Recruitment cycle Cohort 2025 – Call 2

The EMotion Artificial Intelligence specialists for Europe (EMAI4EU) project offers scholarships for students accepted into a double-degree master’s program focused on Artificial Intelligence with a specialization in Emotion Artificial Intelligence and a minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. This program is delivered by eight higher education institutions across five European countries along with four innovative SMEs and EIT Digital, promoting interactions between academia and business.

The scholarships provide financial support in the form of full tuition fee waivers, valued at €5,000 per year, totaling €10,000 over two years. A total of 15 scholarships are available, with a budget of €150,000. The funding aims to foster diversity, with priority given to female applicants and students from less innovation-intensive countries as defined by the Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS).

Eligible applicants include students who are nationals or residents of EU Member States, EEA countries, or countries associated with the Digital Europe Programme. To apply, candidates must enroll in the EMAI4EU master’s program and submit required documents such as academic transcripts, proof of English proficiency, a CV, a motivation letter detailing their need for financial support, and supporting documents regarding their financial situation. The application process involves a two-stage selection: acceptance into the master's program followed by scholarship allocation based on merit.

The application period opens on August 18, 2025, and closes on October 20, 2025, at 17:00 Brussels time. The program aims to address critical skills gaps in the European digital economy by training the next generation of AI specialists with a unique focus on emotional intelligence.

The EMAI4EU (EMotion Artificial Intelligence specialists for Europe) project offers scholarships to eligible students to participate in its double-degree master’s programme (ISCED Level 7, 120 ECTS) in Artificial Intelligence with a specialization in Emotion Artificial Intelligence and a minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The program aims to train the next generation of specialists and innovators in Emotion Artificial Intelligence in Europe.

The master’s programme is designed and delivered by 8 higher education institutions from 5 different countries, along with 4 innovative SMEs, a leading research centre in AI, and EIT Digital. The EMAI4EU master’s programme fosters interactions and mobility between academia and business, strengthens knowledge triangle integration, promotes entrepreneurship and inclusiveness, and boosts the growth of the EIT Digital ecosystem.

The scholarships promote diversity in terms of gender, age, and social and economic background, allowing access to high-quality education in digital areas. Scholarship recipients receive financial support during their two years of studies.

Available Scholarships:

Full tuition fee waivers: The nominal value of the granted scholarship is 5,000 EUR per year. 15 full waiver scholarships are available.

How to Apply:

Candidates must enroll in the EMAI4EU master’s programme via a single application portal. Applicants can select 3 Entry University options and 3 Exit University options with order of priority.

Required Documents for Application:

Degree Certificate/Diploma in its original language and translated into English. If the university does not provide this service, the translation must be done by an authorized translator with visible credentials, signature, and stamps.
For ongoing studies, a statement from the degree administration office (or equivalent department) certifying enrollment in the final year of studies and giving the expected completion date.
Official and stamped transcript of records in the original language and translated into English, including all courses taken. Scan the front and back of every document to ensure all stamps and signatures are fully visible.
Proof of English proficiency, which varies depending on the higher education institution/country selected. Refer to the EITD Master School website ‘Admissions’ tab for more information.
Curriculum Vitae including details on academic and professional career.
A letter of motivation (maximum 3 pages) to prove the innovative potential of the applicant and their need for financial support. Applicants must discuss and/or propose an entrepreneurial idea and explain their financial situation and need for financial support.
Supporting documents regarding the applicant’s financial situation (e.g., credit report).
An official ID, such as a passport or National ID.

Eligibility Requirements:

Scholarships are available to nationals or residents of:
EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs)).
Listed EEA countries and countries associated with the Digital Europe Programme (associated countries).
Countries in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement that enters into force before grant signature.
Only students enrolled and accepted into the EMAI4EU Masters’ programme are eligible for financial support. Scholarship allocation will be notified upon receiving the letter of acceptance and study offer.

Selection Criteria:

Scholarships are awarded based on merit. A merit score (1 to 5, with 5 being the maximum) is assigned to each accepted applicant, considering:
Previous academic and professional experience.
Curriculum vitae.
Letter of motivation, including the motivation for financial support.
The initial merit score is an average of scores assigned by the Local Programme Coordinators at the Entry and Exit Universities. Programme Leaders review these scores to ensure uniformity. A final meeting involving Programme Leaders, Local Programme Coordinators, and the Quality Assurance Manager is held to agree on the final merit score for each applicant.

Promotion of Diversity:

The EMAI4EU scholarship programme promotes diversity and inclusion:
Priority is given to female applicants from any EU country or EU-associated country to increase female participation.
Priority is given to applicants from RIS countries (included in the EIT Regional Innovation Scheme), supporting students from countries with moderate or modest innovation scores and lower gross domestic product. Eligible RIS countries include:
EU member states.
Horizon Europe associated countries.
Outermost regions such as Guadeloupe and Réunion (France), the Azores and Madeira (Portugal), and the Canary Islands (Spain).

