VIC FSTP – ISTEC Advanced Training Programme Scholarships 2026-2027

VIC FSTP – ISTEC Advanced Training Programme Scholarships 2026-2027 provides five institutional scholarships of €800 each applied as reductions of the participation fee for ISTEC's Advanced Training Programme in Immersive Technologies and Artificial Intelligence. Eligible applicants are natural persons admitted or eligible for admission to the ISTEC programme, with priority for those demonstrating financial need, underrepresentation or interdisciplinary backgrounds. The scholarship does not cover travel, accommodation or subsistence and is administered by ISTEC under the Virtual Innovation Consortium framework. The application deadline is 30 September 2026 16:00 UTC and applications are submitted via academic-offer.vic-eu.com with queries to vic@my.istec.pt.

What it funds

Purpose and scope

Institutional scholarships providing partial fee support for participation in the ISTEC Advanced Training Programme in Immersive Technologies and Artificial Intelligence (2026-2027). Aid is applied directly to the programme participation fee; travel, accommodation and subsistence are not covered.

Funding available:Five scholarships are available; each provides a fee reduction of €800. The total budget allocated for this call is €4,000 ¹.

Who can apply:Natural persons who are admitted or eligible for admission to the ISTEC programme and hold nationality of an EU Member State or another Digital Europe Programme eligible country, or countries cooperating with the EU on digital topics. Priority may be given to applicants demonstrating financial need, belonging to underrepresented groups, or coming from non-ICT/interdisciplinary backgrounds.

1. 1Application deadline: 30 September 2026, 17:00 CEST
2. 2Apply via the ISTEC scholarship form: academic-offer.vic-eu.com
3. 3Required documents: scholarship form, CV, motivation letter, proof of programme application/admission, and supporting documents for financial need or inclusion criteria (if applicable)
4. 4Selection by ISTEC-appointed committee based on academic merit, motivation, financial need, diversity contribution and relevant experience; appeals allowed within 10 working days

This call is managed and funded by ISTEC under the Virtual Innovation Consortium framework and co-funded by the Digital Europe Programme; publication on the EU portal does not make this an EU-managed action.

Footnotes

1. 1Official application page and full call documentation: academic-offer.vic-eu.com.

Opportunity summary

This call provides Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) in the form of institutional scholarships to support participation in the 2026-2027 edition of the Advanced Training Programme in Immersive Technologies and Artificial Intelligence delivered by ISTEC. The aim is to reduce financial barriers, promote diversity and inclusion, and increase participation in advanced digital skills education in immersive technologies and artificial intelligence (VR, AR, XR and related digital innovation domains). A total of five scholarships are available; each selected participant may receive €800 applied directly as a reduction or waiver of the programme participation fee. The scholarship does not provide cash transfers and does not cover travel, accommodation, subsistence, or other ancillary costs. The programme duration is nine months (the duration of the Advanced Training Programme). This call is launched by ISTEC and published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for visibility; it is not an EU action and ISTEC remains fully responsible for the call and for providing the financial support ¹.

Important dates and administrative details

1. 1Application deadline: 30 September 2026, 17:00 CEST (16:00 UTC as shown on portal).
2. 2Call duration: Scholarships apply to the 2026-2027 Advanced Training Programme with a nine-month programme duration.
3. 3Number of scholarships: 5.
4. 4Amount per scholarship: €800 each, applied to participation fee (fee reduction/waiver).
5. 5Application portal: Applications must be submitted via the dedicated online form: academic-offer.vic-eu.com.
6. 6Contact email for questions and appeals: vic@my.istec.pt.

Eligible applicants and geographic scope

Eligibility is limited to natural persons (individuals) who are admitted or eligible for admission to the ISTEC Advanced Training Programme in Immersive Technologies and Artificial Intelligence. Candidates must meet the academic, administrative and admission requirements published on ISTEC's institutional webpage (www.istec.pt). Eligible candidates include students who hold the nationality of an EU Member State or another Digital Europe Programme eligible country, and/or students from countries with which the European Commission maintains ongoing international cooperation related to digital topics, including digital partnerships and Trade and Technology Councils; the applicable list of countries is subject to change and must be interpreted per relevant European Commission rules and updates.

Eligible applicant types (detailed)

Primary eligible applicant type:individual natural persons (students/applicants to the programme). Secondary eligibility considerations: applicants should be admitted or eligible for admission to the ISTEC programme, and therefore institutional enrolment criteria apply. Priority will be given to applicants who demonstrate financial need, belong to underrepresented groups, come from non-ICT or interdisciplinary backgrounds, or otherwise contribute to diversity and inclusion objectives.

