The CMU Portugal online Info Session “How to apply for a CMU Portugal Dual Degree Ph.D. Scholarship” was held on October 14th via Zoom, gathering 72 potential candidates to learn more about the call for scholarships for the 2026/2027 academic year.
The Info Session was moderated by Sílvia Castro, CMU Portugal Executive Director, who welcomed the participants and offered a first insight of the Program.
João Fumega, CMU Portugal’s Education Officer, provided an overview of the Carnegie Mellon Portugal Program and the Dual Degree Ph.D. scholarships. Following this, Megan Berty, CMU Portugal’s Associate Director at CMU, offered guidance on application requirements and how to prepare a successful submission.
The session continued with the participation of Latifah Almaghrabi, a Dual Ph.D. student in Electrical and Computer Engineering, at Universidade de Aveiro and CMU, in her final year, who not only spoke on her research, but also who shared her journey in the program, starting from her application process and admission, offering useful advice to prospective students.
Latifah offered valuable advice on planning the application process in advance, with the support of advisors or professors, and the transition to study abroad (whether in Pittsburgh or Portugal), highlighting the importance of preparations ahead of time, namely the visa process and the housing. She also emphasized the benefits of using the facilities and resources of the universities, and the networking opportunities with peers, sharing her fulfilling experience in the program.
Finally, to wrap up the session, a 30-minute Q&A allowed the participants to ask questions and clear their doubts with the panelists.
Under this call, 10 Scholarships are currently available for the 2026/2027 academic year in 11 available programs in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). The Dual Degree Ph.D. scholarships allow students to spend 3 years in Portugal and 2 years in Pittsburgh, integrated as regular students at Carnegie Mellon University. Upon completion of the Ph.D., the student is awarded two diplomas: one from their selected Portuguese university and one from CMU.
For further information, please visit Dual Degree Ph.D. Programs page, check our FAQ Page or contact us at apply@cmuportugal.org.