European Joint Master’s Programme in Digital Society, Social Innovation and Global Citizenship (DIGISOC) DIGISOC Scholarship Programme Academic Year 2...

The DIGISOC Scholarship Programme 2026/2027, administered by the University of Innsbruck and partially financed by the EU-funded EURIDICE project, provides targeted financial support to students enrolled in the second year of the European Joint Master’s Programme in Digital Society, Social Innovation and Global Citizenship. The total call budget is €50,000 and individual scholarships are allocated proportionally by a points-based evaluation up to a maximum of €3,000 gross per academic year (maximum cumulative €6,000 across the two-year programme). Eligible applicants must be DIGISOC second-year students for 2026/2027 and demonstrate at least one vulnerability criterion (certified disability, migrant or refugee status, low family income, or residence in a remote area) with supporting documentation. Applications in English must be submitted via the DIGISOC OpenOlat platform by 10 December 2026 at 23:59 Brussels time and applicants are notified within 15 days after the deadline.

Who can apply

Eligibility summary

Students enrolled in the second year of the Joint Master’s Programme in Digital Society, Social Innovation and Global Citizenship (DIGISOC) may apply if they meet one or more vulnerability criteria (disability, migrant or refugee status, low socio-economic family background, or residence in remote areas).

Applications must be submitted in English via the DIGISOC OpenOlat platform. Required documents include the signed application letter, enrolment number, supporting proofs for claimed criteria, and the Data Protection and Consent Declaration. Decisions notified within 15 days after the deadline; appeals accepted by e-mail.

Footnotes

1. 1Application submission and final award publication are handled via the DIGISOC OpenOlat platform: lms.uibk.ac.at

Overview and Purpose

The University of Innsbruck issues a Call for Application within the DIGISOC Scholarship Programme for the Academic Year 2026/2027. Scholarships are reserved for students enrolled in the second year of the DIGISOC Joint Master’s Programme (Joint Master Programme in Digital Society, Social Innovation and Global Citizenship). The programme aims to alleviate costs related to tuition fees, summer schools, short-term mobilities and living expenses; to support students from underprivileged or vulnerable backgrounds; and to promote diversity, fairness and gender balance in higher education. The scholarship also acts as social support to overcome personal or socio-economic obstacles to participation in international education.

Key Dates and Practical Details

Eligibility and Applicant Types

Awarding, Evaluation and Scoring

A joint Evaluation Committee appointed by the Study Coordinator of the Faculty of Economics and Statistics at the University of Innsbruck assesses applications. The Committee comprises one representative from each of the three DIGISOC degree-awarding universities, at least one student representative from the University of Innsbruck, and the disability officer at the University of Innsbruck. The Committee is appointed after the submission deadline and completes evaluation no later than 15 days after the deadline.

Application Process and Required Documents

Application must be submitted in English via the DIGISOC OpenOLAT platform by uploading a single folder labelled with the applicant’s name. Supporting documents may be submitted in English, Italian, German, or Czech; other languages require certified translations. The Evaluation Committee may request additional information or reject incomplete applications.

By signing Annex 1 and submitting the application the applicant confirms the correctness and completeness of information and supporting documents. Incomplete or insufficient documentation may lead to rejection.

Administrative and Payment Conditions

Before disbursement, scholarship holders must provide a current enrolment certificate showing the register number, full residential address, bank details for an account in their name capable of receiving SEPA transfers (IBAN and any additional required details), and a copy of a valid passport or other accepted identification document. Scholarship holders must not have an employment relationship with the University of Innsbruck during the academic year of the scholarship. Recipients are responsible for clarifying tax obligations related to the scholarship. Payments are made in one instalment by SEPA credit transfer; the scholarship holder bears any external bank charges or conversion costs.

Application Templates and Tools

The DIGISOC Costs and Scholarships webpage will host templates and tools, including application and documentation guidelines and an acceptance letter template. The call refers applicants to the OpenOLAT upload link for submission and to the DIGISOC website for resources and updates DIGISOC Costs and Scholarships 1.

Structured Categorisation

Compliance, Administration and Disclaimer

This Call for Application and the financial support provided do not constitute an EU action. The University of Innsbruck launches and administers the call in its own name and is responsible for selection and payment. The scholarship programme is partially financed with funds made available to the University of Innsbruck under the EU-funded EURIDICE project, but the University awards and provides the scholarships directly and remains fully responsible for implementation.

Contacts and Further Information

Applicants are required to send a declaration of acceptance within five days of receipt of an award notice to digisoc@uibk.ac.at. Failure to do so results in forfeiture.

