FAQ

EMJM consortia are required to base admission decisions on standardized, verifiable proof that applicants' prior degrees are equivalent to the qualification level expected in the participating countries. 

Since IPU Berlin acts as the lead institution for this consortium and is based in Germany, this verification is carried out through the German recognition system – via uni-assist or the ZAB – ensuring your degree is assessed fairly and consistently against the required standard.

Via uni-assist: Create an account on the uni-assist website, select the programme you're applying to, and upload certified copies of your degree certificate(s), transcripts, and any required translations. uni-assist checks your documents for completeness, degree equivalency, and document authenticity.

If you would like to know what specific documents uni-assist requires, check their website (esp. here and here)!

Via ZAB: You need to request an official Statement of Comparability (Zeugnisbewertung) directly from ZAB. This is not just about classifying your degree – ZAB also verifies the authenticity of your documents.

If you would like to know what specific documents the ZAB requires, check its website (esp. here)!

In both cases, you will typically need certified copies of your certificates and transcripts, and certified English translations if your documents are not already in one of those languages. Start this process early, as verification can take several weeks to a few months depending on your country and document type.

We accept Uni-Assist evaluation reports for the SPOT programme if they were issued for an enrolment date no more than one year before your intended start. For example, if you wish to start in the winter semester 2027/28, you may submit a Uni-Assist evaluation report issued for the SPOT programme for the winter semester 2026/27. However, the report is only valid if you had already completed your degree when it was issued and your qualifications have not changed since.

No, you need to submit the certificate with your application by the respective application deadline. 

You must hold a Bachelor’s degree in psychology, recognised by the EU as a 1st cycle degree, with 100 ECTS credits specifically in psychology. Without this academic qualification, your application cannot be accepted.

As the SPOT programme is taught in English, you must provide proof that you have achieved English proficiency equivalent to level C1. The following certificates are accepted:

• IELTS
• TOEFL
• Duolingo
• Cambridge CAE
• Medium of Instruction Certificate, i.e. an official confirmation from your university stating that your previous degree was taught entirely in English.

Only proctored exams are accepted. You are responsible for ensuring that the overall score you submit corresponds to the C1 level. This information can be found on the official websites of the language test providers. 

Native speakers may provide alternative forms of proof (e.g. proof of schooling in an English-speaking country).

If you do not have your degree yet, but will receive it before the beginning of the programme, you need to provide a certificate of enrolment, a transcript of records, and a certificate of candidacy for graduation.

If your ID provides information about your place of residence, please upload a scan of your ID.

If your nationality differs from your country of residence, upload a residence certificate issued in accordance with the candidate's municipality normal registration rules (usually issued by the town council, or one of its offices, to attest the citizens residence).

If you want to find out how many ECTS credits your workload is equivalent to, it is worth having a look at your Diploma Supplement. Many universities issue Diploma Supplements to explain the content, level, and context of completed studies, enabling other institutions abroad to better understand and compare qualifications. The key to converting to ECTS credits is presumably there. Alternatively, you could contact your university's Studies and Teaching Office directly to request a conversion table. Generally speaking, one ECTS credit equates to c. 25–30 hours of work.

Most internship placements are unpaid and should be classified as training activities rather than employment, as it is not possible to recognise employment as an internship. Provided the training activity is paid for by the work placement institution, it does not contravene SPOT regulations.

Yes, your internship outside the Western Balkans can last more than three months. However, please bear in mind that you should organise the necessary legalisation (visas, work or residence permits, etc.) for such a prolonged period in the respective countries in a timely and responsible manner, in accordance with national requirements. Prolonged internship activity must not have a negative impact on other academic obligations, such as thesis writing.

The minimum workload for the work internship in the respective institution is 300 hours. The additional 75-hour workload is envisioned for the following activities closely connected to the completion of internship but take place outside of the actual training time on-site:

• Searching for an organisation in which to complete your internship, including communicating with the committee;
• Professional preparation for work during the internship, e.g. reading relevant literature and practising the use of psychological instruments; 
• Preparing to write the internship report, e.g. integrating practical activities with theoretical-empirical arguments and writing an internship diary;
• Writing the report after completing the internship.

We always advise identifying and contacting potential internship hosts as early as possible. We need to have your application for verification of your chosen internship host by 15 October, as the placements should be confirmed by 15 November.

The supervisor for both the work placement and the research internship should hold a degree in psychology (at least a Bachelor's degree) and have at least three years' experience working as a psychologist. It is recommended that tutors have a consistent and systematic professional relationship with the internship organisation, either as employees or as collaborators or consultants, and that they carry out activities involving an hourly commitment of at least 15 hours per week that specifically require the qualification of psychologist.

Such practitioners cannot be recognised as your official supervisors or mentors. While they can contribute to your experience at the internship institution, they cannot serve as official mentors. This applies to both research and work internships.

Yes, it is possible to complete an internship with more than one organisation. However, the learning outcomes must be achieved in accordance with SPOT requirements. Also, both internships should have qualified supervisors, as required, and so on. Approval of these combined options is the same as approval of one placement, and it should be granted within the same deadlines and timeframe.

It is possible to complete an internship in any language that the mentor and student find suitable, provided that all official documentation is in English.

The SPOT administration team can confirm that your internship is a mandatory part of the SPOT curriculum, including the number of hours it should comprise. However, it is not possible to provide a reference letter.

It is not possible to obtain an internship placement via the career services of IPU, ISCTE, UNIPD, or TLU. SPOT offers special placements in the Western Balkans via the relevant universities. If you want to do an internship in Portugal, Italy, etc., you will need to arrange it independently and submit it to the SPOT approval process. 

It is not possible to have remote or hybrid placements. The internships have to be conducted on site.

In-person meetings are required during the study design and data analysis/interpretation phases. As these two phases occur at different points in the scientific lifecycle, it is unlikely that they could be combined into one visit. The timing depends on how long the work takes.

This requirement cannot be waived. Students are already at a financial advantage because they can write their thesis from anywhere in the world and take their financial interests fully into account when choosing a location.

It is not possible to hold a defence online. The hybrid nature of the Master's thesis defence only applies to public members wishing to attend and selected members of the defence committee who are unable to attend in person. Students must attend the defence in person.

If a thesis does not receive a passing grade either at the time of written submission or of the oral defense, it can be edited according to the thesis committee's feedback and resubmitted. However, this will most likely result in the defense taking place in September of the following calendar year, as it requires the physical presence of the student and their supervisors, as well as compliance with all defense regulations. Only 1 resubmission is allowed.

Yes, each institution and academic supervisor has limits on how many students they can take to conduct their Master's thesis. The Master Thesis Committee, in consultation with the SPOT Governing Board, allocates places with the final approval of the respective supervisors to ensure fair and meaningful distribution.

By the beginning of October, the Master Thesis Committee will have identified the supervisors available for the respective academic year. Information on available places, the application process and how to apply is then provided to students in mid-October as part of the Master's Thesis Colloquium. Once matched, students are advised to contact their supervisors as soon as possible.

Both options are possible. Students can either join an existing research project or propose their own topic.

It is not possible to arrange any defenses outside of the official September schedule. 

It is not possible to conduct a Master's thesis with a first supervisor from another university that is not a member of the consortium. However, you can undertake research stays there or have an academic from another institution involved in your supervision.

It is required that your supervisor holds at least a PhD (or equivalent) and is employed at one of the partner universities in the Faculty of Psychology, or is a psychology professor or lecturer (if they are a member of another faculty).