Top 5 Best Scholarships to Study in Belgium

Every year a great variety of scholarships are offered to study in Belgium and in the best cases, they can cover all the costs of studies and even maintenance.

All these scholarships are aimed at master’s studies in different areas of knowledge such as natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, economic and administrative sciences, and many more.

But before starting, I recommend you read the scholarships exposed in detail since each one has different requirements and benefits.

Let us begin!

Why study in Belgium?

The country has three official languages: French, German, and Dutch.
Its location borders countries such as France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, making it easy to travel between the territories.
Several universities in the country managed to obtain various entries in the world’s top of the best universities in the world.
One of them, the Free University of Brussels has more than 20 international recognitions between Nobel Prizes, Francqui Prizes, Fields Medals, and Abel Prizes.

There are several scholarships to study in Belgium and enjoy the academic and cultural benefits that this experience brings. The most generous are:

Master Mind Scholarship
KU Leuven University Scholarships
VLIR-UOS Masters Scholarships
VLIR-UOS Training Scholarships
Erasmus Mundus scholarships

Master Mind Scholarship

Offeror: The Ministry of Education and Training of Flanders, the northern region of Belgium.

Benefits: Payment of studies at any university in the Flanders region and 8,200 euros per academic year (maximum two years) to cover living expenses and medical insurance.

You can study: Master’s degrees in the various areas of knowledge.

Requirements:

Grade point average greater than 80%
Proficiency in English, which must be certified and approved with more than 94 points on the TOEFL or at least 7 points in the case of the IELTS exam.
Interest in studying in the Flanders region at one of the eligible universities.

Application process: Interested persons must apply to the Belgian university in which they wish to study and this preselects the candidates for scholarships.

Application deadline: Between February and March of each year, depending on the university to which you want to apply.

KU Leuven University Scholarship:

Offeror: The Faculty of Sciences of the KU Leuven University, one of the oldest universities in Europe.

Benefits: 10,000 euros per year to cover study expenses and medical insurance. In addition, you will have help for accommodation and food; however, the value may vary according to the candidate.

You can study: Masters in Chemistry, Geography, Geology, Physics or Statistics.

Requirements:

Not have a master’s or doctorate.
Academic excellence.
English proficiency (TOEFL of 94 or IELTS of 7).

Application process: Directly on the official website of the university.

Application deadline: February of each year.

VLIR-UOS Master’s Scholarship

Offeror: The Government of Belgium

Benefits: 1,150 euros per month for food, 700 euros for accommodation; and in addition, it covers the medical insurance and all the expenses of the study program.

You can study: Any of the 15 eligible masters that are in the areas of science and technology, environment, engineering, public health, and development.

Requirements:

Be a native of one of the 31 eligible countries such as Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Peru, among others.
Be a maximum of 35 years old to complete an initial master’s degree or 45 years old for an advanced master’s degree as of January of the year in which the program begins.
Have relevant professional experience. Priority is given to candidates working in governments, NGOs, and academic and research institutions; however, candidates employed in the for-profit sector or recent graduates with no work experience may also be eligible for the scholarship, depending on their motivation and profile.
Have the motivation and potential to become an “agent of change”.

Application process: Directly on the official website of the academic program of your interest.

Application deadline: February of each year.

VLIR-UOS Training Scholarship:

Offeror: The Government of Belgium

Benefits: Full scholarship, which establishes 1,400 euros per month for food and accommodation; likewise, medical insurance, air tickets, and study coverage are included within the established scholarship.

You can study: The training programs vary from year to year and have been on topics such as:

Sustainable development and global justice.
International training in epidemiology, biostatistics, and qualitative research.
International modules for spatial development planning.
Clinical Nutrition.
Development of platforms for an e-learning system in biostatistics/statistics.
Empowering vulnerable children and youth.

Requirements:

Be a native of one of the 31 eligible countries
Be a maximum of 35 years old to complete an initial master’s degree or 45 years old for an advanced master’s degree as of January of the year in which the program begins.
Have relevant professional experience. Priority is given to candidates working in governments, NGOs, and academic and research institutions; or those who aspire to a career in those sectors.

Application process: Directly on the official website of the training program (there you indicate that you apply for the scholarship). You can only apply to one program per year.

Application deadline: Throughout the year and varies according to the training program.

Live in Belgium with Erasmus Mundus scholarships

Offeror: European Union.

Benefits: 1,000 euros per month for a year for maintenance; In addition, they provide 1,000 euros for air tickets and cover all the expenses of the medical insurance and the academic program.

You can study: Master’s degrees in the various areas of knowledge such as: