Recruitment cycle Cohort 2026

The EMAI4EU "Recruitment cycle Cohort 2026" opportunity is a scholarship program aimed at supporting students in a double-degree master's program focused on Artificial Intelligence, specializing in Emotion AI, with a minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The initiative has a total budget of €588,000, providing approximately 49 scholarships in three categories: half tuition fee waivers of €3,000 per academic year, full tuition fee waivers of €6,000 per year, and scholarships of excellence that include both a full tuition fee waiver and a monthly living allowance of €900, adjusted based on the cost of living in the host country. The program is open to students who are nationals of EU Member States, EEA countries, or associated countries linked to the Digital Europe Programme, and those who are enrolled and accepted into the EMAI4EU master's program. Applicants can only apply for scholarships after acceptance into the master's program. The application process is competitive and open, allowing candidates to submit applications until June 30, 2026. Applications are evaluated through a multi-step process involving pre-screening of relevant degrees, ranking by a selection committee, and a general requirements check. The selection criteria prioritize merit, with an emphasis on academic performance (minimum GPA of 70%), the relevance of the bachelor’s degree, and entrepreneurial experience. The program aims to encourage diversity, targeting at least 30% female participants and 50% from Regional Innovation Scheme countries. Applicants are required to provide several documents, including academic transcripts, proof of English proficiency, a CV, and a motivation letter detailing their innovative potential and financial need. Successful candidates will be awarded scholarships based on a systematic ranking, and all funds are non-repayable, enhancing accessibility to the master's program. This initiative is designed to nurture the next generation of AI professionals in Europe with a strong focus on emotional intelligence applications, while also addressing gender and regional disparities in the tech field. The opportunity emphasizes a holistic approach to developing technical talent aligned with EU educational and digital skills priorities.

The EMotion Artificial Intelligence specialists for Europe (EMAI4EU) project offers scholarships for the 2026-2028 academic years to students enrolled in its double-degree master’s programme in Artificial Intelligence with a specialization in Emotion Artificial Intelligence and a minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ISCED Level 7, 120 ECTS). The scholarships aim to promote diversity in terms of gender, age, social, and economic background, and to provide access to high-quality education in digital areas. The opening date for applications is December 11, 2025, and the deadline is June 30, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time. The expected duration of participation is 24 months. The total funding available is €588,000.00. The project acronym is EMAI4EU, and the grant agreement number is 101123289. The topic is DIGITAL-2022, focusing on specialized education programmes or modules in key capacity areas.

Three types of scholarships are available:half tuition fee waivers (covering 50% of tuition costs), full tuition fee waivers (covering the entire tuition cost for both years), and scholarships of excellence (including a full tuition fee waiver and a monthly living allowance adjusted according to the cost-of-living index of the host country).

To apply, candidates must enroll in the EMAI4EU master’s programme through a single application portal, selecting three options for both Entry and Exit Universities in order of priority. Required documents for the application include:

1. Degree Certificate/Diploma in its original language and translated into English. If studies are ongoing, a statement from the degree administration office confirming enrollment in the final year with the expected completion date is needed. For Aalto entry, the bachelor's degree must be completed by July 31, 2026.

2. Mandatory technical prerequisites for admission, as detailed at masterschool.eitdigital.eu.

3. Official and stamped transcript of records in the original language and translated into English, including all courses taken, with fully visible stamps and signatures.

4. Proof of English proficiency, varying based on the higher education institution/country selected. Refer to the EITD Master School website ‘Admissions’ tab for more information.

5. Curriculum Vitae including details on academic and professional career.

6. A letter of motivation (maximum 3 pages) demonstrating innovative potential and the need for financial support, including discussion or proposal of an entrepreneurial idea and explanation of the applicant's financial situation.

7. Supporting documents regarding the applicant’s financial situation (e.g., credit report).

8. An official ID, such as a passport or National ID.

The Master School Scholarship allocation process involves pre-screening by the Admission Officer at the Master School Office (KTH), evaluation and ranking by a programme selection committee of 8 members, and a general requirements check by the KTH admission office. Pre-screening includes confirming university recognition/accreditation, a GPA of at least 70%, and the relevance of the Bachelor's degree.