Funding type and modality

Funding type:institutional scholarship provided as Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP). The scholarship is a grant-like fee reduction applied directly to the programme participation fee; it is not provided as a cash transfer to beneficiaries. The financial mechanism is therefore a non-cash grant/scholarship administered by ISTEC in its own name and responsibility and co-funded by the Virtual Innovation Consortium project under the Digital Europe Programme framework.

Total budget and per-beneficiary value:Total budget indicated for this call: €4,000. Number of scholarships: 5. Value per scholarship: €800 applied to participation fee.

Scope, objectives and target sectors

This call contributes to the Virtual Innovation Consortium objective of strengthening European advanced digital skills capacity. Target thematic sectors: immersive technologies and artificial intelligence, specifically Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Extended Reality (XR), and related digital innovation domains. The call targets capacity building, education and inclusion in advanced digital skills rather than research or commercialization funding.

Selection, evaluation and decision-making process

Eligible applications will be evaluated by a Selection Committee appointed by ISTEC. The Selection Committee will verify eligibility, evaluate applications against published criteria, rank applicants and allocate scholarships. Members must declare any conflicts of interest and abstain where relevant. The process follows principles of impartiality, transparency, equal treatment, confidentiality and avoidance of conflicts of interest.

1. 1Evaluation criteria and scoring: Academic merit; motivation and alignment with the programme; financial need; contribution to diversity and inclusion; relevant experience (if applicable).
2. 2Scoring scale: Each eligible application scored 1 (insufficient) to 5 (excellent) for each criterion; final ranking based on aggregated score.
3. 3Tie-breaking: In case of equal scores, priority may be given to higher demonstrated financial need, stronger programme alignment, and/or earlier submission of a complete application.
4. 4Notification: Applicants will be informed of the outcome by email following evaluation.
5. 5Appeals: Applicants may request clarification or submit an appeal in writing within 10 working days of notification; appeals emailed to vic@my.istec.pt and reviewed by the issuing institution.

Application requirements and required documents

Applicants must complete and submit the prescribed scholarship application form via the dedicated online portal and provide the following supporting documentation. Incomplete or late applications may not be considered.

1. 1Completed scholarship application form (via academic-offer.vic-eu.com).
2. 2Curriculum Vitae (CV).
3. 3Motivation letter explaining alignment with the programme and contribution to diversity/inclusion objectives.
4. 4Proof of programme application or admission to the ISTEC Advanced Training Programme (if available/applicable).
5. 5Supporting documentation to demonstrate financial need or eligibility under inclusion criteria (if applicable).
6. 6Any additional documents requested by ISTEC to verify eligibility or for financial control/audit.

Application process and stages

Application type:single-stage open call submitted through the online form. The deadline model is single-stage. The process comprises application submission, eligibility verification by the Selection Committee, evaluation and scoring, ranking, allocation of scholarships and notification. Applicants may appeal decisions within 10 working days of notification. The issuing institution may request additional documentation for verification, reporting or audit purposes.

Co-funding, allowable costs and exclusions

Co-funding requirement:The scholarship covers only a partial reduction of the programme participation fee (€800). There is no stated requirement for applicants to provide co-funding to receive the scholarship; however, beneficiaries must cover remaining participation fees and any other study-related costs (travel, accommodation, subsistence, materials) not covered by the scholarship. The scholarship explicitly does not cover ancillary costs.

Project stage and expected maturity of applicants

Project stage:Not applicable in the research TRL sense. Expected maturity: candidates are students or professionals seeking advanced training/education. The opportunity is targeted at individuals aiming at skill development, reskilling or upskilling in immersive technologies and AI rather than research or product commercialization.

Geographic and country mentions

The call mentions eligibility for students who hold nationality of EU Member States and other Digital Europe Programme eligible countries, as well as students from countries covered by European Commission international cooperation in digital topics. Specific country names are not exhaustively listed in the call text; applicants are advised to verify the applicable list of eligible countries according to Digital Europe Programme rules. ISTEC is located in Portugal and the institutional website is www.istec.pt.

Templates and application form structure

Applications must be submitted using the dedicated online scholarship application form on the ISTEC academic offer portal. While the call text does not publish a downloadable template in the scraped content, required components and typical structure of the application are clearly stated and should be prepared in advance: a completed online application form, Curriculum Vitae, motivation letter, proof of programme application or admission, and supporting documentation demonstrating financial need or inclusion criteria where applicable. Applicants are strongly advised to prepare clear evidence for financial need and to align the motivation letter with programme objectives and diversity/inclusion contributions. ISTEC may request additional documentation for eligibility verification or audit.

Success rates and competition

Success rates:Explicit numerical success rates are not provided. With five scholarships available and an unspecified applicant pool, competition level is unknown. Prospective applicants should assume selection is competitive and prepare applications that score highly on academic merit, motivation and programme alignment, financial need and contribution to diversity and inclusion.

