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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

This grant aims to promote the practical application, publicity, and research of advanced digital skills, particularly in Artificial Intelligence, among European citizens. It provides scholarships and mobility grants to foster innovation, activity, and mobility within these fields. - Target recipients: Individual students. - Target size: Not applicable (for individuals). - SECTOR-SPECIFIC - Geographic scope: EU citizens studying at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (Lithuania). Mobility activities can cover international locations. - Key filtering criteria: EU citizenship, enrollment in specific VILNIUS TECH AI Master's programs, no academic debts. - Grant frequency: Recurring (applications considered monthly) until the program's final date (September 1, 2026). - Program context: Part of the MERIT project, which is co-funded by the European Union; however, this specific scholarship call is directly administered and funded by VILNIUS TECH, which holds sole responsibility.

Financial Structure

Total available funding for excellence scholarships and mobility grants at VILNIUS TECH: Up to 21000 euros.
Currency: EUR.
Maximum grant amount per student per semester: 3000 euros (combined for both mobility and excellence scholarships).
Maximum mobility grant amount: Up to 1500 euros.
Co-financing for mobility grants: If total mobility costs exceed 1500 euros, students must explore and secure co-funding from other sources. A written explanation detailing all funding sources and amounts is required to prevent double funding.
Eligible costs for mobility: Student travel expenses directly related to acquiring or demonstrating additional competencies, and promoting study results or the program.
Eligible costs for excellence: Specific amounts awarded for various academic and innovation achievements (e.g., scientific publications, hackathon wins, startup founding).
Payment schedule for mobility grants: Costs are initially paid by the student and then reimbursed by VILNIUS TECH within 30 calendar days upon submission of invoices and proof of payment.
Payment schedule for excellence scholarships: The scholarship amount will be transferred to the student within 30 calendar days after signing the scholarship satisfaction agreement.
Budget flexibility: The scholarship awarding committee reserves the right to limit the number and amounts of scholarships provided each month, based on the available budget and other circumstances.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Type

Must be an 'INDIVIDUAL' (student).

Citizenship & Enrollment

Must be an EU citizen.
Must provide a copy of an identity document indicating nationality.
Must be currently studying at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH).
Must be enrolled in one of the following Master's degree programs at VILNIUS TECH:
- 'Engineering of Artificial Intelligence' (state code 6211BX023)
- 'Management of Artificial Intelligence Solutions' (state code 6211BX024)
Must be included in the lists of full study students for the eligible programs.
Must have no academic debts at the time of applying.
Must have no academic debts at the time of receiving the scholarship.

Previous Funding (for Mobility Grants)

For mobility grants, priority is given to students who have not received mobility grants before or whose previously granted mobility grant was lower. This is a ranking factor, not a strict eligibility exclusion.

Application Process

Application Submission

Applications can be submitted monthly.
Applications are accepted by the VILNIUS TECH Department of Information Technologies.

Application Content

General application: Students must write an application to the study program committee, specifying whether they are applying for mobility opportunities or recognition for results achieved.
Mobility application requirements:
- Clear purpose of the mobility and expected results.
- A link or document detailing the event (date, duration, type, organizers, country, contact information).
- A detailed breakdown of planned or incurred mobility costs and the requested reimbursement proportion.
Excellence application requirements:
- Description of exceptional results achieved, supported by verifiable documents/proof.
- Date(s) when the results were achieved.
- Explanation of how the results relate to the specific PROGRAMME and the MERIT project.

Application Processing Timeline

Monthly Review: The Programme Study Programme Committee reviews received applications during the first week of each month.
Decision Notification: Students are informed of the decision regarding their application within 5 working days after the decision is made.
Agreement Signing (if granted): If the application is successful, students must sign a scholarship award agreement within 10 working days from the date of notification.
Payment Processing:
- Mobility: Reimbursement of actual incurred costs within 30 calendar days after the student provides all necessary invoices and proof of payment.
- Excellence: Scholarship transfer within 30 calendar days after the scholarship satisfaction agreement is signed.

Post-Award Requirements

Agreement: Sign a scholarship award agreement.
Personal Data: Consent to the processing of personal data for scholarship management and marketing purposes.
Bank Details: Provide necessary bank account details for money transfers.
Documentation: Provide any other documents or information required in relation to the scholarship award.
Publicity (Excellence): For excellence scholarships, the student's achievements will be publicized in public media.
Achievement Origin (Excellence): The student must confirm that the achievements were a direct result of the PROGRAM or the MERIT project.
Mobility Fund Usage: Mobility funding must be utilized within 9 months from the date of application approval, but no later than the end of the student's studies or September 1, 2026, whichever comes first.

Appeals Process

Submission: Students have the right to appeal assessment results. Appeals must be submitted to the study program committee within 3 working days from the date of result notification.
Format: The appeal must be in writing, clearly indicating specific points where the student believes their assessment was improper or contained factual errors.
Review: The study program committee must evaluate the appeal within 5 working days and communicate its results to the applicant.
Correction: If inaccuracies mentioned in the appeal are confirmed, they will be corrected, and the scholarship award process will resume accordingly.

Contact Information

For questions regarding the call and MERIT studies at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, contact Simona Ramanauskaitė via email: [email protected].

