Frequently Asked Questions
UMM Scholarships Program
1) I have already completed my internship/field research in a developing country. Can I still apply for a UMM Scholarship?
No, you cannot. UMM Scholarships are only granted to students that have not finished their internship/field research yet. Your internship/field research must be in progress at the time of the deadline.
2) I am leaving for my internship/field research next month, so I will already be in the field when I submit my application for the UMM Scholarship. Can I still apply?
Yes, you can as long as the deadline of the call is BEFORE your return from the field.
3) I am planning to do my internship/field research during the summer, is the deadline of May 15th suitable for this timing?
Yes, the winners will be announced approximately six weeks after the submission deadline.
4) I would like to know how the scholarship program for field research and internships works: do I need to find my own field research partner or internship or do you have lists with research topics available that I can choose from and apply for?
You can only apply for the scholarship program with an existing project.
This project may be designed and organized by yourself OR can be one offered by UMM in the framework of the UMM Field Research & Exposure Program (FREP). FREP opportunities are published on our website and you are welcome to apply for all open calls. The selection process is continuous. There is no deadline.
If you are selected for a FREP opportunity, you can use this project to apply for the UMM scholarship program. Please note however that FREP candidates compete with all other candidates for the scholarships.
Both, self-designed projects and FREP projects have exactly the same chance to win a scholarship.
5) Can I apply even if my thesis will not be in English?
Yes, but the student will need to provide a short abstract of the results in English.
6) Does the research project or internship proposal have to be in English?
The research project or internship proposal can be submitted in French and Italian but English is preferable.
7) I recently completed my Bachelors/Master’s degree, can I still apply for the UMM internship Scholarship even if I am not enrolled in a university anymore?
You can apply as long as the deadline of the call is BEFORE your graduation. If this is your case, please provide us with detailed information on your insurance coverage during your field experience (insurance covered by the university, by the hosting organization, by yourself, etc)
8) I am enrolled in a Swiss/Norwegian university, can I apply?
We are not able to fund students attending universities in countries that are not part of the European Union, including Switzerland and Norway. We hope that in the following years we will be able to open the program to all students in Europe and will announce any changes as we are able to.
9) I want to do an internship/field research project in an East European country, is it considered a developing country? Can I apply?
No, you cannot. The new state members (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia) are not eligible for the Scholarships Program.
10) I want to do a field research project/internship in a West European country, can I apply?
Master thesis and PhD articles on microfinance in Europe are eligible for the UMM Awards, but in the frame of the UMM Scholarships Program research projects/internships in Western Europe are not eligible.
11) I’m looking for financial support for my Bachelors/Master’s degree in Europe/developing countries, can I apply?
UMM Scholarships are granted only to support students’ field experiences (field research/internship) in financial inclusion related-topics, not to cover the annual tuition of Bachelor/Master courses.
12) We are a group of students and we are jointly writing our thesis on a research project in a developing country. We will go to the field together in the upcoming months; can we apply all together for UMM Scholarships or should we apply individually?
You can apply together or individually, but just for one scholarship. Even if you are a group of students, we can only grant one scholarship per research project.
13) Within the context of my Master/Bachelor I will conduct a research project, which is not formally for my thesis. However, it is supervised by a professor and even if it is not formally a thesis, it is related to my Master/Bachelor. Can I apply?
If the research project is related to your Master/Bachelor and you have a supervising professor, you can apply.
14) Are there any requirements regarding the duration of the internship?
No, there are no requirements in this regard.
