Belgium Scholarships for African Students 2026

Find fully funded scholarships to study in Belgium as an African student in 2026. VLIR-UOS and ARES-CDD are the flagship programs for development-linked applicants. Both cover full tuition, monthly stipend, and return airfare. Deadlines November 2025–January 2026.

Belgium is home to two of the world's most targeted scholarship programmes specifically designed for African and developing-country students: VLIR-UOS for Flemish universities and ARES-CDD for French-speaking (Walloon) universities. Together, they fund hundreds of African students each year with truly comprehensive scholarships that cover full tuition, monthly living stipends, health insurance, and return airfare — making them among the most competitive and sought-after opportunities in continental Europe.

Belgium's unique bilingual structure creates two distinct scholarship ecosystems. Flemish universities — KU Leuven, Ghent University, University of Antwerp, and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) — are served by VLIR-UOS. Walloon universities — UCLouvain, the University of Liège, ULB (Brussels), and the University of Namur — are served by ARES-CDD. Both target students from specific developing countries who demonstrate academic excellence and a commitment to contributing to development in their home countries after graduation.

Beyond VLIR-UOS and ARES-CDD, Erasmus Mundus joint programmes often include Belgian universities, and individual universities run additional merit scholarships. KU Leuven is one of Europe's top-ranked research universities and has an active international scholarship programme. Belgium's geographic position at the heart of European Union institutions makes it particularly attractive for students in political science, law, development economics, and public administration.

Applications for both VLIR-UOS and ARES-CDD typically open in September and close in November–December for September intake the following year. Both require applicants to apply simultaneously to a specific programme at a Belgian university and to the scholarship — there is no general pool application.

Main Scholarship Programmes for African Students

VLIR-UOS Scholarships (Flemish universities): Full scholarship for Master's programmes at Flemish Belgian universities. Coverage: full tuition, monthly stipend (~EUR 870), health insurance, and return flight. Target countries published at vliruos.be. Application: simultaneous with programme application at the relevant university. Deadline: typically November 1. Programmes at KU Leuven, UGent, UAntwerpen, VUB, and others participate.

ARES-CDD Scholarships (Walloon/French-speaking universities): Equivalent programme for French-medium universities. Full scholarship for Master's and specialised programmes at UCLouvain, ULiège, ULB, UNamur, and others. Requires French language proficiency (B2 minimum). Deadline: typically mid-November. Apply at ares-ac.be. Particularly relevant for Francophone African students.

Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees: EU-funded joint programmes across multiple European universities including Belgian institutions. Covers tuition and EUR 1,000/month stipend. Highly competitive. Search at eacea.ec.europa.eu.

KU Leuven Scholarships: KU Leuven awards Developing Countries Masters Scholarships and other merit awards independent of VLIR-UOS. Check kuleuven.be/scholarships for programme-specific awards.

ULB (Université Libre de Bruxelles) Excellence Scholarships: ULB offers excellence scholarships for Master's programmes to international students with outstanding academic records. Partial or full fee waivers plus stipend for top applicants. Apply at ulb.be.

Top Universities in Belgium for African Students

KU Leuven — Consistently Europe's top research university by output; strong in engineering, life sciences, theology, law, and social sciences. Historic city of Leuven.
Ghent University (UGent) — Strong in life sciences, agriculture, pharmacy, engineering, and arts. Lively student city.
UCLouvain (Louvain-la-Neuve) — French-speaking; strong in social sciences, economics, medicine, and theology. ARES-CDD partner.
University of Liège (ULiège) — French-speaking; strong in engineering, veterinary science, and space research. ARES-CDD partner.
Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) — Dutch-speaking in Brussels; strong in law, social sciences, and engineering. VLIR-UOS partner.
Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) — French-speaking in Brussels; strong in social sciences, political science, economics, and science. ARES-CDD partner.
University of Antwerp — Strong in tropical medicine (Institute of Tropical Medicine), business, and law. Particularly relevant for African public health applicants.

