VILNIUS TECH MERIT Project Re-/Up-skilling Scholarship Call

The VILNIUS TECH MERIT Project Re-/Up-skilling Scholarship Call is a financial support initiative targeting EU citizens who have completed short-term courses in advanced digital skills at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH). The program aims to encourage lifelong learning and the development of skills in areas such as ICT, cybersecurity, AI, and IoT.

Eligible applicants are individuals holding EU citizenship who have completed relevant MERIT project short-term courses with a minimum score of 8 out of 10. Scholarships are awarded at €100 per completed course, with a maximum limit of €1,000 per individual. There is a total budget of €3,000 available for distribution. The call is ongoing until August 2026 or until funds are exhausted.

The application process allows candidates to submit requests after completing each short-term course. Applications will be reviewed monthly by the study program committee, using a points-based system to assess need, course relevance, and academic achievement. A minimum of three out of five points is required for funding eligibility.

No co-funding is necessary from applicants, and the scholarships are designed to cover study-related expenses, including travel and materials. The opportunity is available to all EU member states, but applications must be verified through official identification and course completion documentation.

The opportunity highlights the importance of up-skilling in a rapidly evolving job market and aims to support individuals, particularly those from non-ICT backgrounds, in enhancing their digital competencies. More specific information can be obtained through the official VILNIUS TECH website.

The MERIT Project Re-/Up-skilling Scholarship at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH) aims to promote lifelong learning and re-/up-skilling in advanced digital skills among European citizens. The scholarships are granted by the MERIT project, which is co-funded by the European Union under grant agreement No. 101083531. Up to 3000 euros are available for these scholarships at VILNIUS TECH.

The scholarships are available to EU citizens who have completed short-term courses offered by the MERIT project at VILNIUS TECH between September 2024 and June 2026, and who are not officially students of VILNIUS TECH. The scholarship call encourages individuals with non-ICT education or those who have graduated earlier to pursue lifelong learning and re-/up-skill in advanced digital skills. The scholarship is intended to cover travel, study material purchase, and other course-related costs, thereby facilitating access to high-quality education in digital areas.

Information regarding the scholarship opportunities is published on the VILNIUS TECH website and other systems. After completing each short-term course, but before June 2026, students can apply for funding by submitting an application to the study program committee.

The application must include: a copy of the short-term course completion certificate, a copy of a passport or personal ID illustrating the applicant's nationality, and confirmation that the scholarship will be used to cover study expenses (travel, study material or resource purchase costs) and will not lead to a double funding situation.

Applications are accepted by the VILNIUS TECH Department of Information Technologies. The Programme Study Programme Committee reviews the applications in the first week of each month and makes decisions based on evaluation criteria. Students are informed of the results within 5 working days after the decision.

Successful applicants must, within 10 working days: sign a scholarship award agreement, which includes consent for the processing of personal data for scholarship management and marketing purposes, provide bank details for the scholarship transfer, and provide any other required documents or information.

Students have the right to appeal the assessment results within 5 working days of notification, submitting the appeal in writing and specifying the areas of concern. The study program committee must evaluate the appeal within 5 working days and inform the applicant of the results. If inaccuracies are confirmed, they must be corrected, and the scholarship award will be resumed.

If a scholarship is refused, or there is disagreement with the terms, or failure to provide the necessary data in a timely manner, the application is considered obsolete, and the scholarship is no longer awarded.

Eligibility criteria include: being an EU citizen (verified by a copy of the identity document) and completing a MERIT project short-term course (minimum 6 ECTS) at VILNIUS TECH with a final score of 8 or higher (on a 10-point scale).

A re-/up-skilling scholarship of 100 Euros can be awarded once per finished short-term course by a person. An individual can apply for each course completed, but the total scholarship amount cannot exceed 1000 euros.

The evaluation criteria for student applications are: justification of the need for the scholarship (up to 1 point if related to study availability), justification of the re-/up-skilling need and relevance of the course (up to 1 point), and the student's results in the course (1 point for a final mark of 8, 2 points for a mark of 9, and 3 points for a mark of 10).

An application is eligible for funding if it scores at least 3 out of 5 possible points. Applications are ranked by points to determine priority. Scholarships will be granted until August 2026, or until the 3000 euro fund is exhausted, whichever comes first.

This call is launched solely by VILNIUS TECH and is not an EU action. VILNIUS TECH is responsible for the call's preparation, drafting, and the selection of successful applicants. The publication on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal is for informational purposes only and does not imply approval by EU authorities or any waiver of VILNIUS TECH's responsibility.

More information is available on the VILNIUS TECH website. For questions related to the call and MERIT studies at VILNIUS TECH, contact Simona Ramanauskaitė at simona.ramanauskaite@vilniustech.lt.

Students must use the scholarship solely for study-related purposes, including purchasing necessary hardware or software, covering living and travel costs, and other study-related expenses. Visibility of the scholarship benefits should be done on scholarship receive.

