Step-by-Step Checklist to Apply for STEM Scholarships in Europe 2027: Erasmus+, DAAD, and Marie Curie with Real Deadlines

If you're a STEM student looking to fund your studies in Europe, this checklist will help you organize your application for scholarships like Erasmus+ for engineering, DAAD for sciences, or Marie Curie for research. In 2027, deadlines vary by country and program, so it's crucial to stay ahead of language requirements (IELTS/TOEFL), academic documents, and recommendation letters. Use this list in Foco to track every deadline and manage each step with automated reminders.

What this checklist includes

A step-by-step sequence of actionable tasks to prepare your application, from finding calls to final submission. It covers specific requirements for programs like DAAD (Germany), Erasmus+ (EU), and Marie Curie (research), as well as templates to organize deadlines in Foco’s calendar. Each task is designed so you can assign dates, priorities, and collaborators (if applicable).

Remember: In Foco, you can use the Calendar view to visualize scholarship deadlines, the Kanban view to progress through stages (e.g., 'Documents', 'Essays', 'Submission'), and voice capture to quickly add tasks during meetings with advisors.

• Create a digital folder (Google Drive or similar) with subfolders: Academic Documents, Recommendation Letters, Personal Statements, Language Proof, Others
• Download the official application forms for the selected scholarships (Erasmus+, DAAD, Marie Curie) and save an editable copy in the Academic Documents folder
• Request at least two recommendation letters from professors or supervisors with 6 weeks’ notice (use the attached template in notes to make their job easier)
• Draft a personal statement or research proposal (max 2 pages) following this structure: motivation, academic goals, expected impact, and alignment with the scholarship
• Verify the language requirements for each scholarship (e.g., IELTS 6.5 for DAAD, TOEFL 90 for Marie Curie) and schedule the exam at least 3 months in advance
• Obtain official copies of degrees and academic certificates (translated into English or the destination country’s language if required) and apostille them if the program demands it
• Request an updated transcript from your university (with official translation if applicable) and calculate your weighted average to meet minimum requirements
• Search for and contact potential supervisors or host institutions in the destination country (for scholarships like Marie Curie or DAAD) and save their responses in the Others folder
• Create a comparative table of scholarships with columns: Name, Country, Application Deadline, Specific Requirements, Funding Amount, and Call Link
• Set reminders in Foco for each application deadline (use annual recurrence if planning to apply in future calls)
• Prepare an academic CV in European format (Europass), highlighting publications, research projects, and relevant STEM experience
• Review your personal statement with an academic advisor or a native speaker of the destination language and save edited versions in the Personal Statements folder
• Complete the online application form for each scholarship, attaching all documents in the required formats (PDF, max file size, etc.)
• Send a copy of the completed application to a peer or mentor for final review before official submission
• Confirm receipt of your application by the institution (save the confirmation email in the Others folder)
• Prepare a list of additional documents that might be requested after pre-selection (e.g., interview, extra language test, or project portfolio)
• Set alerts in Foco for result dates (typically 3 to 6 months after the application deadline)
• If selected, review the scholarship contract terms and prepare documents for formal acceptance (passport, health insurance, etc.)