INTRODUCTION

Are you ready to advance your education and impact change in your home country? The VLIR‑UOS ICP Connect scholarship offers full funding for international study programmes taught in English at Flemish universities for eligible students from Africa, Asia and Latin America.

What’s on offer

The ICP Connect scholarship covers

• Tuition fees
• Travel
• Insurance and
• Living expenses (board and lodging) for the entire duration of the selected study programme (whether 12, 24 or 36 months).

Who can apply?

Candidates must meet all of the following criteria:

• Nationality & Residency: Must hold nationality from one of the eligible 29 countries in Africa, Asia or Latin America, and reside in one of those countries at the time of application. vliruos
• Age: For bachelor or initial master programmes, candidates must be under 35 years of age as of January 1 of the intake year; for advanced master programmes, under 45. Bachelor applicants must be at least 19 by January 1 of the intake year. vliruos
• Professional background & experience: Preference is given to candidates employed in higher education, government or civil society — or who are targeting a career in these sectors. Newly graduates or those in the private sector may still apply if they demonstrate strong motivation and a compelling profile. vliruos
• Scholarship restrictions:
  • You may apply for only one ICP Connect scholarship per year. vliruos
  • You may not already hold another scholarship or grant for the same study programme. vliruos
  • You must not have previously received a Belgian government scholarship for study in Belgium, nor have enrolled in a Belgian higher-education institution before January 1 of the intake year. vliruos

Selection criteria

The selection process focuses on more than just grades. The key criteria include:

• Motivation: You must articulate how the programme will enable you to transfer knowledge/skills and contribute to sustainable development in your home country. vliruos
• Professional experience: Preference for candidates with demonstrable potential to apply newly-gained skills in a sustainable development context (e.g., higher education, government, civil society). vliruos
• Gender balance: VLIR-UOS encourages applications from female candidates and aims for gender balance in awarding scholarships. vliruos
• Regional balance & Leave No One Behind (LNOB): In case of equally qualified candidates, priority may go to those from vulnerable or under-represented groups. vliruos

Eligible programmes

The scholarship is valid for multiple study tracks, including:

• Professional Bachelor programmes (3 years)
  • Bachelor of Hotel Management
  • Bachelor of Applied Computer Science vliruos
• Initial Master programmes (2 years)
  • M.Sc. Agro- & Environmental Nematology
  • M.Sc. Rural Development (IMRD)
  • Master of Aquaculture (IMAQUA)
  • Master of Epidemiology
  • M.Sc. Food Technology
  • M.Sc. Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management
  • M.Sc. Statistics and Data Science
  • Master in Sustainable Development
  • Master of Transportation Sciences – Road Safety
  • Master of Water Resources Engineering (WRE)
  • M.Sc. Nutrition and Food Systems
  • M.Sc. Sustainable Land Management
  • M.Sc. Tropical Biodiversity and Ecosystems vliruos
• Advanced Master programmes (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) vliruos

How to apply

1. Confirm your eligibility under all criteria above.
2. Explore the specific study programme(s) you’re interested in via the hosting institution’s website — additional criteria may apply. vliruos
3. Apply at the institution for both the study programme and the scholarship. When applying for the programme, indicate that you are also applying for the ICP Connect scholarship.
4. Do not apply for more than one ICP programme in a given call. vliruos

Selection results are communicated via email; no later than mid-June for most calls. vliruos

Why it matters

This scholarship is more than academic funding — it’s an investment in driving positive societal change. Scholars are selected not just for their academic merit, but for their capacity to act as agents of change upon returning home. The focus on sustainable development, paired with the full funding of tuition and living expenses, makes this an outstanding opportunity for eligible candidates.

Call to Action

Interested? Visit the programme list and application page today — opportunities like this don’t come around every year.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

The world is yours to explore — go for it!
Published on FundsDigest.com