Course(s) Offered: Development-related fields
Course Level: Graduate (training, masters)
Provider: VLIR-UOS
Country to Study in: Belgium
Scholarship Description
VLIR-UOS awards scholarships to students from developing countries to study for a masters or training programme at a Flemish university or university college in Flanders (i.e. Belgium).
Fifty-four countries in Africa, Asia and Latin-America benefit, and eligible training or master programmes are taught in English.
The master programmes focus on specific problems of developing countries and are designed to enable graduates assume positions of responsibility to share and apply acquired knowledge in their home country.
The shorter training programmes focus on updating and acquiring knowledge, and also skills transfer relevant to people working in their home country.
You can only apply for one master or training at the same time. You can apply if you meet the following requisites for application (regarding nationality, age, English proficiency and professional experience):
- Academic Admission Criteria:
In order to be eligible for the scholarship, you need to be academically accepted by the programme you are applying for. This implies that you should meet all eligible criteria of the programme in order to be eligible for the scholarship. Please check the requirements of the training or master programmes. - Scholarship Admission Criteria:
You are a resident AND national of one of the countries on the country list (not necessary to be resident and national of the same country). Please note that candidates must reside in one of these countries at the moment of application.
You are not older than 40 years* if you apply for a scholarship to follow a master programme. Or you are not older than 45 years* if you apply for a scholarship to follow a training programme. (* on 1 January 2015)
You have the required English proficiency. You need a proof of at least 1 year of comprehensive English-based instruction at a university or recognized equivalent. If not, a TOEFL test is required with a minimum total score of 550 on the paper based test (PBT), or 79 on an internet based test (IBT); or an IELTS test with a minimum overall band score of 6,5; or a proof of another test of similar level as TOEFLE or IELTS.
Present employment or reintegration perspectives are required for a training programme. The candidate must be currently employed or have a written (future) employer’s guarantee of (re)integration in an employment where the acquired knowledge and skills will be immediately applicable. Professional experience and employment perspectives are not required for a master programme, but they can be a competitive advantage for selection, depending on the programme.
Eligible groups
Citizens and residents of the following countries are eligible:
- AFRICA: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa,
- ASIA: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Philippines, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Laos, Nepal, Palestinian Territories, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam,
- LATIN AMERICA: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay,
All Belgian academic institutions and universities are eligible, including:
- Universiteit Antwerpen
- Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
- Universiteit Gent
- Universiteit Hasselt (tUL inclusief)
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel
This scholarship supports development-related courses or fields (7 training and 15 masters). The supported programmes focus on specific problems of developing countries and/or are relevant to developing countries in a more general sense.
You can only apply for master (ICP) or training (ITP) programmes that are recognized and funded by VLIR-UOS following a selection process.
Below is a list of the training and master programmes eligible for the current scholarship award. All programmes are organized at a Belgian Dutch speaking university, but taught in English.
A). International Master Programmes 2015 – 2016:
- Master of Science in Development Evaluation and Management
- Master of Science in Globalisation and Development
- Master of Science in Governance and Development
- Master of Science in Human Settlements
- Master of Science in Aquaculture
- Master of Science in Biology – Specialisation Human Ecology
- Master of Science in Statistics – Specialisation Biostatistics
- Master of Science in Environmental Sanitation
- Master of Science in Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management (Oceans & Lakes)
- Master of Science in Molecular Biology (IPMB)
- Master of Science in Nematology
- Master of Science in Nutrition and Rural Development
- Master of Science in Physical Land Resources
- Master of Science in Food Technology
- Master of Science in Water Resources Engineering
- Lib@Web : Management of Electronic Information and Digital Libraries
- AudioVisual Learning Materials – Media and Learning Unit (AVLM)
- Human Rights for Development (‘HR4DEV’)
- Road safety in Low and Middle-Income Countries: Challenges and Strategies for Improvement
- Technology for Integrated Water Management
- Dairy Nutrition
- International Training Programme in Food Safety, Quality Assurance Systems and Risk Analysis
Number of Awards
Every academic year, VLIR-UOS awards up to 180 scholarships to first-year masters students.
Sponsorship duration
The master programmes will last for one or two academic years while the shorter training programmes will last one to four months.
Scholarship benefits
This is a FULL COST scholarship covering all related expenses. It covers allowance, travel costs, accommodation, insurance, tuition fees, and other program related costs.
Method of Application
You can only apply for one ICP or ITP (International Courses or International Training Programme).
You can apply for a scholarship by following the guidelines for application on the website of the training or master programme of your interest.
Applications that are sent to VLIR-UOS directly by the candidate will not be considered.
In case of doubt, please contact the training or master programme. You will find all relevant contact details on the official website (link to it is below).
It is important to visit the official website via the link below for complete information on this scholarship and how to apply.
DEADLINES:
The deadline for applications is determined by the programme. Check the website of the training or scholarship programme via link provided below to find out more details.
On a general note, however, applications for a VLIR-UOS masters scholarships usually starts from 1st October and generally ends between January and April every year, depending on your programme.
PLEASE NOTE:
Candidates selected for a VLIR-UOS scholarship will be contacted by VLIR-UOS around mid June at the latest, in order to start up the visa and flight procedure.
All scholars are obliged to return to their country of origin as soon as possible after the study or training programme has ended.
VLIR-UOS funds and facilitates academic cooperation and exchange between higher education institutions in Flanders (Belgium) and those in developing countries, aiming to build capacity, knowledge and experience for a sustainable development.
VLIR-UOS was founded by the Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR), an overarching consultative organization between the Flemish universities and the Belgian government.
For questions regarding the application for a specific training or master programme, please find the contact information on the website of the training or master programme.
VLIR-UOS also funds the Short Training Scholarships, ICP PhD Scholarships and Short Research Stays for citizens of developing countries.
Application Deadline: January - April 2015
Open to International students: Yes
More Scholarship Information and Application
Related: Top Scholarships in Belgium for International Students