RTU MERIT Project Mobility Scholarship September, 2026

Riga Technical University (RTU) invites applications for the MERIT Project Mobility Scholarship to fund short-term student mobility (two days, 29–30 September 2026) at VILNIUS TECH in Lithuania. RTU will distribute up to €50,000 in total, awarding a flat €850 per student to cover direct mobility costs, with payments made no later than 22 September 2026. Eligible applicants are EU citizens who are full-time, matriculated MERIT master's students at RTU meeting study-load and enrolment conditions. Applications must be submitted via the RTU application form by 31 August 2026, 20:00 Brussels time.

What it funds

Essential summary

RTU (Riga Technical University) will award mobility scholarships to support short study mobility (2 days) linked to the MERIT master programme. Each scholarship covers direct mobility costs (transport, per diem, accommodation, travel insurance, local transport). Total budget for the call is €50,000. Individual award per mobility action is €850. The mobility action is scheduled 29–30 September 2026; payments are made no later than 22 September 2026. ¹

Who can apply:EU citizens who are matriculated full-time students in the MERIT master programme Management of Smart, Resilient, and Interconnected Systems at RTU, meeting study-load and enrollment conditions (full-time, completed required ECTS per semester, within standard study duration, not on academic leave).

1. 1Application deadline: 31 August 2026, 20:00 Brussels time.
2. 2Apply via the RTU application form linked in the call (form URL published by RTU).
3. 3Selection is merit-based; tie-breaker may favour diversity (non-ICT background and students from low DESI-index countries).
4. 4Scholarship will not be paid if recipient is ex-matriculated or on academic leave before payment.

Call published by RTU under the MERIT project (EU grant agreement 101083531). RTU runs the selection and pays scholarships in its own name; publication on the EU portal is informational only. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Full call details and application link are published on RTU/Riga Business School MERIT scholarship page RTU MERIT Mobility Scholarship.

Summary

RTU (Riga Technical University) announces a targeted Mobility Scholarship call linked to the MERIT project (Master of Science in Management of Smart, Resilient and Interconnected Systems), co-funded by the European Union under grant agreement No. 101083531. The call opens 10 August 2026 and closes 31 August 2026 at 20:00 Brussels time. Up to €50,000 is available overall for scholarships distributed by RTU. Individual scholarship amounts are €850 per student for a single mobility action taking place 29–30 September 2026 at MERIT partner VILNIUS TECH (Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Lithuania). This call is launched and administered solely by RTU; publication on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal is for visibility only and does not convert the call into an EU-managed action ¹.

Eligible applicant types

Applicants eligible to apply for these mobility scholarships are:students matriculated in the MERIT master's study programme at Riga Technical University. Eligibility is limited to citizens of the European Union (EU). Applicants must be full-time students, have completed the curriculum cumulatively in full for the preceding semester (30 ECTS per semester), must not have exceeded the standard duration of the curriculum, and must not be on academic leave.

Funding type and scale

Primary financial mechanism:Grant (scholarship payments) distributed by RTU in its own name and under its own responsibility.

Total funding available:€50,000 (total budget available to be distributed by RTU).

Individual award amount:€850 per student for the specified single mobility action (29–30 September 2026).

Geographic and programme scope

Geographic eligibility:applicants must be citizens of the European Union. The mobility action takes place at VILNIUS TECH in Lithuania. The call is part of the MERIT project (Grant agreement No. 101083531) under the DIGITAL-2021 topic (Specialised education programmes in key capacity areas) of the 2021–2027 programme period.

Target sectors and topics

The MERIT programme targets advanced digital capacity areas. The scholarship explicitly supports learning and mobility in Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence technologies, identified as MERIT target areas. The broader programme focuses on smart, secure and interconnected systems.

Project stage and activity description

This opportunity supports short-term student mobility (2-day participation) for education and skills development. The expected maturity is at the learning/validation stage for students (first- and second-year master's students completing the curriculum). The mobility action is scheduled for 29–30 September 2026 and is intended to extend knowledge and practical skills in cybersecurity or AI for students without an ICT background.

Application and selection process

Application method:single-stage open call requiring submission of an application form by 31 August 2026. The application form is a Google Form accessible at forms.gle. Required information on the form includes student identification number, full name, and bank account number for scholarship transfer. Applicants must confirm agreement with the Regulations, consent to personal data processing and publication of results, and agree to submit a post-mobility self-assessment report.

Selection and ranking:If eligible applications exceed available funding, applications will be ranked by academic merit. In tie-break situations (equal merit), preference may be applied to promote diversity, including students with a non-ICT background and students from low DESI-index countries (countries below the EU average in at least basic digital skills according to DESI 2025 data from 2023). This diversity criterion is strictly a tie-break mechanism and should not affect equal treatment of applications.

Payment, use of funds and obligations

Scholarship payment:RTU will confirm selected recipients via the RBS director and transfer the scholarship to recipients' bank accounts. Payment is scheduled no later than one week before the mobility action (by 22 September 2026). If a recipient is ex-matriculated (except upon curriculum completion) or on academic leave before payment, the scholarship will not be paid.

Permitted use of funds:Funds may be used for direct mobility costs only, including transportation to/from the venue, per diem expenses, accommodation, travel insurance, and local transportation to/from the venue.

Obligations:All scholarship recipients must submit a self-assessment report on acquired knowledge, skills and mobility experience using the template provided by the study programme director.

Key dates and timeline

Application templates and form structure

The application uses an online Google Form. The visible required fields and confirmations include:

1. 1Applicant email registration (Google account required to complete form).
2. 2Surname and name of the applicant (full name).
3. 3Student identification number (Student ID).
4. 4Bank account number for scholarship transfer.
5. 5Declarations and consents: read and agree to Regulations, consent to processing of personal data for the competition, consent to publication of results (name, surname, study programme) in official information channels, and agreement to submit a mobility report in accordance with the study programme director's requirements.

