The VLIR-UOS Scholarship Programme of the province of Flanders, Belgium supports partnerships between universities and university colleges in Flanders and in the South, looking for innovative responses to global and local challenges. It stimulates cooperative projects between professors, researchers, and lecturers, award grants to students and professionals in Flanders and the South, and help to reinforce higher education in the South and the development-relevant internationalization of higher education in Flanders.

The VLIR-UOS awards scholarships to applicants from 29 eligible countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America to attend one of the selected training or master’s programs taught in English at a Flemish university or university college.

VLIR-UOS Scholarship Programme

Course level: Master’s

Fields of study:

Master of Agro- and Environmental Nematology; Master of Cultural Anthropology and Development Studies (CADES); Master of Development Evaluation and Management; Master of Governance and Development; Master of Globalisation and Development; Master of Human Settlements; Master of Science in Food Technology; Master of Science in Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management; Master of Statistics and Data Science; Master in Sustainable Development; Master of Transportation Sciences; Master of Water Resources Engineering (WRE); International Master of Science in Rural Development (IMRD); Master of Epidemiology; Master of Aquaculture (IMAQUA)

Institution and country: Flemish universities (University of Antwerp, Ghent University, University of Hasselt, KU Leuven), Belgium

Sponsor: VLIR-UOS Flemish university network

Scholarship inclusions: 

  • Full tuition fees
  • Roundtrip airfare
  • Monthly allowance
  • Indirect travel costs
  • Logistical allowance
  • Health insurance
  • Program-related travel costs

Eligibility criteria for the VLIR-UOS Scholarship Programme:

  • Nationality and country of residence. A candidate should be a national and resident of one of the 29 eligible countries (not necessarily the same country) at the time of the application.
  • Age: The maximum age for a master’s program candidate is 35 for an initial master and 45 for an advanced master. The candidate cannot exceed this age on the first of January of the intake year.
  •  Professional background and experience: Priority is given to candidates who are employed in academic institutions, research institutes, governments, the social economy, or NGOs, or who aim at a career in one of these sectors. However, master candidates employed in the profit sector or newly graduated candidates without any work experience can be eligible for the scholarship as well, depending on their motivation and profile.
  • The Master’s program candidate has never received a scholarship from the Belgian government to attend a master’s program or equivalent or was never enrolled in a Flemish higher education institution to attend a master’s program or equivalent before the first of January of the intake year.

Application period:

Master of Agro- and Environmental Nematology; Master of Cultural Anthropology and Development Studies (CADES); Master of Development Evaluation and Management; Master of Governance and Development; Master of Globalisation and Development; Master of Human Settlements; Master of Science in Food Technology; Master of Science in Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management; Master of Statistics and Data Science; Master in Sustainable Development; Master of Transportation Sciences; Master of Water Resources Engineering (WRE)
Deadline: 01 February 2022
International Master of Science in Rural Development (IMRD); Master of Epidemiology
Deadline: 28 February 2022
Master of Aquaculture (IMAQUA)
Deadline: 01 March 2022

How to apply for the VLIR-UOS Scholarship Programme:

Five steps to apply for a scholarship:

  1. Confirm your eligibility based on all given criteria.
  2. Take a look at the selected Master’s programmes (15).
  3. Learn more about the Master’s programmes on their respective websites.
  4. If you are interested in a specific programme, go to the website of the university organizing this and follow the instructions.
  5. On the university website, apply for admission to the programme as well as for the scholarship itself. When you apply for the programme, be sure to mention whether you wish to apply for a scholarship. Do not apply for more than one Master’s programme per year.

For questions regarding your application or selection process, please contact the university directly.

Other useful links: 

VLIR-UOS Scholarship Programme