_ Quick Facts
Language
Duration
Form of study
Location
Scholarships
Admission 2026/2027
There are 21 places available.
Application requirements
Tuition
_ Who Should Apply
The ideal candidate for the Response_Able Futures MFA programme is a recent (or soon to be) graduate who holds a bachelor's degree in a design-related field. They should be passionate about utilising their design skills to create a more equitable and inclusive world but they do not have to have any specific prior knowledge or experience within design for healthcare. The programme welcomes students with diverse cultural and academic experience, though students must also be able to be respectful of their fellow students regardless of their beliefs or cultural backgrounds. The programme seeks individuals who are eager to engage with complex challenges, both locally and internationally and possess a strong desire to develop their skills as empathetic and confident social change makers.
Applicants must be willing to travel, be communicative and open to working in a team while also be open for giving and receiving critical feedback. The programme is looking for future care design leaders who are driven by a desire to make a positive social impact and are eager to connect with a global network of like-minded individuals striving for design equity and improved healthcare services and products. If this sounds like you, we want to hear from you!
_ Admissions Process
To apply to the program, you'll need to create an online application. Applications open in October/November each year and typically the application portal is open unti mid-January. Check the dates and times on the portal to ensure you do not miss the application deadline. For the 2026-2028 intake, applications will open on the 31st of October, 2025 and be open until January 20th 2026. Late applications are not accepted. Ensure you provide a valid email address for communication and upload all of the required documents. Those with incomplete applications will not be considered.
The following documents are required, you can find specific details about each requirement below. Specific details for the admission process are updated each year.
- Educational documents (diploma and transcripts) (pdf)
- Proof of English proficiency (pdf)
- Identification Documents (pdf/jpg)
- Written Reflection Statement (text placed in the application portal)
- Poster Presentation (pdf)
- Portfolio Selection (pdf)
Personal data that is submitted to the admissions portal, is regulated by European and UK privacy laws and compliant with GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation).
_ Submission Requirements
Please take a moment to review the submission requirements below and check with our FAQ. If you have any questions or need further clarification, reach out to us at info@response-able-futures.eu.
To apply, you can be from anywhere in the world but you must have a diploma from a Bachelor's (BA) degree, along with official transcripts. Whether your Bachelor's degree qualifies for admission will be evaluated by the admissions office during the evaluation of your application. The minimum requirement is a first-cycle higher education degree that corresponds to Level 6 of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). Your degree should, within your national education system, grant access to second-cycle programmes (Master's level, EQF Level 7).
- You will need to supply a digital copy of your diploma (scan or clear photograph) and a transcript of records or diploma supplement. This should clearly document the full curriculum of your study programme, including the grades obtained.
- If the original is not issued in English, Dutch, French or German, please also include an official translation into one of these languages. This can be provided by your school or by a sworn translator.
- If you have not yet graduated, you may submit an official statement from your institution confirming that you are enrolled in the final year, including your expected graduation date and the title of the degree you will obtain. If you have already graduated but your final diploma is not yet available, a provisional certificate of graduation will be accepted. Please note that only candidates who will graduate by 31 August 2026 are eligible to apply.
- Legalisation of original diploma documents is not required during the initial application phase. However, additional documentation or verification may be requested if any details remain unclear during the admissions phase, or at the time of enrolment.
The Selection Board of the Response_Able Futures programme can admit applicants who do not meet the conditions specified above but whose academic, scientific or professional experience reveals an adequate preparation for the programme, e.g. applicants with relevant experience with a degree other than design will also be considered provided they have a strong portfolio, existing design research skills and the ability to communicate both visually and verbally well in an articulate manner.
The Response_Able Futures programme is taught in English and applicants must show that they are proficient in the English language. You may have studied in English, but just because you studied in English doesn't mean you meet the requirements. Please look through the options below to validate your English language. Because we recognise that many of the English tests are costly, those who have an outdated test can submit this outdated test in the first round. Once an applicant is accepted onto the programme, a current test result must be provided.
In order to assess this, you must provide one of the following English certificates with the minimum scores listed below, issued within 5 years before the application deadline (from January 20th 2021):
- IELTS Academic with minimum overall band score 6.5 (with no section band score under 5.5)
- TOEFL iBT with minimum overall score 79
- Cambridge English Qualifications for higher education (B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency) with a minimum score of 170 on the Cambridge English Scale.