Selected students must sign an agreement with the EIT Digital Master School outlining their rights and obligations under the scholarship scheme. Failure to comply may result in termination of financial support or recovery of funds. Standard terms and conditions applicable to EU-funded projects, as set out in Articles 12, 13, 14, 17.2, 18, 19, and 20 of the EMAI4EU Grant Agreement, apply equally to all selected students.

EMAI4EU scholarships are available to nationals of EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories), listed EEA countries, and countries associated with the Digital Europe Programme. Only students enrolled and accepted in the EMAI4EU Masters’ programme are eligible.

The selection committee consists of the local programme responsible from each participating university, with one member appointed as Programme Lead. The Programme Lead assigns applicants to selection committee members based on university preferences. Each member evaluates applicants and assigns grades for each criterion. Based on the evaluation, the Programme Leads assign an entry and exit university and a final quantitative grade.

All applicants are placed on a single, unified merit-based ranking list. Gender and RIS status are used only as priority conditions in cases of equal final merit score.

The selection criteria include:

Criteria Weight Evaluation Range

Suitability of acquired Bachelor’s degree for intended study programme 1 1-5

Quality and recognition of home university 1 1-5

Study success 1 1-5

Entrepreneurial and Innovative experience (CV, Recommendations) 1 1-5

Innovative and Entrepreneurial attitude (Letter of Motivation) 1 1-5

Overall evaluation of CV and application 1 1-5

The evaluation range is 1 (Non-satisfactory) to 5 (Excellent).

The initial merit score is an average of scores from the two Local Programme Coordinators (Entry and Exit University). Programme Leaders review these scores to ensure uniformity. A final meeting is set to agree on the final merit score of each applicant.

Students with an average grade of 3 are considered admissible, unless objections are raised by a partner university. The Master School Office proposes distributions of each scholarship category per Master programme, according to the ranking lists and distribution of scholarships per entry universities. In case of ties, gender (favoring female applicants) and citizenship in RIS countries are considered.

The scholarship programme promotes diversity in terms of gender, age, social, and economic background, including an overarching scholarship programme for any applicant from any EU country or EU associated country, a scholarship programme for women, and a scholarship programme for participants from RIS countries. EMAI4EU aims to reach at least 30% female scholarship recipients and at least 40% of RIS countries scholarship recipients.

Applicants submit one scholarship application and are automatically considered for all available scholarship types. Diversity-promotion schemes do not create separate ranking lists; instead, gender or RIS status is applied only in cases of equal merit score.

Scholarships are distributed to meet specific KPIs, namely, 50% of recipients from RIS countries and 30% female participation. Flexibility is allowed to ensure fair and efficient use of available resources.

Countries eligible to take part in the RIS include EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories) and non-EU countries listed as EEA countries and countries associated with the Digital Europe Programme.

Applicants may appeal by contacting the Master School Office (masterschool@eitdigital.eu) without any official deadline. The Head of Master School Office will review the appeal with the Head of Education Programmes, the Admission Officer, and the Programme Lead.

Scholarships are applied directly as tuition fee discounts. Scholarships consist of tuition fee waivers (half or full) and monthly allowances (only for recipients of the Scholarship of Excellence). The base reference for the monthly allowance is €900 per month, adjusted according to the Eurostat Country Correction Coefficients (CCCs). The cost-of-living coefficient is fixed for the entire two-year programme.

For the academic years 2026-2028, the nominal values for the scholarships are:

Half tuition fee waiver:€3,000 per academic year.

Full tuition fee waiver:€6,000 per academic year.

Excellence scholarship:full tuition fee and a monthly living allowance.

Students submit a single scholarship application and are considered for all three types of scholarships. Allocation follows a merit-based ranking system. Scholarships are assigned by following the order of the single unified ranking list. Scholarships are awarded on a rolling basis until the available budget is fully consumed or the maximum planned number of scholarship recipients is reached.

The indicative cap is 49 scholarships (including excellence, full waiver, and half-waiver). The indicative split is approximately 7 Scholarships of Excellence, 35 Full Tuition Fee Waivers, and 7 Half Tuition Fee Waivers.

If a selected applicant declines the scholarship, the opportunity is offered to the next eligible candidate on the reserve list.

Application information is available at masterschool.eitdigital.eu. The application process can be started at academy.eitdigital.eu. Information on Master programme fees is at masterschool.eitdigital.eu. Required documents for application are listed at masterschool.eitdigital.eu. Further information is available at eitdigital.eu. The email address for further information is EMAI4EU@eitdigital.eu.