Visa Requirements for African Students

African students need a Belgian Type D (long-stay) student visa. Apply at the Belgian embassy in your home country (or a neighbouring country if Belgium has no embassy locally) after receiving an admission and scholarship letter. Required: admission letter, scholarship confirmation, proof of accommodation, financial means (scholarship letter suffices if full scholarship), health insurance, and a clean criminal record. Processing: 4–8 weeks. Biometric data collection required — plan for the embassy visit early.

Cost of Living Estimates

Brussels: EUR 1,000–1,400/month (rent EUR 500–800/month in student zones)
Leuven/Ghent: EUR 800–1,100/month (strong student housing availability)
Liège/Namur: EUR 700–950/month (more affordable; strong student communities)
VLIR-UOS/ARES-CDD stipend: ~EUR 870/month (sufficient for most Belgian cities outside Brussels)
Student housing: EUR 300–600/month (university-managed residences)

How to Apply — 7 Steps

Check country eligibility: Verify your country is on the VLIR-UOS or ARES-CDD eligible country list at vliruos.be or ares-ac.be. This changes annually.
Choose a programme: Browse VLIR-UOS Master's programmes at vliruos.be/scholarships/master. Each programme specifies eligible countries and may have a language requirement.
Prepare your documents: Degree certificate, transcripts, language certificate (IELTS/TOEFL for English programmes; DELF/DALF B2 for French programmes), CV, motivation letter, and two references.
Write a compelling motivation letter: Both VLIR-UOS and ARES-CDD weight heavily how you will use the degree to contribute to development in your home country. Address this explicitly and concretely.
Submit the combined application: Applications go through the respective scholarship portal (vliruos.be or ares-ac.be) with the university application embedded. There is no separate admissions application in most cases.
Wait for selection decision: Shortlisting and interviews (where applicable) happen February–April. Awards announced April–June for September intake.
Apply for visa: Once scholarship and admission are confirmed, apply for Belgian Type D visa. Allow 6–8 weeks; do not delay.

Required Documents

Valid passport (minimum 1 year validity beyond intended stay)
Bachelor's degree certificate and transcripts (with certified translations into English or French)
English language certificate (IELTS 6.0+ or TOEFL 79+) for English-medium programmes
French language certificate (DELF/DALF B2 or equivalent) for French-medium programmes
CV/resume (2 pages maximum)
Motivation letter (1–2 pages; address development impact explicitly)
Two academic or professional references
Proof of relevant professional experience (if applicable)

1 Scholarships for African Students

Each scholarship below is drawn from Scholar Africa's verified database and cross-checked for eligibility, funding scope, and current deadline. Direct apply links go to each scholarship's official application portal.

Scholarship

Ghent University Doctoral Scholarship for Developing Countries

Host Country Belgium

Degree Level

Award / Funding Full stipend, tuition, and research support for 4-year doctoral programme

Deadline December 31, 2026

Provider Ghent University (UGent)

Ghent University in Belgium offers doctoral scholarships through its Bijzonder Onderzoeksfonds (BOF) special research fund for researchers from developing countries including Africa to pursue PhD research at Ghent. Fellows benefit from Belgium's excellent research infrastructure.

Apply at official site Full details

How to Apply — Step by Step

Competition for fully funded international scholarships is high. African students who apply systematically and early significantly improve their odds. Follow this process:

Research and shortlist
Review each scholarship's eligibility requirements — nationality restrictions, GPA minimums, age limits, and language requirements. Build a shortlist of 6–10 scholarships that match your profile.
Prepare academic documents early
Certified transcripts, degree certificates, and a current CV are required by almost every scholarship. Get official copies stamped by your institution early — processing takes 2–4 weeks at many African universities.
Book language tests
Most scholarships in the UK, USA, Canada, and Australia require IELTS (6.0–7.0) or TOEFL (80–100). German programmes may accept a TestDaF B2 equivalent. French institutions may require DELF B2. Book at least 3 months before your target deadline.
Request letters of recommendation
Contact academic referees 6–8 weeks before the deadline. Give them your CV, the scholarship brief, and the submission deadline. Follow up gently two weeks before.
Write tailored personal statements
Generic essays fail. For each scholarship, address its specific mission directly. Chevening wants leaders with a return-to-home-country plan; DAAD wants academic excellence with a clear development angle; Commonwealth prioritises development impact in your home nation.
Submit before the deadline
System crashes and upload errors are common on deadline day. Submit at least 48–72 hours early. Screenshot your confirmation page and save the reference number.
Apply to multiple scholarships simultaneously
Most finalists apply to 5–12 scholarships per cycle. Parallel applications do not disqualify you from any programme. Systematic parallel applications significantly improve your odds.