- Duolingo English Test with a minimum score 110
- ITACE for Students, with at least CEFR B2 results (Please be aware that this tests can only be taken in Belgium.)
- Providing a (high school or higher education) diploma from an English taught study programme in Australia, English-speaking Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland or the United States of America.
We do not accept Medium of Instruction statements.
While a valid proof of English proficiency is required, the applicant’s practical command of English will also be assessed during the interview. If the demonstrated language skills are deemed insufficient for successful participation in the programme, the application may not be retained. - Students who have obtained a diploma of Secondary or Higher Education in Flanders or the Netherlands, can upload a copy of their diploma when the application form asks for a language certificate. A language certificate is not mandatory, but can be submitted optionally.
As mobility is a key aspect of the programme, applicants must hold a valid identification which helps us assess what visas are required for the mobility. You will need to provide:
- An identification document. This must be an official document that includes a photograph and personal details, such as first name, surname, and date and place of birth, all in English (as in passports). (pdf)
- A recent headshot photograph. (jpg)
- Proof of your current residence. You will need to provide one of the following documents: a residence certificate (a proof of address) that is no more than 12 months old. It can be issued by your local town/city hall, a certificate from your employer or institution confirming your place of work, study, or training or a utility bill showing your home address.
Within the application portal, applicants are asked to describe a moment in the last year where they personally gave or received care, and how that experience changed their view on design's role in health. Applicants will reflect on and respond to this statement in a maximum of 500 words pasted directly into the application portal.
It is advised to talk about a story that is unique to you and not to use AI.
Applicants must read the following news article and are asked to respond to the article by submitting their response in the form of a poster. The poster is a maximum of 1 page (open to any size). Applicants are asked to analyse the issue/topic covered in the article, reflect on it from their own region or location, and propose a design-solution/reaction using their own specific design skills.
- This is a design assignment. It has been created in a way so that it is open to interpretation while allowing applicants to respond to it as designers.
The poster must include design visualisation(s) as well as a short textual explanation which frames their response. The poster should reflect you as a designer. - The poster should be screen resolution, not print resolution, and size of the pdf should be maximum 15mb.
The portfolio required for the application should not be a collection of all the work that you have done as a student or professional, it should be curated specifically for this application. One of our criteria is the ability to synthesise information, if you go over the six page limit, this will reflect negatively on your application.
- The selected works (and the portfolio as a whole) should highlight your design processes (research, prototyping, testing, concept visualisation…) as well as design execution;
- The portfolio should be a maximum of 6 pages, and should cover a maximum of 3 relevant projects, detailing both the process, the end result and your contribution (if it deals with group work);
- The portfolio should be screen resolution, not print resolution, and size of the pdf should be maximum 15mb;
- The projects should be supported by visualisations and each project should contain a short description of the briefing (max. 500 characters) and of your personal approach (max. 1000 characters);
- If one of the works is audiovisual applicants can add a link to a video within their portfolio. However, this should only link to the specific video (not to a portfolio website). The video must be on a platform that is not password protected. If your portfolio includes interactive prototypes, these should also be shown as a video.
_ Selection Criteria
The student selection is organised transparently, impartially and equitably. All eligible candidates who submitted the required documentation and are eligible according to the academic requirements are ranked according to the following criteria:
- Academic ability based on previous university results, certificates, and qualifications.
- Sufficient design skills for graduate studies, demonstrated through a portfolio.
- Motivation for the program, linked to prior studies, work experience, and career goals, assessed through the motivation statement.
- English proficiency, evaluated through provided proof, written skills as seen through the written components.
The above criteria are used to rank applicants and make a selection for the second round interview process. Applicants who do not qualify for the interview will be informed by email. A maximum of 50 applicants will be invited for a 15-20 minute online interview.
- Interview criteria will emphasise communication skills, especially the applicant’s ability to think quickly, reflect critically, and engage with topics discussed during the interview and in their motivation materials.
