28DIGITAL Master School 2027 — EIT Double Degree in Europe

28DIGITAL is a deep-tech master's school initiated by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, and it works differently from a normal university degree. You study at two European universities, one after the other, and graduate with a master's degree from each plus an EIT certificate. Every programme sits at the intersection of a technical field and entrepreneurship, and the summer school and kick-off move to a different country each year.

For the 2027 intake the first application period opened on 30 October 2026 and closes on 31 January 2027. That first period is aimed at non-EU applicants who need a residence permit, which makes it the one to use if you are applying from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China or anywhere outside the EU.

What it covers

The school does not offer one headline scholarship. It offers full and half tuition-fee waivers, awarded on merit for the full two years of the programme. Because the fee is the largest single cost, a full waiver is worth a great deal: non-EU tuition is EUR 9,000 per semester, or EUR 18,000 per academic year, so a full waiver over four semesters removes about EUR 36,000 of cost.

There is a second layer reserved for EU and EEA applicants: the "Scholarships of Excellence", sponsored by named partner projects, combine a full tuition waiver with a living allowance that depends on the country of study. Those apply only to selected programmes, so a non-EU applicant should plan on covering living costs from other funding.

The cost structure has three small charges that surprise people. There is a EUR 75 non-refundable application fee per application, a EUR 250 registration deposit that is credited against the first semester, and a EUR 500 deposit payable within seven days if you are awarded a fee reduction of 50 per cent or more. The last of those is refunded after enrolment, but it has to be available up front.

Who can apply

You need a completed bachelor's degree of at least 180 ECTS, or a qualification accepted as equivalent by the entry university, in a field relevant to the track you choose. Final-year students can apply conditionally with a statement from their degree office confirming the expected graduation date. English is checked centrally: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no section below 6.0 and at least 6.5 in speaking and writing, or the equivalent TOEFL score for your test date. A degree taught in English in the USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia or New Zealand waives the test.

The tracks for 2027 include artificial intelligence with affective computing, autonomous systems and intelligent robots, cloud and networking infrastructure with high-performance computing, cyber security, data science, fintech, human-computer interaction with extended reality, and intelligent chips and systems. Each track has its own entry universities, so the two institutions you attend depend on the track you pick, not on a free choice.

Run this eligibility self-check before you commit.

- Is my bachelor's degree at least 180 ECTS and in a field the track accepts? - Can I meet IELTS 6.5 with no band below 6.0, including 6.5 in speaking and writing? - Do I have EUR 75 for the application fee and EUR 250 for the registration deposit? - Can I fund living costs for two years, given that the living allowance is EU/EEA-only? - Do I understand which two universities my chosen track uses? - Am I applying in Period 1, which is the period reserved for applicants who need a visa?

Deadline and how to apply

Period 1 runs from 30 October 2026 to 31 January 2027, 23:59 CET. Offers are issued on 31 March 2027 and must be accepted, with the registration fee paid, within seven days. Period 2 runs from 1 February to 18 April 2027 and Period 3 from 19 April to 31 May 2027; the later periods are aimed at applicants who do not need a study visa, and not every university is available in them.

Applications are made through the school's portal. Scholarships are requested in tab 4 of the application form, and there is no separate scholarship deadline, so the waiver decision follows the admission decision. Gather your passport, degree certificate and transcripts with certified translations where needed, your English certificate, and be ready to write a short motivation statement for the track.

Tips to win

The waiver is merit-based and the ranking looks at three things: how well your bachelor's degree fits the track, academic excellence measured by the quality of your home university and your grades, and entrepreneurial or innovative potential. The third criterion is the one applicants ignore. A hackathon, a failed startup, a student society you built or a side project with real users is evidence, and it belongs in the application.

Choose the track by entry university as much as by subject. Two tracks can teach similar content but place you in different countries with different living costs and different visa queues.

Common mistakes

Applying in Period 2 while needing a visa. Assuming the living allowance applies to non-EU students when it does not. Paying the EUR 75 fee for several applications without checking whether a second choice would help, since each application is charged separately. And submitting an English certificate that meets the overall score but fails the speaking-and-writing minimum, which is a hard filter rather than a preference.

Read the official fees and scholarship page before you apply, and check the admissions calendar for the period you intend to use.

https://masterschool.28digital.eu/admissions/fees

For comparison, these guides cover other European technology master's routes and their funding.

https://www.oeacnetwork.com/index.php?page=post&id=145

https://www.oeacnetwork.com/index.php?page=post&id=140

https://www.oeacnetwork.com/index.php?page=post&id=56

Stuck on any part of this application? An OEAC advisor can check your eligibility, review your documents and help you plan the timeline before the deadline — write to info@oeacnetwork.af and quote the name of this scholarship.

Last updated: 10 November 2026