Summary

The DIGISOC Scholarship Programme for Academic Year 2026/2027 is a targeted financial support measure administered by the University of Innsbruck for students in the second year of the DIGISOC Joint Master’s Programme. With a total budget of €50,000 the call offers proportional point-based scholarships (up to €3,000 per student per academic year, up to €6,000 over the two-year programme) to students who meet one or more vulnerability or inclusion criteria: certified disability, migrant or refugee status, low socio-economic family conditions, or residence in remote areas. Applications are submitted in English via the DIGISOC OpenOLAT platform by 10 December 2026 and evaluated by a joint committee of DIGISOC partner university representatives, student representation and disability officer. Awards are disbursed as a one-time SEPA transfer after completion of administrative checks; recipients must not hold employment with the University of Innsbruck during the awarded year. All resources, templates and updates are published on the DIGISOC Costs and Scholarships web page and OpenOLAT platform; the call is financed in part by EU project funds but is administered solely by the University of Innsbruck.

Footnotes

1. 1OpenOLAT submission and the DIGISOC Costs and Scholarships page are the official channels for document upload and templates: OpenOLAT repository at lms.uibk.ac.at and DIGISOC Costs and Scholarships at digitalsociety4innovation.eu.

Funding Opportunity Overview

The DIGISOC Scholarship Programme provides targeted financial support to students enrolled in the second year of the European Joint Master’s Programme in Digital Society, Social Innovation and Global Citizenship during the 2026/2027 academic year. The support is intended to reduce barriers linked to tuition fees, summer schools, short-term mobility and living costs, with priority for students experiencing disability, migration or refugee-related vulnerability, low family income or geographic disadvantage.

This is a scholarship call administered by the University of Innsbruck on its own responsibility. It is partially financed through the EU-funded EURIDICE project, but it is not an EU action directly awarded or administered by the European Commission. The EU Funding and Tenders Portal publication is for information and visibility purposes only. The Portal is the European Commission’s central platform for publishing and managing EU funding opportunities.1

Key Call Information

Purpose and Funding Scope

The scholarship is designed as social support for DIGISOC students who may face personal, social or economic obstacles to participating fully in an international joint master’s programme. Eligible expenditure is described broadly and may include tuition-related costs, summer schools, short-term mobilities and living expenses.

The total available budget is €50,000. An individual scholarship can reach a maximum of €3,000 gross for the academic year. The scholarship is paid once per academic year and is not automatically renewed. The stated maximum cumulative support per student is €6,000 over the two-year master’s programme, subject to the applicable calls, eligibility and available budget in each year.

The award is not a fixed-rate grant. The final amount depends on the applicant’s evaluation score and the number and scores of valid applications. The available budget is divided by the total number of points awarded across valid applications to establish a value per point. Each applicant’s allocation is then calculated using that value, subject to the €3,000 individual ceiling. Consequently, the €3,000 maximum should not be treated as a guaranteed award.

The €50,000 budget could theoretically support at least 16 awards at the maximum amount, but the actual number of awards may be higher or lower because awards are calculated proportionally and individual amounts are capped at €3,000.

Who Can Apply

Applicants must be enrolled in the second year of the DIGISOC Joint Master’s Programme for the 2026/2027 academic year. In addition, an applicant must demonstrate at least one of the defined vulnerability or disadvantage criteria. Applicants may claim more than one criterion, subject to providing appropriate evidence for each claim.

Eligibility Categories

Applicants should establish their DIGISOC second-year enrolment status and gather official evidence before submission. The call does not indicate that general DIGISOC admission applications or first-year students are eligible for this specific scholarship.

Award Criteria and Scoring

Applications are ranked according to the total score assigned by the joint Evaluation Committee. A maximum of 30 points can be awarded to an application.

The scoring structure permits applicants to accumulate points across multiple criteria. The call states that the maximum total is 30 points, although the individual criterion descriptions should be reviewed carefully against the final application guidance to ensure that overlapping circumstances are scored consistently.

Evaluation and Decision Process

A joint Evaluation Committee is appointed by the Study Coordinator of the Faculty of Economics and Statistics of the University of Innsbruck. It includes one representative from each of the three DIGISOC degree-awarding universities, at least one University of Innsbruck student representative and the University of Innsbruck disability officer.

The committee is appointed after the application deadline and is expected to complete the evaluation within 15 days after the deadline. Applicants are notified by email within 15 days after the submission period ends. Rejected applications should include a short justification. The exact award amount and its composition are published through the OpenOlat learning management system, and that publication constitutes notification.

