UPC-MERIT Scholarship for master’s in Machine Learning and Cybersecurity for Internet Connected Systems Open Call 2025

1.Purpose of the call

UPC is soliciting applications for study grants to support students of the master's degree taught at UPC Manresa in Machine Learning and Cybersecurity for Internet Connected Systems (MERIT Master).

The aim of the scholarships is that recipients benefit from MERIT project's high-quality education in digital areas and to promote equality and excellence in the field of computer science. Gender equality and socioeconomic status are factors that will be taken into account in the evaluation but everyone is welcome to apply regardless of their personal situation.

The UPC-MERIT scholarship has received funding from the European Union within the framework of the MERIT project with Grant Agreement No. 101083531. The maximum budget for this call is 104000 € and funding is available until 30/09/2026 when the MERIT project finishes. The indicative total number of scholarships to be awarded is around 40.

2.Characteristics of support

This call offers 5 different modalities of support:

2.1 Reimbursement of tuition fees

This modality includes:

1. The first enrollment tuition costs for a master full semester (30 ECTS) during a maximum of three consecutive semesters that must be finished before 30/06/2026.
2. Administrative and support fees.
3. The cost of issuance of the official title (if paid before 31/07/2026).

Each beneficiary can receive a maximum of 3500 €.

2.2 Contribution to living and transportation expenses

The scholarship supports living and/or transportation expenses. In particular, it covers a monthly allowance of 200 € for a maximum of 12 months between the resolution of the concession and 30/06/2026.

Each beneficiary can receive a maximum of 2400 €.

2.3 Contribution to purchase of hardware, software or study materials necessary to follow the master program

The scholarship supports learning materials expenses related to the MERIT master program. In particular, it covers a maximum of 1500 € for the purchase of hardware, software or study materials necessary to follow the master program.

It must be purchased while the student is enrolled in the program and before 30/06/2026.

Each beneficiary can receive a maximum of 1500 €.

2.4 Contribution to expenses for scientific achievements (publications, posters and start-up company set up) related to the master program

The scholarship supports expenses for scientific achievements related to the MERIT master program incurred while the student is enrolled in the program and before 30/06/2026. In particular, it covers:

1. A maximum of 1000 € for costs related to full open access publication of scientific results in Q1 and Q2 journals.
2. A maximum of 500 € for costs related to full open access publication of scientific results in Q3 and Q4 journals.
3. A maximum of 100 € for costs related to poster preparation for presentation of results at a scientific conference.
4. A maximum of 5000 € for costs due to setting up a start-up company related to the master thesis.

2.5 Contribution to expenses for mobility stays related to the master program

The scholarship supports expenses for in person mobility stays not covered by the Erasmus+ Program related to the MERIT master program. They must be incurred while the student is enrolled in the program and before 30/06/2026.

In particular, it covers a maximum of 1500 € for costs such as transportation, accommodation and living expenses related to the attendance to a scientific conference, international event, study collaboration visit to another institution, research stay at another institution for the master thesis or attendance to courses taught at another university within the framework of the master program.

Each beneficiary can receive a maximum of 1500 €.

It is possible to apply for the 5 modalities but, when assessing applications of modalities 2.2, 2.3, 2.4 and 2.5, priority will be given to students who haven’t received support under modality 2.1.

Supporting documentation for the incurred costs will be required.

3.Requirements for applicants

3.1 Candidates must have been admitted to the MERIT master at UPC Manresa or applied to be admitted for the 2025/2026 academic year. This means that to be considered for the scholarship applicants will have to apply concurrently to the master's program or be already enrolled in the program.

3.2 Being a full-time degree seeking student in the master's degree program (30 ECTS per semester).

3.3 Being an EU citizen or a citizen of Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Ukraine.

3.4 For modality 2.2, having monthly rental expenses of at least 300 € or living at a distance of UPC Manresa of at least 40 km.

3.5 For modalities 2. 3, 2.4 and 2.5, the expenses have to be related to the MERIT master program.

4.Applications

Applications can be submitted from the day after the publication of this call until the maximum budget is reached and, in any case, until 01/06/2026.

The application has to be submitted through the UPC Electronic Office filling in the UPC-MERIT scholarships form.