Evaluation Criteria

General Evaluation Factors

Student's activity during studies is considered; students rated by teachers as active during lectures have an advantage in application ranking.

Mobility Grant Criteria

Purpose Alignment: Mobility must contribute to the development of advanced digital skills in the EU and/or enhance the visibility of the MERIT project.
Non-overlap with Other Funding: Funding must not duplicate or overlap with funds from other programs (e.g., ERASMUS+).
ERASMUS+ Insufficiency (for studies/traineeships abroad): Applications for studies or traineeships in another higher education institution are only considered if the student has already applied to the ERASMUS+ program but was either denied funding or received insufficient budget.
Economic Justification: The requested mobility grant's budget must be economically justified and correspond to typical costs for the travel type and duration.
Impact: The mobility must demonstrate a positive impact on the student, other students in the program, and the MERIT project community.

Prioritized Mobility Activities

Participation in a scientific international conference where the student presents results achieved during their studies (given higher priority).
Participation in international events (e.g., hackathons, competitions) that involve representing the PROGRAM and the MERIT project (given higher priority).

Excellence Scholarship Criteria

Achievement Relevance: Student's achievements must be directly related to the vision for advanced digital skills development in the EU, the objectives of the PROGRAMME, and/or the MERIT project.
Visibility Contribution: Student's achievements must have contributed to increasing the visibility of the PROGRAM and the MERIT project.
Quality Threshold: Only applications that meet both the 'Achievement Relevance' and 'Visibility Contribution' criteria will be considered further.

Specific Excellence Achievements (Maximum Grant Amounts by Type)

Up to 1000 euros for publication of a scientific article in Web of Science referenced scientific journals with Impact Factor (excluding MDPI journals), affiliating with VILNIUS TECH. The amount is adjusted based on the number of co-authors and whether the applicant is the first author.
Up to 500 euros for publication of a scientific article in Web of Science referenced scientific journals without Impact Factor or in MDPI journals with Impact Factor, affiliating with VILNIUS TECH. The amount is adjusted based on the number of co-authors and whether the applicant is the first author.
Up to 250 euros for publication of a scientific article in other scientific journals or conference materials, affiliating with VILNIUS TECH. The amount is adjusted based on the number of co-authors and whether the applicant is the first author.
Up to 100 euros for preparing a scientific oral presentation or poster at a scientific conference. The amount is adjusted based on the number of co-authors and whether the applicant is the first author.
Up to 500 euros for winners of international competitions or hackathons representing VILNIUS TECH and/or the MERIT project. The amount is adjusted based on the team size.
Up to 100 euros for active (non-winning) participation in competitions or hackathon events representing VILNIUS TECH and/or the MERIT project. The amount is adjusted based on team size and contribution to MERIT project visibility.
Up to 1000 euros for founding a startup based on a master's thesis. The amount considers the number of founders and the startup's potential, and may be reduced if funding is less than 10000 euros or if the area is not directly related to advanced digital skills and MERIT project aims.
Up to 1000 euros for other achievements in studies, science, and publicity that contribute to the development and coverage of advanced digital skills and innovations, and the visibility and further development potential of the PROGRAMME and/or MERIT project.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Legal Framework & Funder Responsibility

This specific scholarship call and the financial support it provides are explicitly stated as NOT an EU action.
The call is exclusively launched by VILNIUS TECH.
VILNIUS TECH is solely responsible for providing financial support to successful applicants, acting in its own name and under its own responsibility.
VILNIUS TECH's responsibility includes the preparation and drafting of this call, as well as the selection of successful applicants.
The publication of this call on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal is for informational purposes only, aiming to increase visibility, and does not imply direct or indirect EU approval or a waiver of VILNIUS TECH's responsibility.

Data Protection and Privacy

A scholarship award agreement will include a clause requiring consent from the student for the processing of their personal data for scholarship management and marketing purposes.

Funding Restrictions & Limitations

Students may submit multiple scholarship applications during one semester; however, scholarships cannot be awarded repeatedly for the same specific results.
A single student is capped at receiving a maximum of 3000 euros per semester from combined mobility and excellence scholarships.
This 3000 euros per semester limit does not include any incentives or other scholarship amounts received by the student from alternative sources.
If a mobility application is granted, but the student subsequently takes academic leave or any other study break before utilizing the grant, the mobility grant satisfaction will become invalid.

Project/Achievement Visibility

For students awarded excellence scholarships, their achievements are required to be publicized in public media.
Mobility grants also aim to contribute to the promotion of the results achieved during studies and the overall MERIT PROGRAM.

Co-funding for Mobility

Should the planned mobility costs exceed 1500 euros, the student is obligated to explore and combine co-funding from other available sources. A written explanation must be provided detailing these additional funding sources and amounts to ensure there is no double funding and that the combined funds are sufficient to implement the mobility plan.

Key Timelines for Fund Utilization

Mobility funding, once approved, must be utilized within 9 months from the date of application satisfaction, but no later than the end of the student's studies or September 1, 2026, whichever occurs first.
Excellence scholarship payments will be transferred within 30 calendar days after the scholarship satisfaction agreement is signed, but no later than the student's graduation or September 1, 2026, whichever occurs first.

Grant Details