Polytechnical University of Madrid - Travel Grants for Bachelor and Master Exchanges with the Tongji University

What you get

You will receive a travel grant for a one-semester stay (approx. 6 months) at Tongji University in Shanghai, China, on the Sino-Spanish campus established by the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM). The scholarship covers your return flight from Madrid to Shanghai up to an amount of 800 EUR, as well as health and accident insurance and the standard visa fees. Tongji University also provides you with free accommodation. The UPM awards up to 20 scholarships annually: 10 for the autumn semester and 10 for the spring semester. If you are enrolled on the ETSIST dual-degree Master’s programme ‘Systems and Services Engineering for the Information Society’, support for accommodation, insurance and visas is valid for two semesters. Meals and personal expenses are not covered.

Who can apply

• Level: You are enrolled at UPM as a Bachelor’s (Grado) or Master’s student.
• Field of study: You study an engineering subject, such as civil engineering, architecture, materials engineering or information technology.
• Nationality or residence: You must be a Spanish national or have lawful residence in Spain. Tongji University does not accept applicants of Chinese origin. If you previously held Chinese nationality, you must have held Spanish nationality for at least 4 years.
• English: You must have an advanced level of English; ideally, a TOEFL score of at least 80 (internet-based), 213 (computer-based) or 550 (paper-based), or an equivalent certificate.
• No repeat funding: You did not receive an UPM travel grant to study at a Chinese university last year.

How to apply

You apply by email to the UPM Asia office. You attach the signed application form, an English certificate, a recommendation letter, a motivation letter and a short CV. UPM publishes a new call each semester on its mobility scholarships page. Recent spring calls have closed in mid-November.

How realistic are your chances?

This scholarship is aimed at a narrowly defined group: you must already be studying engineering at UPM, hold Spanish nationality or a residence permit, and demonstrate a very good command of English. As a result, the pool of eligible applicants is small. With up to 20 places available per year, anyone who clearly meets these criteria and submits a compelling personal statement stands a good chance of success. Be sure to apply in good time, as the calls for applications are published and closed anew each semester.