On this page you can find all the opportunities that the HOPTEC Program has to offer to master’s and PhD students, and Post-docs:
– HOPTEC Master’s Thesis Scholarship [Applications Open]
– HOPTEC Grant Competition [Applications Closed]
– HOPTEC Symposium Travel Award [Applications Closed]
– Poster Competition [Applications Closed]
Learn more about the application process and deadlines of each initiative below.
Spring 2027
HOPTEC Master’s Thesis Scholarship
[Applications Open]
The fourth edition of the HOPTEC Scholarship Program offers outstanding students the opportunity to develop research for their master’s thesis at the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, in the area of cancer research. The application period is open until November 20th, 2026, and two 6-month Master Thesis scholarships are expected to be awarded, running from March to August 2027.
The HOPTEC Scholarship Program covers travel expenses, provides guidance regarding visa and housing matters, and ensures that the host institution (Hopkins) will provide financial support to help the selected students during their stay in Baltimore.
Eligibility Criteria
– The applicant must be a student enrolled in the 2nd year of a Master’s program at Técnico Lisboa, in the field of Bioengineering (or related fields, if properly justified in the personal statement).
– The applicant must have only 30 ECTS (dissertation) remaining to complete at the beginning of the 4th semester of the Master’s degree.
– The applicant must have a minimum grade average equal to or above 16/20 in the Master’s degree (previous semesters) and 14/20 in the Bachelor’s degree.
– The applicant must have at least intermediate written and spoken English proficiency (no certificates required).
Applying
– Online applicationfrom October 20th to November 20th, 2026
– The application process includes: CV, Bachelor’s degree transcript, Master’s transcript or academic record, cover letter and statement of purpose
– Interview, to be scheduled later between November 23rd and Dezember 4th
Selection Process
The selection process will begin with an online application, including:
– Application Cover Page (download here)
– Personal statement (your background, motivation, future aspirations, etc.)
– Curriculum vitae
– Bachelor’s and Master’s degree transcripts
Application materials must be submitted in English (mandatory for the personal statement and CV). The complete application package must be sent to hoptec@tecnico.ulisboa.pt by November 20th, 2026 at 23:59 (GMT), with the subject line “HOPTEC – Name” (for example: HOPTEC_MariaAlmeida).
The HOPTEC selection committee is composed of representatives from the two institutions involved in the Program: two professors from Técnico and two professors from Johns Hopkins. Based on the submitted applications, the committee will select top candidates for two rounds of formal interviews. Interviews will take place between November 23rd and December 4th 2026. Following the interviews, the selected students will be chosen in a final selection HOPTEC committee meeting.
Selected students will be announced by December 11th.
HOPTEC Ambassadors
The awarded students will be named HOPTEC Ambassadors. In addition to completing their master’s work with an international research experience at Hopkins, the HOPTEC Ambassadors will be responsible for the following:
– Participating in the HOPTEC Seminar Series;
– Designing and delivering a talk based on the content of their dissertation work
– Helping to promote the HOPTEC program and providing guidance to the next generation of HOPTEC Ambassadors.
Questions can be emailed to hoptec@tecnico.ulisboa.pt with the subject “HOPTEC – question”.
2024 HOPTEC Grant Competition
[Applications Closed]
The HOPTEC Grant Competition is an annual funding opportunity available to students and postdoctoral researchers from both Técnico and Hopkins to propose a small research co-project, promoting direct collaboration opportunities between the two schools.
Applications will be open until December 5th and the winners will be announced in the 2024 HOPTEC Annual Symposium on December 18th 2024. The competition is open to any duo consisting of one master’s/PhD student or postdoc from Técnico and one from Hopkins. Applying teams are required to submit a joint proposal detailing the following information in a 2-page limit document:
– Title & Abstract;
– Background information on the research topic;
– Preliminary findings;
– Anticipated outcomes & potential challenges;
– Short description of specific contributions of each co-researcher;
– CVs of co-researchers (attachments).
The HOPTEC Scientific Committee will evaluate the submissions and select the top 3 proposals based on the project’s merits, potential impact, and feasibility. Each of the 3 winning teams will receive a €1000 grant to support research expenses related to their project. This funding can be used for purchasing small equipment, materials, or services necessary to advance the collaboration. Participants are also invited to present their scientific outcomes at the 2025 HOPTEC Annual Symposium, which will be a valuable experience to increase the visibility for their work. The required documents should be sent to hoptec@tecnico.ulisboa.pt.
Connect with other researchers and find or propose collaboration opportunities through our community channel.
2024 HOPTEC Symposium Travel Award
[Applications Closed]
Students and postdocs from Hopkins can apply for a €500 Travel Bursary Award. Applications will be open until November 22nd and should be sent to hoptec@tecnico.ulisboa.pt This bursary supports travel to Lisbon for in-person participation in the 2024 HOPTEC Annual Symposium. The HOPTEC scientific committee will award four bursaries based on an application detailing the following:
– 1-page motivation letter
– CV
– Hopkins transcripts.
Any unclaimed bursaries will be given to wait-listed applicants.
2024 HOPTEC Symposium Poster Competition
[Applications Closed]
The Poster Competition aims to encourage students to share their research and knowledge while fostering networking among researchers from similar or different fields. Participants can present one A3 poster each, focusing on engineering applied to life sciences. The poster session at the HOPTEC Annual Symposium is open to all students from Técnico and Hopkins. A panel of three judges will select the top three posters based on originality, impact, design, future research potential, and student’s presentation. Each of the three winners will receive a €50 voucher. All presenters will receive free lunch. To formalise the application, the poster should be sent to hoptec@tecnico.ulisboa.pt through a zipped file or accessible link until December 5th.