The opening date for applications is September 1, 2025, and the deadline is May 1, 2026, at 10:00 Brussels time. The expected duration of participation involves 1-2 month short-term courses organized at VILNIUS TECH. The project acronym is MERIT, and the full name is Master of Science in Smart, Secure and Interconnected Systems. The topic is DIGITAL-2021-SKILLS-01-SPECIALISED, focusing on specialized education programs in key capacity areas.

In summary, this opportunity provides scholarships for EU citizens to participate in short-term courses at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH) as part of the MERIT project. The scholarships aim to support individuals in re-/up-skilling in advanced digital skills. Eligible candidates can receive up to 100 Euros per course completed, with a maximum of 1000 Euros in total. The application process involves submitting required documents and meeting specific eligibility and evaluation criteria. The scholarship can be used for study-related expenses such as travel, accommodation, and study materials. The call is open until August 2026 or until the available funds are fully used.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant type for this opportunity is individuals who are citizens of the European Union and have completed short-term courses offered by the MERIT project at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH) between September 2024 and June 2026, but are not officially students of VILNIUS TECH. The call specifically targets individuals with non-ICT education backgrounds or those who graduated earlier, encouraging them to pursue lifelong learning and upskill in advanced digital skills.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a scholarship, specifically a re-/up-skilling scholarship. This scholarship is intended to cover expenses related to the course, such as travel, study materials, and other associated costs.

Consortium Requirement: This opportunity is designed for single applicants, specifically individual students who meet the eligibility criteria. There is no mention or requirement for a consortium or group application.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is limited to citizens of the European Union (EU). Applicants must provide a copy of their passport or personal ID to verify their EU citizenship.

Target Sector: The program targets the ICT sector, specifically focusing on advanced digital skills. The scholarship aims to promote re-/up-skilling in this area, particularly for individuals with non-ICT backgrounds. The topic DIGITAL-2021-SKILLS-01-SPECIALISED - Specialised education programmes in key capacity areas is mentioned.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the eligibility is restricted to citizens of the European Union. Lithuania is mentioned as the location of Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH), where the courses are held.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on development and validation through short-term courses. The scholarship supports individuals who have already participated in and completed these courses, aiding in their re-/up-skilling efforts.

Funding Amount: A re-/up-skilling scholarship of 100 Euros can be awarded once per finished short-term course by a person. One person can provide an application for each course he or she finished, while the total amount of re-/up-skilling scholarships cannot exceed 1000 euros. Up to 3000 euros are available to be distributed for all the re-/up-skilling scholarships at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University.

Application Type: The application type is an open call. After completing a short-term course, eligible students can submit an application to the study program committee for funding consideration. Applications are reviewed monthly.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a scholarship. This scholarship is intended to cover study-related expenses such as travel, study materials, hardware or software purchase, and living costs to ensure study availability.

Application Stages: The application process appears to be single-stage. Students submit their application with the required documents, and the Programme Study Programme Committee evaluates it. There is also an appeal process for students who disagree with the initial assessment.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned. However, the application is eligible for funding if it reaches 3 points out of 5 possible points, according to the criteria listed in paragraph 6.4. Each time when APPLICATIONS are evaluated, they are ordered by the highest points, to estimate the priority. The scholarships will be granted till August 2026, or before the 3000 euro fund is fully used, whichever happens first.

Co-funding Requirement: There is no mention of a co-funding requirement. The scholarship is intended to cover the full cost of eligible expenses up to the specified limits.

Summary:

The MERIT Project Re-/Up-skilling Scholarship, offered by Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH), aims to promote lifelong learning and enhance advanced digital skills among European Union citizens. Funded by the EU under grant agreement No. 101083531, this scholarship provides financial support to individuals who have completed short-term courses offered by the MERIT project at VILNIUS TECH. The scholarship, worth 100 euros per course, is designed to cover study-related expenses such as travel, study materials, hardware or software purchase, and living costs, with a maximum of 1000 euros per person.

To be eligible, applicants must be EU citizens who have successfully completed a MERIT project short-term course at VILNIUS TECH with a good final score (8 or higher on a 10-point scale). The application process involves submitting a copy of the course completion certificate, a copy of their passport or personal ID, and confirmation that the scholarship will be used for study expenses without resulting in double funding.

Applications are evaluated based on the justification of the need for the scholarship and the relevance of the re-/up-skilling, as well as the student's performance in the course. A minimum score of 3 out of 5 points is required for funding eligibility. The scholarships are awarded until August 2026 or until the total fund of 3000 euros is exhausted.

This initiative is not an EU action but is launched and managed solely by VILNIUS TECH, which is responsible for the call's preparation, applicant selection, and financial support distribution. The scholarship encourages individuals, especially those with non-ICT backgrounds, to enhance their digital skills and access high-quality education in digital areas. The opening date is 01 September 2025 and the deadline is 01 May 2026 10:00 (Brussels time).