How to apply and practical guidance

1. 1Confirm admission status or eligibility for admission to the ISTEC Advanced Training Programme by consulting www.istec.pt and following ISTEC admission procedures.
2. 2Prepare required documents: CV, motivation letter tailored to the programme and diversity objectives, documentary proof of financial need if claiming priority on that basis, and proof of programme application/admission.
3. 3Complete and submit the online scholarship application form at academic-offer.vic-eu.com before the deadline (30 September 2026, 17:00 CEST).
4. 4Retain copies of submitted documents and the application submission confirmation; respond promptly to any ISTEC requests for additional documentation.
5. 5If unsuccessful, use the 10-working-day window after notification to request clarifications or submit an appeal to vic@my.istec.pt.

Risk, compliance and legal / audit notes

This call is not an EU action; ISTEC is solely responsible for the call content, selection and provision of financial support. Publication on the EU portal is for visibility only. Applicant personal data will be processed in accordance with GDPR and institutional data protection procedures. The issuing institution reserves the right to request additional supporting documentation for eligibility verification, evaluation, financial control or audit purposes. Applicants should verify country eligibility rules that may change according to European Commission updates.

Final summary

This ISTEC-launched scholarship call under the Virtual Innovation Consortium aims to reduce barriers to participation in the ISTEC Advanced Training Programme in Immersive Technologies and Artificial Intelligence for the 2026-2027 edition. It provides five institutional scholarships of €800 each as a fee reduction, targets individuals admitted or eligible for admission to the programme with priority for applicants demonstrating financial need, underrepresentation, interdisciplinary background or contributions to diversity and inclusion, and requires a single-stage online application. The call is administered by ISTEC, published for visibility on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, co-funded within the VIC project context, and governed by ISTEC's selection and data protection procedures. Applicants should apply via the ISTEC scholarship portal, meet admission requirements, submit CV, motivation letter, proof of application/admission and any documentation demonstrating financial need or inclusion eligibility, and be prepared for a competitive selection by a committee using a published scoring system.

Reference and further information:Full call text and administrative details are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal listing and on the ISTEC scholarship portal. For queries, contact vic@my.istec.pt or consult www.istec.pt.

Disclaimer:publication of the call on the EU portal is solely for visibility; ISTEC is fully responsible for the call and the scholarships ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1The call and financial support are issued and provided solely by ISTEC – Instituto Superior de Tecnologias Avancadas de Lisboa. The publication on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal is informational and does not imply EU approval or responsibility for the call content or selection.

This call provides institutional scholarship support under the Financial Support to Third Parties mechanism for participation in ISTEC's 2026-2027 Advanced Training Programme in Immersive Technologies and Artificial Intelligence. The call is intended to reduce financial barriers and widen access for participants facing economic or structural obstacles.

What the programme is

The underlying academic offer is a one-year Advanced Training Programme of 60 ECTS, delivered entirely online in English and focused on immersive technologies and artificial intelligence.[34] The call also contributes to VIC's broader objective of strengthening European advanced digital skills in virtual reality, augmented reality, extended reality, and related digital innovation domains.

Funding and award pattern

The support is partial and is applied directly to the participation fee. The retrieved material for this specific 2026-2027 edition does not show the award amount or the number of scholarships available. In the closest published VIC scholarship call, support was €250 per scholarship, with 10 scholarships available, and it was provided as a participation-fee reduction or waiver.[1]

Who can apply

The precise eligibility rules for this edition were not visible in the retrieved material. On the published VIC precedent, applicants had to be admitted or eligible for admission to the programme, and priority was given to applicants demonstrating financial need, underrepresented backgrounds, or interdisciplinary and non-ICT profiles.[1]

That same precedent covered applicants from EU Member States, countries associated with the Digital Europe Programme, and students from countries engaged in digital cooperation frameworks with the European Commission.[1]

Selection criteria and likely priorities

• Financial need or economic barrier to participation
• Underrepresented background or contribution to diversity and inclusion objectives
• Interdisciplinary or non-ICT background
• Admission or eligibility for admission to the ISTEC programme
• Interest in immersive technologies, AI, VR, AR, XR, and related digital innovation

Application timing and process

The deadline provided in the opportunity metadata is 30 September 2026 at 16:00 UTC. The related VIC scholarship call used a single-stage submission model and a Brussels-time deadline, which suggests a similar application structure may be used here, although applicants should confirm the final call notice.[1]

Practical takeaways for applicants

• Treat this as a fee support opportunity, not a research or project grant
• Check the programme admission requirements before applying
• Prepare evidence or a clear explanation of financial need if relevant
• Highlight any interdisciplinary profile or underrepresented background in your application
• Confirm the exact award value, number of scholarships, and submission requirements on the official call page