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Scholarship information and University and Secondary School rankings

Master Programs and Scholarships for International Students in Flanders, Belgium

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VLIR-UOS Scholarships in Belgium

  • The VLIR-UOS scholarship program fosters academic cooperation between institutions of higher learning in Flanders, Belgium, and those in developing countries.
  • Citizens of targeted countries get the opportunity to acquire skills, knowledge, and expertise needed to contribute significantly to sustainable development in their country of origin.

Scholarship Overview

  • VLIR-UOS awards scholarships to students from 31 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, to follow a training or master program at a Flemish university or university college in Belgium.
  • The training and master programmes are taught in English. They are designed to enable graduates to assume positions of responsibility in their country of origin.
  • Successful applicants must return to their home countries immediately after the conclusion of the study program.

Host School(s)

  • Study in Flanders, in any of the universities or university colleges.
  • Flanders is one of the regions and communities of Belgium and also a historical geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France, and the Netherlands.
  • TheStudy in Flanders website provides information on study opportunities in Flanders, Belgium. It gives an overview of the Dutch-speaking universities and university colleges in Belgium. The website provides you with tips on how to prepare your stay, how to find funding opportunities and information on research in Flanders.

Field(s) of Study

Master programmes (intake October)

  • Applications are now open! Deadlines for applications differ according to the master program selected, and can be found on the website of the respective program.

One-year Master programs

  • Development Evaluation and Management.
  • Globalisation and Development.
  • Governance and Development.
  • Human Settlements.
  • Culture and Development Studies

Two-year Master program

  • Rural Development
  • Epidemiology
  • Aquaculture
  • Sustainable Territorial Development
  • Statistics – Specialization Bio-statistics – Applications are now closed
  • Transportation Sciences and Road Safety in Low & Middle Income Countries
  • Nematology – Applications are now closed
  • Food Technology
  • Water Resources Engineering
  • Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management (Oceans & Lakes)

 Training programs organized (14 – 90 days)

  • Opening of applications is different as per training program. Information on whether applications are open or not will be posted (when available) on this page.
    • Audio-Visual Learning Materials – Management, Production, and Activities (AVLM)
    • Modern Breeding Techniques of Maize
    • Food Safety, Quality Assurance and Risk Analysis
    • Health Management in Aquaculture
    • I-EBQ – International Course on Epidemiology, Bio-statistics, and Qualitative Research Methods
    • SUSTLAW – Sustainable Development and Human Rights Law – Applications are now closed
    • Clinical Nutrition (more information will be provided late February 2017)

What does the scholarship cover?

  • VLIR-UOS provides full scholarships for the total duration of the training or Master, including all related expenses.
  • Check this PDF – Allowances & guidelines for scholarships for all the specifics.
  • For a training programme
    • Allowance: € 33/day
    • Several one-time payments
    • Accommodation, insurance, international travel, and tuition fee
  • For a Master programme
    • Allowance: € 890/month
    • Accommodation allowance: € 390/month
    • Family allowance: € 62 per dependent person/month
    • Several one-time payments
    • Insurance, international travel and tuition fee

How many scholarships are given?

  • Every year, VLIR-UOS awards up to 180 scholarships to first-year master’s students and 70 scholarships to training participants.

Which countries are targeted?

  • Only persons who are resident AND national of one of the following countries (not necessarily the same country for residence and nationality) are eligible for a VLIR-UOS scholarship. Please note that candidates must reside in one of these countries at the moment of application.
  • Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea, Cameroon, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, South Africa.
  • Asia: Cambodia, Philippines, Indonesia, Palestinian Territories, Vietnam.
  • Latin America: Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Nicaragua, Peru.

Am I Eligible to Apply?

  • All programs are specifically designed for people in positions of responsibility in civil society (e.g. universities, schools, NGOs, local communities, governments).
  • The target group for master’s programs comprises students from developing countries, although those from other countries are also welcome. Training programs are tailored to people from developing countries with a certain degree of professional experience.
  • The master’s programmes, lasting one or two academic years, focus on specific problems of developing countries. These courses are designed to enable graduates to share and apply acquired knowledge in the home institution and country.

Additional eligibility criteria include:

  • A candidate must be either a resident or a national of one of the 31 targeted countries when submitting the application.
  • Master program candidates must be a maximum of 35 years (for the first Masters) or 40 years old (for an advanced Masters). Training candidates must be a maximum of 45 years old. All age requirements are pegged against January 1 of the intake year.
  • Candidates with relevant professional background and experience will be given priority. Exceptions can, however, be made for those working in the profit sector, and recent graduates with no job experience.
  • Candidates associated with other VLIR-UOS-funded projects are not eligible for the program.
  • Each candidate can only submit one VLIR-UOS application per year.

How do I Apply – Next Steps

  1. To apply for a scholarship, you first need to apply for the training or Master programme.
  2. To apply for a training or Master programme, visit the website of the training or Master programme of your interest. Follow the guidelines for application for the programme as mentioned on its website.
  3. In the programme application, you can mention whether you wish to apply for a scholarship. In case you do, the programme coordinator forwards your application to VLIR-UOS.
  4. Applications submitted directly to VLIR-UOS will be rejected.

Closing Date:

  • The deadline for application for the master programs and training programs vary greatly, as application dates are dependent on the individual programs.
  • Check the program websites for details – if you’ve missed the deadline this year – prepare for next year’s application.

How do I get more information?

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