Payment Arrangements:

The scholarship is reflected as a discount on the tuition fee. Candidates are informed of the net tuition fee after deducting the scholarship amount. The nominal value of the full tuition fee waiver scholarship is 5,000 EUR per year. Students receive financial support during their two years of studies.

Number of Scholarships:

15 full waiver scholarships are available. Scholarships are allocated on a rolling basis until all financial support schemes are exhausted for the current recruitment cycle.

Important Dates:

Opening date: 18 August 2025
Deadline date: 20 October 2025, 17:00 (Brussels time)
Expected duration of participation: 18 months

Funding:

Total funding available: 150,000.00 EUR

Project Information:

Project acronym: EMAI4EU
Full name: EMotion Artificial Intelligence specialists for EUrope
Grant agreement number: 101123289
Topic: DIGITAL-2022-SKILLS-03-SPECIALISED-EDU - Specialised education programmes or modules in key capacity areas

Further Information:

Application information: https://masterschool.eitdigital.eu/emotion-ai
Application process: https://academy.eitdigital.eu/
Programme fees: https://masterschool.eitdigital.eu/admissions/fees
Required documents: https://masterschool.eitdigital.eu/admissions/required-documents
Web link: https://www.eitdigital.eu/eu-collaborations/emai4eu
Email: EMAI4EU@eitdigital.eu

In summary, the EMAI4EU project offers a fully funded master's program in Emotion Artificial Intelligence for eligible students. This is a double-degree program that combines AI with emotional intelligence and entrepreneurship, aiming to create the next generation of AI specialists in Europe. The scholarship covers the full tuition fee, and the application process involves submitting academic records, a motivation letter, and proof of English proficiency. Priority is given to female applicants and those from countries with lower innovation scores, promoting diversity and inclusion within the program. The deadline for applications is October 20, 2025.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant type is students who are nationals or residents of eligible countries and who are enrolled and accepted into the EMAI4EU Master's programme.

Funding Type: The funding type is a scholarship, specifically a full tuition fee waiver.

Consortium Requirement: This opportunity is for single applicants, i.e., individual students.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes nationals or residents of EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs)), listed EEA countries, countries associated with the Digital Europe Programme (associated countries), or countries in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement where the agreement enters into force before grant signature.

Target Sector: The target sector is digital skills and education, specifically in the area of Artificial Intelligence with a specialization in Emotion Artificial Intelligence and a minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Mentioned Countries: EU member states, Guadeloupe, Réunion (France), the Azores and Madeira (Portugal), and the Canary Islands (Spain).

Project Stage: The project stage is for students pursuing a double-degree master’s programme (ISCED Level 7, 120 ECTS).

Funding Amount: The nominal value of the granted scholarship is 5,000 EUR per year, covering the full tuition fee. A total of 15 scholarships are available in this call, with a total funding of 150,000 EUR.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with scholarships allocated on a rolling basis.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a tuition fee waiver.

Application Stages: The application process involves enrolling in the EMAI4EU master’s programme through a single application portal, followed by a selection process based on merit. Students are notified of their scholarship allocation along with their letter of acceptance. Therefore, it can be considered a 2-stage process: application to the master's program, and then selection for the scholarship.

Success Rates: The success rate is not explicitly mentioned, but it depends on the merit of the applicant and the availability of scholarships. With only 15 scholarships available, the success rate is likely to be below 10%, depending on the number of applications.

Co-funding Requirement: No co-funding is required. The scholarship covers the full tuition fee.

Summary:

The EMotion Artificial Intelligence specialists for Europe (EMAI4EU) project offers scholarships to eligible students who are accepted into its double-degree master’s programme in Artificial Intelligence with a specialization in Emotion Artificial Intelligence and a minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The programme is designed and delivered by a consortium of higher education institutions, SMEs, a research center, and EIT Digital. The scholarships are full tuition fee waivers, valued at 5,000 EUR per year for two years of study. The scholarships aim to promote diversity in terms of gender, age, and socio-economic background, with priority given to female applicants and applicants from RIS countries. To apply, candidates must enroll in the EMAI4EU master’s programme through the application portal and submit required documents such as degree certificates, transcripts, proof of English proficiency, a CV, a letter of motivation, and supporting documents regarding their financial situation. Scholarships are awarded based on merit, assessed through academic and professional experience, the CV, and the letter of motivation. A total of 15 scholarships are available for the current recruitment cycle, and they will be allocated on a rolling basis. The opening date for submission is August 18, 2025, and the deadline is October 20, 2025. The project aims to train the next generation of specialists and innovators in Emotion Artificial Intelligence in Europe, fostering interactions between academia and business, promoting entrepreneurship, and boosting the growth of the EIT Digital ecosystem.