VLIR-UOS ICP Connect Scholarships in Belgium for Master's Study

VLIR-UOS offers ICP Connect Master's scholarships that cover tuition fees, travel, insurance and living expenses for the full length of the programme. The award is open to students from 25 eligible countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. You use it to study one of the English-taught programmes at a Flemish university or university of applied sciences and arts in Belgium. The scholarship is full funding for the entire Master's programme, which runs 12, 24 or 36 months.

A participating Belgian Flemish university or university college.

Professional Bachelors (3 years)

• Bachelor of Hotel Management
• Bachelor of Applied Computer Science

Initial masters (2 years)

• International Master of Science in Agro- and Environmental Nematology
• International Master of Science in Rural Development
• Master of Aquaculture (IMAQUA)
• Master of Epidemiology
• 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 – Road Safety
• Master of Water Resources Engineering (WRE)
• Master of Science in Nutrition and Food Systems
• Master of Science in Sustainable Land Management
• Master of Science in Tropical Biodiversity and Ecosystems (Mundus tropicalis c/o TROPIMUNDO)

Advanced Masters (1 year)

• Master of Human Settlements
• Master of Development Evaluation and Management
• Master of Governance and Development
• Master of Globalisation and Development
• Master of Cultural Anthropology and Development Studies (CADES)

These programmes are still ongoing but will not be available for scholarship in AY 2027-2028: International Master of Science in Agro- & Environmental Nematology, International Master of Science in Rural Development (IMRD), Master of Human Settlements, Master of Cultural Anthropology and Development Studies (CADES), Master of Epidemiology, Master of Statistics and Data Science, Master of science in Sustainable Development, Master of Science in Water Resources Engineering (WRE).

Not specified.

Sub-Saharan Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Niger, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe

Middle East & North Africa: Morocco, Palestine

Latin America & Caribbean: Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Peru

South East Asia: Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam

The scholarship pays for tuition fees, travel, insurance and living expenses, which cover board and lodging. VLIR-UOS provides full scholarships only for the whole Master's programme, lasting 12, 24 or 36 months. It is not possible to apply for a partial scholarship or an extension. Scholarship costs may change in line with government funding decisions.

• Nationality and country of residence: You must be a national of one of the 25 eligible countries and live in one of these countries (not necessarily the same one) when you apply.
• Age: For a bachelor or initial master programme, you cannot be older than 35 on 1 January of the intake year. For an advanced master, the limit is 45. Bachelor applicants must also be at least 19 years old by 1 January of the intake year.
• Professional background and experience: Priority goes to applicants working in higher education, government or civil society, or aiming for a career in one of these sectors. Private-sector employees and recent graduates with no work experience can also be considered if they show strong motivation and a strong profile.
• Scholarship applications: You may submit only one ICP Connect scholarship application per year. You cannot receive any other scholarship or grant to participate in this study programme or another programme simultaneously. Applying for more than one ICP Connect scholarship or receiving an extra (different) scholarship will lead to exclusion.
• Previously awarded scholarships: You must not have received a scholarship from the Belgian government for a study programme before, and you must not have enrolled at a Belgian higher education institution before 1 January of the intake year.
• Additional criteria: Individual institutions may impose additional criteria, which can be found under the drop-down menu 'more detailed information & application' on the specific page for each programme.

Applications are currently closed.

Apply through the university's website (links above) for both admission to the programme and the scholarship itself. When you apply for the programme, state whether you want to apply for a scholarship. The deadline varies by programme, but most fall around 1 February or 28 February 2026. The deadline for the Master of Science in Tropical Biodiversity and Ecosystems is 30 November 2025.

Check the official website and the website of the specific Master's programme you choose for full details on how to apply for this scholarship.