Belgium Government Scholarship (ARES), 2027-2028

Applications are now open for the Belgium Government Scholarship for masters and training courses. The program offers candidates a chance to pursue a one-year advanced bachelor’s or master’s degree program or a 2-to-6-month continuing education program within a higher education institution of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation in Belgium.

The program is open to nationals of developing countries with professional experience looking to further develop their skills in a development-related topic. The application for the program is totally free, and ARES (L’Académie de Recherche et d’Enseignement supérieur) does not charge fees at any stage of the application or selection process.

Belgium is one of the best destinations for studies in the world. The country has three official languages (Dutch, French, and German), and its capital, Brussels, is home to both the European Parliament and NATO. This allows students to have many working opportunities within these organizations or other affiliated organizations. Tuition fees are believed to be low compared to other EU countries.

Belgium Government Scholarship Details

• Host Institutions: Higher Education Institution of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, Belgium.
• Number of awards: Not specified; depends on the budget and quality of applicants.
• Duration: one-year specialized bachelor’s or master’s degree program or a 2-to-6-month advanced training course.
• Target group: Open to citizens of the following countries: Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Haiti, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Palestinian Territory, Peru, the Philippines, the Republic of Guinea (Conakry), Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe. Palestinian nationals are eligible even if they do not reside in one of these countries.

Belgium Government Scholarship Benefits

The Belgium Government Scholarship covers the following costs for selected candidates:

Bachelor’s or Master’s scholarship:

1. International travel costs: Economy-class travel on an IATA-approved airline, with a maximum of one round-trip ticket per academic year.
2. Living allowance: Lump sum for the duration of 12 months (+13th month reduced).
3. Fees from travel inter-establishment : Up to €250, based on actual costs, which must be justified.
4. Insurance fees: Directly paid by ARES.
5. Exceptional costs related to visa applications: When the amount is greater than 200 €, the actual costs are to be notifed.

For Continuing Education Scholarship

1. International travel costs: Economy-class travel on an IATA-approved airline, one round-trip ticket.
2. Living allowance: Lump sum for the course duration.
3. Additional fees related to international travel : Fixed price of €200.
4. Insurance fees: Directly paid by ARES.

The Belgium Government Scholarship Eligible Programs

Within the framework of the ARES 2022-2027 cooperation program, three types of training are offered through international training scholarships. Advanced bachelor’s and master’s degrees are inter-institutional training programs organized in one academic year and at the end of which an academic degree is awarded. Continuing education programs are more practical and of shorter duration (2 to 6 months). They deliver a certificate.

Advanced Bachelor’s Programs for 2027-2028

The following are the advanced Bachelor’s program courses financed by ARES for the 2027-2028 application call : Bachelier de spécialisation en Digital Integrated Supply Chain.

Advanced Master’s programs for 2027-2028

Below is the list of Master’s program courses financed by ARES for the 2027-2028 application call.

1. Master de spécialisation en droits humains
2. Master de spécialisation en gestion intégrée des risques sanitaires
3. Specialized Master in International and Development Economics
4. Advanced Master in Microfinance
5. Master de spécialisation en sciences de la santé publique – analyse et évaluation des politiques programmes et systèmes de santé internationale
6. Master de spécialisation en management de la sécurité de la chaîne alimentaire
7. Master de spécialisation en conservation préventive et gestion des collections
8. Master de spécialisation en gestion des risques et des catastrophes à l’ère anthropocene

Continuing education programs for 2027-2028

The following the list of Continuing Education Program courses financed by ARES for the 2027-2028 application call : Certificat en opérations de cybersécurité et gouvernance des risques.

Belgium Government Scholarship Eligibility

To qualify for this government scholarship, applicants must:

• Be a permanent resident and work in one of the 32 eligible countries listed above. (Exception: Palestinian nationals are eligible regardless of residence.)
• Hold a higher education diploma and meet the admission requirements for the course (course descriptions are on the ARES website).
• Have obtained that diploma no more than 20 years before the start of the course. For each childbirth or adoption, one extra year is added.
• Have at least two years of relevant professional experience in one of the eligible countries, acquired after your last higher education qualification.
• Complete the application in the language of the course (French or English) and have good written and spoken proficiency in that language. Knowing French is an asset for daily life in Belgium.
• Apply for only one course.

Selection Criteria

For each course, an academic jury selects candidates based on eight criteria:

1. Academic quality – assessed from diplomas, transcripts, teaching/research activities, and publications.
2. No previous ARES scholarship – people who already received one in Belgium are not eligible.
3. Professional experience – priority to those whose work relates to development issues covered by the course.
4. Affiliation with a partner institution – priority if you work in an institution that has an ongoing partnership with ARES.
5. Potential as a change agent – extra attention to candidates who show commitment to development beyond academics.
6. Geographic diversity – each course aims for a mix of nationalities.
7. Gender balance – selection aims for parity; the proportion of women selected must be at least the proportion of qualified female applicants.
8. Ability to transfer knowledge – you must have a solid plan to return home and apply what you learn.

How to Apply for the Belgium Government Scholarship

To apply for this Europe scholarship to study in Belgium, applicants must click on the apply button below to create an account on the GIRAF platform and follow the instructions to submit their applications. The newly created account will be validated (within a few hours to a few days; don’t create more than one account) by ARES and you will receive a confirmation mail to create a password. If you created a validated account last year, you can reuse that account and, if necessary, reset your password.

1. Create or validate your GIRAF account – If you already have a validated account from the last two years, reuse it. Otherwise, request a new one. Account creation closes on 4 September 2026 at 4:00 PM (Belgian time).
2. Access the application form – Once logged in, go to the “Competitive Calls” tab and click the “Apply for international training 2027-2028” button (only once). The form will appear in your “My Tasks” table.
3. Fill in the form – You can save it as a draft and return later. Mandatory fields (marked with *) must be completed to save for the first time.
4. Submit – When complete, click “Submit my application”. After that, you can no longer modify it. You can view it in “My Submitted Applications”.

Required Documents

1. Two recommendation letters (academic and/or professional).
2. Certified copies of your original diplomas.
3. Certified copies of your original transcripts for all years of study.
4. Proof of occupation for the last five years.
5. Certificate of nationality, national identity card (voter card not accepted), or copy of passport.
6. Proof of residence (certificate, resident card, or permit). If such a document does not exist in your country, a signed declaration on honour is accepted.
7. A commitment from your employer to re‑employ you after your studies.
8. A pre‑project (only for certain courses – check the specific admission conditions on the ARES website).

The deadline to submit your complete application via GIRAF is 18 September 2026 at 12 noon (Belgian time, UTC+1). For more details on the Belgium Government Scholarship, visit the ARES website or read the applicant’s guide. For questions, email [email protected].