This call is launched solely by EMAI4EU, and the financial support is provided directly by EMAI4EU under its own responsibility.

Participants applying to EMAI4EU Master programmes are required to provide personal information. All applicants must read and agree with the EIT Digital Privacy policy and Master School Terms and Conditions. For more details about data collection and retention, refer to EMAI4EU’s Data Management plan. Under GDPR, applicants have the right to access, correct, or erase their data, or withdraw consent at any time by redirecting their request to privacy@28digital.eu.

In summary, the EMAI4EU project is offering scholarships to students who will be enrolling in a double-degree master's program focused on Artificial Intelligence, specifically Emotion AI, and Innovation/Entrepreneurship. The scholarships are designed to help students from diverse backgrounds, including women and those from regions with less developed innovation ecosystems, to access high-quality education. The scholarships come in three forms: full tuition waivers plus a living stipend, full tuition waivers, and half tuition waivers. Students apply for the scholarships as part of their application to the master's program, and awards are based on merit, with some consideration given to gender and regional diversity in cases of a tie. The program aims to train the next generation of AI specialists in Europe.

Eligible Applicant Types:The eligible applicant types are students who are nationals of EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories OCTs), listed EEA countries, and countries associated with the Digital Europe Programme (associated countries). Only students enrolled and accepted in the EMAI4EU Masters’ programme are eligible for financial support.

Funding Type:The primary financial mechanism is a scholarship, which includes tuition fee waivers (half or full) and, for recipients of the Scholarship of Excellence, a monthly living allowance.

Consortium Requirement:The opportunity is for single applicants, specifically individual students.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories OCTs), listed EEA countries, and countries associated with the Digital Europe Programme (associated countries).

Target Sector:The program targets the ICT sector, specifically Artificial Intelligence with a specialization in Emotion Artificial Intelligence and a minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. It also touches on education and digital skills.

Mentioned Countries:EU Member States, EEA countries.

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

Funding Amount:The funding amounts vary: Half tuition fee waiver is €3,000 per academic year. Full tuition fee waiver is €6,000 per academic year. Excellence scholarship includes a full tuition fee waiver and a monthly living allowance (base reference of €900 per month, adjusted by Eurostat Country Correction Coefficients). The total funding available is €588,000.00.

Application Type:The application type is an open call.

Nature of Support:Beneficiaries will receive both money (monthly living allowance for excellence scholarship recipients) and non-monetary services (tuition fee waivers).

Application Stages:Applicants go through several stages: Pre-screening (GPA, Bachelor's degree relevance), Evaluation and ranking by a programme selection committee of 8 members, and General requirements check (document confirmation).

Success Rates:The success rates are not explicitly stated, but the program aims to distribute 49 scholarships. The allocation is merit-based, with consideration for gender and RIS status in cases of equal merit score, aiming for 50% of recipients from RIS countries and 30% female participation.

Co-funding Requirement:Co-funding is not explicitly required. The scholarships cover tuition fees and, in some cases, living allowances.

Summary:

The EMotion Artificial Intelligence specialists for Europe (EMAI4EU) project offers scholarships to eligible students pursuing a double-degree master’s programme in Artificial Intelligence with a specialization in Emotion Artificial Intelligence and a minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The scholarships aim to promote diversity in terms of gender, age, and socioeconomic background. There are three types of scholarships available: half tuition fee waivers, full tuition fee waivers, and scholarships of excellence (which include a full tuition fee waiver and a monthly living allowance). The scholarships are available to nationals of EU Member States, listed EEA countries, and countries associated with the Digital Europe Programme.

To apply, candidates must enroll in the EMAI4EU master’s programme through a single application portal, selecting preferred entry and exit universities. Required documents include degree certificates, transcripts, proof of English proficiency, a CV, a letter of motivation, financial documents, and an official ID. The selection process involves pre-screening, evaluation by a selection committee, and a general requirements check. Scholarships are awarded based on a merit-based ranking system, with consideration for gender and RIS status in cases of equal merit. The program aims to distribute 49 scholarships, with targets for RIS country and female participation. Applicants can appeal if they believe there has been an error in the allocation process. Scholarships are applied as tuition fee discounts, and monthly allowances are paid directly to students. The total funding available for this call is €588,000.00. The opening date for submission is December 11, 2025, and the deadline is June 30, 2026, at 17:00 (Brussels time).