VLIR-UOS Masters Degree Scholarships for Developing Countries

Brief description:

VLIR-UOS awards masters scholarships to students from developing countries so that they can follow a Master’s Programme in Belgium. The master’s programmes, lasting one or two academic years, focus on specific problems of developing countries. These are designed to enable graduates to share and apply acquired knowledge in the home institution and country.

Host Institution(s):

Academic Institutions and Universities in Belgium:

• Universiteit Antwerpen
• Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
• Universiteit Gent
• Universiteit Hasselt (tUL inclusief)
• Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Fields of study/Programmes:

The following list gives you an overview of the training and master programmes 2011. The list will be updated on the official website on 5 September 2011 with information of the programmes 2012.

International Master Programmes 2011-2012

•  Master of Development Evaluation and Management
• Master of Globalization and Development
• Master of Governance and Development
• Master of Human Settlements

International Master Programmes 2011-2013

•  Master of Aquaculture
•  Master of Biology – Specialisation Human Ecology
•  Master of Biostatistics
•  Master of Environmental Sanitation
•  Master of Food Technology
•  Master of Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management (Oceans & Lakes)
•  Master of Molecular Biology (IPMB)
•  Master of Nematology
•  Master of Nutrition and Rural Development (Main Subject: Human Nutrition)
•  Master of Physical Land Resources
•  Master of Water Resources Engineering

The brief description of each Master’s Programme is found at this page.

Number of Awards:

Every year, VLIR-UOS awards up to 180 scholarships to first-year master’s students.

Target group:

Residents and nationals of the following countries are eligible for a VLIR-UOS scholarship:

Africa
Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Asia
Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Palestinian Administered Areas, Philippines, Vietnam

Latin America
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Nicaragua, Peru, Surinam

Scholarship value/inclusions:

The scholarships cover all related expenses.

Eligibility Requirements:

You are a resident AND national of one of the countries on the country list (not necessarily the same country for residence and nationality). 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 2012)

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.

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. 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.

Earlier applications and scholarships: You do not apply for more than one VLIR-UOS scholarship a year. You have never received a master scholarship funded by the Belgian government before. You are only admissible for a training programme scholarship if you have not received a VLIR-UOS scholarship for a training programme before.

When you are an applicant from a university engaged in a VLIR-IUC partnership, it is required that the Flemish or local IUC coordinator declares that you are not linked to an IUC funded department.  If you are linked to such a department, you do not qualify for a scholarship from the scholarship programme from VLIR-UOS but can apply for funding from the IUC budget in case you would be academically admitted.

Application instructions:

The host university is in charge of the academic admission of applications.  The host university – not the applicant – forwards the applications for a scholarship to the VLIR-UOS secretariat after the academic admission.

The academic admission procedure are specific for every programme.  It is important to visit the main website (links found above) of  the specific Master’s Programme you have chosen for detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship.

Deadline for application to Master’s Programme is 1 February 2012.  You can apply for a VLIR-UOS scholarship from the 1st of October 2011. Detailed steps on how to apply for the scholarship is found at this page.

Website:

Official Scholarship Website:  http://www.scholarships.vliruos.be/index.php?language=EN&navid=489&direct_to=Masters%20Programmes

Related Link: List of Masters Scholarships