_ Scholarship and Fees
The Response_Able Futures programme accepts a maximum of 21 students per intake. By submitting their application, students are automatically applying for an Erasmus Mundus scholarship. This scholarship has a value of EUR 1400 per month, for a total duration of 24 months. For these students, the tuition fee is waived. The scholarship can cover the living costs incurred by the student, including travel, visa, installation, house-rent and other living costs.
There are a number of dedicated scholarships available for excellent students from Albania , Bosnia and Herzegovina , Kosovo *, Montenegro , North Macedonia , Serbia , and Turkey.
Students who have already obtained an EMJM scholarship or an Erasmus Mundus Master Course / Joint Doctorate scholarship are not eligible to apply for an additional scholarship under the EMJM action. Erasmus+ scholarship holders cannot benefit from another EU funded scholarship schemes to follow the same EMJM course and this stands for the entire period of the course.
Self-funded students
Self-funded students are defined as students who did not receive an Erasmus+ scholarship, but have received scholarships or financial support from other sources including their own financial means. We have gathered together a list of potential regional financial support organisations here.
For self-funded students, the tuition fee is 5000 Euro per year, thus 10000 Euro for the 4-semester program that is payable in two instalments. Tuition fees cover participation in all classes, emergency and accident insurance, administrative support, enrolment costs, examinations, and the final diploma. Tuition fees do not cover travel costs, visa expenses, accommodation, living expenses, or other personal costs like software subscriptions, printing costs, prototyping costs or books. Living expenses are estimated to be between 600-1000 Euro per month. Currently, the tuition is the same regardless of international or EU residency status.
For students from outside the EU, students must be be able to provide a proof of sufficient financial means. One way to obtain proof of sufficient financial means is a ‘blocked account’ supported by LUCA School of Arts. In this setup, students provide sufficient funds to support themselves for living expenses and each month the student receives the money back to pay monthly expenses. With this ‘Blocked Account’ procedure, the LUCA School of Arts can provide a certificate of financial solvability that can also be used for other purposes such as e.g. visa applications. The minimum amount required by LUCA School of Arts depends on your individual situation, see example below.
Example of sufficient financial means for non-EU, self-funded student:
Skills & Education Guarantee
The EU's Skills and Education Guarantee (S&E) allows students to apply for support for their Master’s studies abroad. Loans will be offered by participating banks and student loan agencies on favourable conditions to mobile students, including better than market interest rates and up to two years to allow graduates to get into a job before beginning repayment. This process is not facilitated by the Response_Able Futures programme.
For more information see: http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/individuals/students/erasmus-plus-master-degree-loans_en
Student Contract
Enrolled students will sign a Student Contract, in which the rights and obligations of the parties are specified, and it must be signed no later than in the preparatory week of the 1st semester. The Student Contract template outlines the rights and obligations of the two parties, and is provied according to the the status of a student being a self-funded or scholarship holder. The contents of the contract may be slightly revised annually, but the updated document will be provided to admitted students prior to their enrolment in the course.
Current Draft: 2024 ResponseAbleFutures Draft Student Agreement_v2.pdf
_ FAQs
As we are a new programme, we are also embedded in existing, long-standing design programmes which each have extensive support for graduates. As ResFut continues to develop, we will continue to add to our existing network, looking to support graudates in start-ups, industry placements and an extensive alumni network.
Your portfolio should highlight your skills as a maker/thinker/designer/creative-type. It should immediately give the selection committee insight into the skills, talent, ability you bring to the student cohort.
Students who are accepted into the programme are supported by the LUCA School of Arts who assists them in their visa appliation proceedure. LUCA provides incoming students with all the required paperwork required to apply for their visa, however the student is responsible for the associated fees, appointment scheduling, etc.
For the cohort that begins in 2026-2028, applications will open on the 31st of October, 2025 and be open until the 20th of January, 2026.
There are occasionally jobs that become available to students through the individual schools, but this is not guarenteed. Although not recommended, students are able to work part-time and/or continue to freelance while they are studying.
In principle, the programme is open to students not coming from design, though this requires that these students have a portfolio as well as experience that would fill in any gap between their skills and the skills of the other students in their cohort. However, in saying this, competition for the places available is very competititive even among graduates with a design degree as it is open to designers from various backgrounds (product, industrial, graphic, game and service design as well as illustrators and animators, architechts and visual designers).
