain matter. So, membrane it is. I read briefly the syllabus and realized I know almost nothing about it because I am no chemical engineer. So I decided to take a short private course with a chemical engineering student of my university and also study daily from a youtube channel. 

However, all my courses turned to be super advanced chemical engineering and I struggle everyday to keep up with it. For the 1st semester we are all in Montpellier, then a month after, half of us is moving to Toulouse. Our host university is Univeristy of Montpellier. in Montpellier, the courses were more Material Sciences about inorganic material, polymer, hybrid and composite material and heteregenous catalysis. In the 1st month we all study the same courses which are characterization of porous material, colloid and surface engineering and structural characterization of solids (mostly crystallography). Other courses are Safety, security, health and environmental requirements for sustainable chemistry, Quallity assurance and Laboratory practice (statistics) and International European Working and Environmental Law. Wow! It was a lot right ? We had total 33 ECTS in our 1st semester and to be honest this is one of the toughest time in my whole life. 

Our colleagues that went to Toulouse, they continued with Chemical Engineering trach which include transport phenomena, thermodynamics, general chemistry and physicochemical analytical method and separation science. At the end of semester 1, we also needed to present an individual project of literature review in Toulouse judged by the delegates of 3 different universities and one guest lecturer from Oxford. My topic was about reverse osmosis vs nanofiltration for urban wastewater reuse. 

The 2nd semester was in VŠCHT Prague where we had less ECTS but no easier courses. We had membrane processes, applied reaction kinetics, separation processes, Intellectual capital management, Entrepreneurship and lab work with weekly report. For my fellow chemical engineers, this 2nd semester is much easier compared to the 1st one. But for me, it was all the same struggle. We also had rules and regulation about our annual marks that can not be less than average 12/20 to be able to continue to 2nd year. This really do put a lot of pressure on us and scared me to death. However, living in Prague really is different from little city like Montpellier and Enschede. 

But here, I am, in my 3rd semester in University of Twente, NL. For the 3rd semester we can choose between NL, Zaragoza or Lisbon. This is based on your priority choice and your ranking. In Spain, the focus will be on nanotechnology like preparation, assembly and fabrication of nanostructured materials. In Lisbon, it will be more into biotechnology application so the courses are about membrane contactors and bioreactors, membranes for food application and regenerative medicine. Here in Twente, we had Advanced colloid and interfaces, Multicomponent mass transport, membrane for gas separation in which we learn how to make polymeric and inorganic membranes, electrochemistry, and membrane process plant design. Each of them has group work report and 2 of them is divided into 2 quartals. The rest is for 1 quartal. One semester consists of 2 quartals. It is indeed overwhelming so far, but the university is super nice and organized as I told you in my previous posts. I was worried but I am also trying to do my best right now to pass. 

For the 4th semester, we need to do our research thesis either in our 3rd university, partner universities or companies. in my case, UTwente has arranged some topics for us to choose and recommend us to follow their guidance. I am grateful for this so I do not have to move again for the 4th time. 

In each country you also have the local language class, we had to take at least one in the whole master. I took french and czech courses and it was so nice to learn other things than these chemical engineering subjects for a while. 

Classmates

I have classmates almost all over the world! The goal of EMJMD is having program countries (EU citizens mostly) and partner countries (mostly non EU citizens) as their awardees. There are 1 to maximum 4 delegations of each country. We are from Indonesia, Malaysia, The Phillipines, Iran, Pakistan, India, Jordan, Yemen, Palestine, Morroco, Ethiopia, Ghana, Greece, Bangladesh, Ecuador, Mexico, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Brazil, Peru. I hope I have mentioned all. They are all competitive and bright students mostly the best of the best in their universities. I have to admit that most of my pressure here comes from peer pressure. They are nice and helpful, but you know what I mean right... lol. However, despite the challenging program, I am grateful to meet each of them and learn a lot from them academically or as friends. 

Visa(s) and Residence Permit(s)

This matter really needs more consideration on your side. You have to be prepared to apply for new visa everytime you move. In my case, I did already 3 visa applications. But do not worry, because the campus will help you to arrange everything because you are somewhat special group of students. You still need to do the online and personal things by yourself but at least it is easier to make appointments and follow up the progress thanks to Erasmus Mundus. However, these visa steps will then again be followed on getting residence permit in each country: OFII in France, nothing in Czech and residence card in NL. This will also need to be taken into consideration. Hopefully, if you are fortunate you would not have any problem. 

Prospect 

I have not graduated yet but observing my seniors trend, most of them continue to do their PhD in Europe or working in research institutions. Working in companies option is always be there also. I am planning to look for information at the end of this year because I am planning to look for a job in Singapore. This is because simply I want better wages yet able to go home every month to Indonesia. However, if you do not have any reason to go back home, the options to work in Europe will be always appealing. 

Scholarship

I would be talking as the partner country awardee. In this case I have 3000 eur/year for my travel cost, 1000 eur/month for living cost, medical insurance and 8000-9000 eur/year for my tuition fees which is directly paid by the commitee to each hosting university. To be honest, for me it is a lot of money, and we do not have any taxes. For visa application, it was also mostly free except the one I applied for NL. I  was also lucky to be living in Prague for a semester because everything is a lot cheaper there so we can save more compared if we stay in both 3 expensive countries. 

Overall, I advise you to have a very strong motive and endurance if you think you want to enroll in EMJMD program especially membrane engineering. There will be dark time but also beautiful days. This program really pushed me to a limit which I do not even know existed in me. I also meet real friends with real problems in their countries so I could be more grateful in my circumstances. Do not forget also to travel despite the work load. I think I have proved it in this blog that I was also trying to travel a lot while I have the chance living in Europe that might not come for the 3rd time (I did my 1st time when I was doing AFS exchange program for a year in a Belgian family). If you come across my post and would like to know more in terms of application and the details of the program you can always hit me up through the comments section. 

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