Documents Checklist

While each scholarship has specific requirements, the following documents are commonly requested. Prepare these well in advance of any deadline.

Academic transcripts — certified/official copies from all institutions attended
Degree certificates — undergraduate degree certificate (for Masters and PhD applicants)
Valid passport or national ID — at least 18 months remaining from the application date
Letters of recommendation (LORs) — typically 2–3 from academic supervisors or employers
Personal statement or statement of purpose — 500–1,200 words depending on the programme
Research proposal — required for PhD scholarships; typically 1,500–3,000 words
English language test scores — IELTS (minimum 6.0–7.0) or TOEFL (80–100); check each programme's minimum
Academic CV or resume — includes publications, research experience, awards, and extracurriculars
Proof of nationality — birth certificate or national identity card
Employer reference letter — for scholarships requiring professional experience (e.g., Chevening requires 2 years)

Always verify the specific document requirements on the official scholarship website. Requirements vary by programme and change annually — this checklist covers the common core, not every programme's unique additions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is VLIR-UOS and is it available to African students?

VLIR-UOS (Flemish Interuniversity Council – University Development Cooperation) is the flagship fully funded scholarship programme for African students studying in Flemish (Dutch-speaking) Belgian universities. It targets applicants from specific developing countries who plan to return and contribute to development. Coverage: full tuition, monthly stipend of approximately EUR 870, health insurance, and return airfare. Countries list and deadlines: vliruos.be.

What is the ARES-CDD scholarship for African students?

ARES-CDD (Académie de Recherche et d'Enseignement Supérieur – Coopération au Développement) is the equivalent scholarship for French-speaking (Wallonia) Belgian universities. It offers the same structure as VLIR-UOS — full scholarship including tuition, stipend, and travel — but for programmes taught in French at universities like UCLouvain, ULiège, ULB, and Namur. Target countries overlap heavily with VLIR-UOS.

What countries are eligible for VLIR-UOS scholarships?

VLIR-UOS targets students from specific low- and middle-income countries. The current eligible country list is published at vliruos.be each year. African countries typically included are Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana, Cameroon, DRC, Mozambique, Senegal, Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Niger, and others. Some programmes have specific country restrictions beyond the general list — always check the programme page.

What language do I need to study in Belgium?

Belgium is trilingual. Flemish universities (KU Leuven, Ghent, Antwerp, VUB) offer programmes in Dutch and English. Walloon universities (UCLouvain, ULiège, ULB, Namur) primarily offer programmes in French, though some English-medium programmes exist. For VLIR-UOS, English-medium programmes are the norm. For ARES-CDD, French proficiency (B2 minimum) is usually required. Many African students from Francophone countries are eligible for French-medium programmes.

What are the deadlines for VLIR-UOS and ARES-CDD 2026?

Both programmes typically close in November or early December for programmes starting the following September. VLIR-UOS scholarships historically had a November 1 deadline; ARES-CDD typically closes in mid-November to early December. Check vliruos.be and ares-ac.be for exact 2026 deadlines as they shift year-to-year.

What is the cost of living in Belgium?

Belgium is moderately priced compared to Scandinavia or Switzerland. Students in Brussels should budget EUR 900–1,200/month. Leuven, Ghent, and Liège are somewhat cheaper at EUR 750–1,000/month. Student accommodation ranges from EUR 350–700/month. The VLIR-UOS/ARES-CDD stipend of approximately EUR 870/month is designed to cover living costs outside Brussels.

Can I apply for VLIR-UOS if I already have a Master's degree?

It depends on the scholarship type. VLIR-UOS offers both Master's scholarships (for Bachelor's graduates) and short Research Training and PhD scholarships. For the Master's scholarship, having a prior Master's degree may make you ineligible, as it targets candidates who need the Master's to advance professionally. Check the specific programme requirements at vliruos.be.