The programme is set up to support students in their own ambision. They might return to work as employees within care organisations, work for NGOs or they might follow their design masters project from concept into production. They might want to create their own equity-driven startups within the creative tech-industries or take a more academic route by finding a PhD opportunity. They may go on to become policy advisors in their home countries or teach. In short, we're here to support students while providing support to help them realise what it is they want to achieve whether that be here in Europe or returning home after graduation.
Unfortunately, ResFut students and faculty do not have the time to review individual portfolios, nor do we want to interfere with the application process. In regards to not having any previous healthcare design experience, this is not a problem. Your portfolio should highlight your abilities as a designer, not only in terms of the final render/execution/design but in terms of the process as well.
Yes. The portfolio does not have to be realised projects from industry.
The application should give insight into who you are as a person, as a designer but also as a team-member, a son or daughter, a young person, a person with lived experience. While we recognise that AI might be used to hone language or catch spelling errors, we would encourage you to submit the assignments and portfolio in a spirit of authenticity.
What the programme values most is that students have an open attitude. We want to have cohorts who are supportive of each other while also being critical thinkers who show up on time, ask questions, are engaged in class while also daring to uproot their lives for two years. Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters are exceptional programmes that ask a lot from a student, and building the right team of like-minded, motivated students is something that the selection committee takes seriously.
Having existing work experience is not required, though if you are accepted into the programme, you may have colleagues with extensive work experience, so working in industry can add value, but should not be seen as something that is required.
Please look through the entire site and familiarise yourself with the sort of projects and experiences current ResFut students are having as well as our curriculum. This should give a good idea of what we are about, and it should also give a good indication if you wlould be a good match.
As we say at the top of the page, our ideal candidate is a recent (or soon to be) graduate who holds a bachelor's degree in a design. Applicants should be passionate about utilising their design skills to create a more equitable and inclusive world but they do not have to have any specific prior knowledge or experience within design for healthcare. As our students come from all around the world, appliants need to be know how to be respectful of their fellow students regardless of their beliefs or backgrounds.
We welcome appliants who are eager to engage with complex challenges, both locally and internationally and possess a strong desire to develop their skills. Our programme does not teach you to be a designer, but rather equips you with the understanding of how to use your skills within diverse care contexts. Because the programme requires a lot of travel, applicants must be the sort of student who is willing to travel, be communicative and open to working in a team while also be open for giving and receiving critical feedback.
Ideally applicants should be highly-motivated self-starters, students who are top graduates from their BA cohorts and yet humble enough to also know how to work with others.
In short, what makes an applicant stand out is authenticity. The selection committee read a lot of motivation reflections that sound like they are AI generated. Yes of course you are epathetic, highly motivated and would like the opportunity to study in Europe. But really applicants who are invited to the interview, let their submissions and designs speak for themselves.
Competition for the available spaces in the programme is very competitive, and the competition for the scholarships even more so. What lingers or resonates with the selection committee is the authentic voice with which applicants write/reflect/make/share their passion for using their design skills for good. This does not mean that applicants have all worked within social design before, but it means that their talent for design shines through as well as their passion for people.
We have tried to upgrade the application proceedure for the 26-28 intake to allow this authenticity (and creativity) shine through.
_ Appeal Procedure
If you think your application wasn't processed according to the rules on the response-able-futures.eu website and those provided by the EACA, you can file an appeal. It is important to understand that you cannot appeal the decision (whether or not you were selected), but you can register an appeal if you believe a mistake was made during the application and Selection process.
- Write an email explaining your appeal with clear subject heading. Be clear about why you think there was a problem and include anything that supports your claim. Attach any documents that help your case. You need to do this within 7 working days of getting your result.
- Send your email to the Response_Able Futures Coordination Team: Andrea Wilkinson (andrea.wilkinson@luca-arts.be), Eve Stirling (e.stirling@shu.ac.uk) and Joana Quental (joana.quental@ua.pt).
Important: please refer to the section ‘apply as a student’ section in the EACA publication for more information: https://www.eacea.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2021-01/guidelines_for_ersamus_mundus_student_complaints.pdf