Application Procedure

Applications must be submitted through the DIGISOC OpenOlat platform at DIGISOC OpenOlat application platform. Applicants must place the required documents in a single folder labelled with their name.

Required documents are:

The application must be prepared in English. Supporting documents may be submitted in English, Italian, German or Czech. Documents in other languages require certified translations. The Evaluation Committee may request additional information where evidence is insufficient, but incomplete applications may be excluded or rejected.

By signing and submitting the application, the applicant confirms that the application is complete and correct and that all information and documents are accurate and complete. Applicants should therefore avoid unsupported claims and ensure that each document clearly identifies the applicant, the relevant status and the issuing authority or accredited expert.

Acceptance and Conditions After Award

A successful applicant must send an unconditional declaration of acceptance by email to digisoc@uibk.ac.at within five days of receiving the award notice. Failure to accept within this mandatory period results in forfeiture of the award.

The acceptance declaration also requires the scholarship holder to report any change during the academic year that affects previously declared information or continuing eligibility.

Before payment, the scholarship holder must provide:

Payment and Financial Conditions

The scholarship is paid in one instalment per academic year by the University of Innsbruck. Payment is made by SEPA credit transfer to a current account in the scholarship holder’s name. The recipient is responsible for supplying accurate bank information and for any bank charges or currency conversion costs outside the scope of the SEPA payment.

The amount is gross. Scholarship holders are solely responsible for determining and complying with applicable tax obligations and any other personal tax consequences. The University of Innsbruck does not provide individual tax advice.

A scholarship holder must not have an employment relationship with the University of Innsbruck for the academic year covered by the scholarship. This condition should be checked before acceptance and maintained throughout the relevant academic year.

Appeals, Withdrawal and Repayment

Applicants who are not awarded a scholarship may appeal by email to digisoc@uibk.ac.at. Appeals are reviewed by the joint Evaluation Committee, including the designated representative responsible for disability, inclusion or equal-treatment matters. The call describes the committee decision as final subject to this appeal procedure.

A scholarship holder who withdraws after acceptance must notify the University of Innsbruck in writing by email. Transfer to another programme during the 2026/2027 academic year is treated as renunciation and requires repayment of the full amount received.

A person who renounces the scholarship must return amounts already paid, except where the Evaluation Committee accepts a duly justified special case. Applicants should therefore accept only when they expect to remain enrolled in DIGISOC and satisfy the conditions for the relevant academic year.

Applicant Assessment

This opportunity is highly targeted rather than open to all students. The decisive eligibility condition is second-year DIGISOC enrolment, followed by proof of one or more specified disadvantage categories. It is therefore unsuitable for general master’s students, prospective DIGISOC applicants who are not yet enrolled in the second year, or applicants seeking unrestricted study funding without a qualifying vulnerability basis.

The proportional allocation model means that applicants should claim every criterion that genuinely applies and provide strong official evidence for each one. However, unsupported or unclear claims may reduce the score or lead to exclusion. Disability evidence should explain or establish functional impact where possible, while income evidence should clearly relate to the relevant reference fiscal year and the applicable family income measure.

The scholarship is a modest contribution rather than full-cost funding. Applicants should separately confirm tuition obligations, mobility costs, living expenses, tax treatment and any other financial support restrictions applicable to their DIGISOC enrolment. The call does not promise that the award will cover any particular cost category or the full cost of participation.

Recommended Applicant Checklist

Further Information and Contacts

Official updates, application and documentation guidance, and the acceptance letter template are expected to be made available on the DIGISOC Costs and Scholarships page at DIGISOC Costs and Scholarships.

Contact points are Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II at digisoc@unina.it, Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci at digisoc@upol.cz, and University of Innsbruck at digisoc@uibk.ac.at. Questions concerning submission, acceptance, payment or appeals should be directed primarily to the University of Innsbruck because it administers this scholarship call.

Source and Status Note

The opportunity is presented on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal under the EURIDICE project, but the scholarship award itself is made directly by the University of Innsbruck. The information above is based on the published call metadata and task description supplied for this analysis, together with the official Portal context.1 Applicants should rely on the final call documents, annexes and any updates issued by the University of Innsbruck before submission.

Footnotes

1. 1DIGISOC Scholarship Programme 2026/2027
2. 2The EU Funding and Tenders Portal is the European Commission’s central electronic platform for EU funding and tenders. The DIGISOC scholarship call states that its Portal publication is for information and visibility and does not transfer responsibility for the scholarship award from the University of Innsbruck to the European Union. Official Portal: EU Funding and Tenders Portal.