The following documentation has to be attached to the application form:

1. Cover letter stating the following: presentation of the candidate detailing their academic merits and the description of their situation (personal, social, economic, work, academic performance, etc.) that may be relevant to obtaining the scholarship.
2. Documentary evidence of the situations described in the previous point.
3. Candidates who have won a competition in a MERIThON event at UPC Manresa should indicate it in the cover letter.
4. For modality 2.2 also provide documentary evidence of meeting the rental or distance requirements established in point 3.4.
5. For modality 2.3 also provide a letter explaining what hardware, software or study materials the applicant needs to purchase, the reason why this is required to correctly follow the master degree and the estimated budget.
6. For modality 2.4 also provide proof of the scientific achievement (publication, poster or start-up company documentation), letter explaining the relationship with the master program and budget.
7. For modality 2.5 also provide information about the mobility stay, letter explaining the purpose and relationship with the master program and budget.

5.Selection criteria

The selection committee will evaluate the applications taking into account the academic merit of the candidate as well as the gender and socioeconomic disparities in engineering and computer science.

For modalities 2.3, 2.4 and 2.5, the relationship of the expenses with the MERIT master program will be checked.

In all modalities, excellence demonstrated by winning a competition in a MERIThON event at UPC Manresa will also be considered in the assessment.

In particular, per each modality, a formula of 8 points based on academic merit and 2 points for gender and socioeconomic situation for a total of 10 points will be assigned to each candidate based on the information candidates provide to the committee. Both the master's program application documents and the additional documentation provided for this scholarship application will be taken into account.

Applications that fulfill the eligibility criteria but are not awarded because of budget limitations will be included in a reserve list (one per each modality). In case one of the awarded candidates can’t accept the scholarship or loses the financial support, the first candidate in the corresponding reserve list will be automatically re-considered for assessment.

6.Resolution

Applications for modalities 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4 and 2.5 will be assessed once per semester (tentatively 2 months after the publication of this call, July 2025 and February 2026). There will be an additional final assessment in June 2026 for modalities 2.3 and 2.4 only.

Resolutions will be electronically announced to all candidates and information about awarded scholarships will be published at the UPC-MERIT Scholarship website.

7.Selection committee

The selection committee will be integrated by the members of the Master’s Committee of the MERIT master program, which currently are:

1. Ilker Demirkol, Coordinator of MERIT project.
2. Xavier Moncunill
3. Cristian Rodríguez Rivero

8.Obligations for recipients

1. Sign an agreement to accept the scholarship.
2. Provide a certificate of ownership of the bank account where the support should be disbursed.
3. Write a report on their experience and learning outcomes every semester.
4. Validate a minimum of 21 ECTS per semester.
5. Provide supporting documentation for the eligible expenses actually incurred.
6. For modality 2.5, contract a travel insurance that covers at least health care at the destination country, accident insurance and repatriation in case of death. Please find here further information.
7. For modality 2.5 provide proof of attendance to the event or certification of the stay by the host institution.

9.Incompatibilities

This scholarship is incompatible with any other scholarship that covers the costs of the same expenses in order to avoid multiple funding for the same purposes.

10.Payment arrangements

Funds will be disbursed directly to the scholarship recipients on a semester-by-semester basis upon verification that all eligibility conditions have been met. In particular, financial support for all modalities will be provided after the completion of each semester based on the eligible expenses actually incurred by the recipient during that semester.

For modality 2.1, scholarships will cover the tuition fees of any semesters coursed before June 30^th 2026, as described above. The exact amount that will be paid to the recipients will be defined by the applicable regulations established by the Government (Decret de Preus Públics) for the academic year. The calculation using the current rules and regulations can be found in the entry "How much does the master's cost?" in the FAQ.

For modality 2.2, scholarships will cover the allocated monthly amount corresponding to the number of months in which the student is enrolled to the program between the awarding of the scholarship and June 30^th 2026.

For modalities 2.3, 2.4 and 2.5, scholarships will cover the actual incurred expenses up to the established maximum.

In case of non-continuation by the recipient no further support will be given. Supporting documentation for the incurred costs will be required. Costs will be eligible if declared eligible in the agreement and if they fulfill the general eligibility conditions established for the EU Funding Programmes 2021-2027.

11. Data protection

The Escola Politècnica Superior d'Enginyeria de Manresa of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya will process your personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679.

Legal disclaimer:

This call (as well as the financial support that will be provided through it) is NOT an EU action. This call is launched solely by Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya [UPC]. The financial support to the selected successful applicants will be provided directly by UPC in its own name and under its own responsibility. UPC’s own responsibility includes the preparation and drafting of this call as well as the selection of successful applicants that will receive the said financial support. The publication of this call in the EU Funding & Tenders Portal is made solely for information purposes with the aim to increase the visibility of this call to the general public, including to potential applicants (i.e. students). The said publication shall not be construed as direct or indirect approval of the content and conditions of this call by the relevant EU authorities or as any form of waiver from the above-described responsibility of UPC.

Full details about the UPC-MERIT Scholarship can be found at the MERIT master website.