Consortium requirement

Single applicant submissions only. This is an individual student scholarship; no consortium is required or permitted.

Co-funding and eligibility costs

No co-funding from applicants is required. The scholarship is paid as a lump sum to cover direct mobility costs. RTU administers payments from its available budget under the MERIT project but assumes full responsibility for selection and payment decisions. There is no explicit requirement for matching funds.

Application stages and success rate

Application stages:one stage (single-stage selection based on submitted form and academic merit). Success rate: not specified in the call. Selection depends on academic merit and available budget; up to €50,000 total is available which, at €850 per student, implies funding for up to approximately 58 scholarship actions in aggregate (subject to RTU administrative decisions and potential multiple calls).

Beneficiary obligations and legal disclaimer

Recipients must use funds only for permitted direct mobility costs and must submit the required self-assessment report. The legal disclaimer states this call and financial support are NOT an EU action: RTU launches and administers the call and provides the funds directly under its own responsibility. Publication on the EU portal is informational only and does not imply EU approval of the call content or conditions ¹.

Mentioned countries

Countries explicitly mentioned in the call text or context:Latvia (Riga Technical University location), Lithuania (VILNIUS TECH mobility venue). Eligibility is limited to European Union citizens from any EU Member State. DESI data reference includes EU Member States for tie-break considerations.

Administrative and reference information

Practical advice for applicants

1. 1Ensure you are matriculated in the MERIT master's curriculum at RTU and are a full-time student who has completed the required 30 ECTS for the preceding semester.
2. 2Prepare Student ID, full name and a valid bank account number before starting the online application form.
3. 3Submit the Google Form before 31 August 2026, 20:00 (Brussels time); a Google account login is required to complete the form.
4. 4Be prepared to provide academic evidence if studies in the last semester were at a foreign institution; the merits must be provided according to the issuing university's rules.
5. 5If selected, expect payment by 22 September 2026 and plan mobility logistics for 29–30 September 2026 at VILNIUS TECH.
6. 6Complete and submit the self-assessment report after mobility using the template provided by the study programme director.

What this opportunity is about

This scholarship call funds short-term student mobility for participants of the MERIT master's programme administered by Riga Technical University. It aims to support high-achieving, full-time EU students, including promotion of diversity and support for students without an ICT background, to gain practical knowledge and skills in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence through a two-day mobility at VILNIUS TECH. RTU manages selection, payments and reporting obligations under its own responsibility, using up to €50,000 allocated for these targeted scholarships. Applications are submitted via a Google Form by the single-stage deadline of 31 August 2026. The award is a lump-sum scholarship of €850 to cover direct mobility costs and recipients must submit a post-mobility self-assessment report. The call is part of the MERIT project funded under the DIGITAL-2021 topic.

For official and up-to-date details applicants should consult the RTU RBS MERIT pages and the application form linked in this announcement. The call text, timelines and payment arrangements are administered by RTU; publication on the EU portal is for visibility only and does not indicate EU administration of the call ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1MERIT Mobility Scholarship information and call details are published on the Riga Business School (RBS) / RTU website: rbs.lv and rbs.lv and the specific call entry on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

This is a short term cascade funding mobility scholarship administered by Riga Technical University under the MERIT project, with a total budget of €50,000 and a flat award of €850 per student for a single 2 day mobility action in Vilnius, Lithuania, on 29 to 30 September 2026. The opportunity is published on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal[5].

What the funding is for

The scholarship supports student mobility linked to the MERIT programme and is intended to strengthen knowledge and skills in Cybersecurity, especially for students with excellent academic results and for first and second year students completing the curriculum. The money may be used only for direct mobility costs, including transport to and from the venue, per diem, accommodation, travel insurance, and local transport.

Who can apply

• Citizens of the European Union enrolled in the MERIT master's degree programme Management of Smart, Resilient, and Interconnected Systems at Riga Technical University
• Full time students
• Students who have completed the curriculum cumulatively in full, with 30 ECTS per semester
• Students who have not exceeded the standard duration of the curriculum
• Students who are not on academic leave
• If the previous semester was completed at a foreign educational institution, the merits for that semester must be provided according to the issuing institution's rules

Funding, duration, and payment

Application and selection

Applications must be submitted by 31 August 2026 through the application form and must include the student ID, first and last name, and the scholarship recipient's bank account number. If eligible applications exceed the available funding or planned number of scholarships, selection is based first on academic merit and, in case of equal merit, may give preference to diversity, including students from non ICT backgrounds and students from low DESI index countries.

1. 1Submit the application form before the deadline
2. 2Provide the required identification and bank details
3. 3Meet all study status and enrolment conditions
4. 4Wait for the publication of results on RTU's website
5. 5If selected, receive payment by bank transfer before the mobility

Post award obligations and restrictions

• Selected students must submit a self assessment report on acquired knowledge, skills, and mobility experience using the template provided by the study programme director
• If a selected student becomes ex matriculated, except when completing the curriculum, or goes on academic leave before payment, the scholarship is not paid
• The scholarship is transferred to the recipient's bank account on the basis of the director's order
• The call is launched solely by Riga Technical University and is not an EU action; the publication on the portal is for visibility only and does not constitute EU approval of the call

Practical assessment

This opportunity is best suited to enrolled MERIT students at RTU who have strong academic performance and who can participate in the two day mobility in late September 2026. The key compliance points are eligibility under the MERIT programme, on time submission, and continued student status up to payment.