What ARES Scholarships for Development Cooperation Belgium actually covers.
The ARES (Académie de Recherche et d'Enseignement Supérieur) Scholarships for Development Cooperation are among Belgium's most generous and comprehensive funding opportunities for students from developing countries, including across the African continent. Funded by the Belgian Development Cooperation, these scholarships are fully funded and cover tuition fees, a monthly allowance of approximately €1,150, accommodation or a housing contribution, health insurance, round-trip travel, and a settling-in allowance — making them among the most complete scholarships available to African students in Europe. Awards are available for master's degree programmes and specialised training courses at universities and higher education institutions in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, which encompasses many of Belgium's leading French-speaking academic institutions. Eligible African countries and specific programmes change each cycle but typically include universities across sub-Saharan and North Africa. Students apply directly through the ARES scholarship portal, submitting academic transcripts, proof of residency, a motivation statement, and letters of recommendation. The selection process is highly competitive and prioritises candidates who demonstrate a clear commitment to applying their education to the benefit of their home countries and communities. Each cohort of ARES scholarship recipients is invited to participate in dedicated orientation programmes and alumni networks that span Africa and Belgium.
Who can apply.
Open to masters applicants seeking to study in Belgium. Eligible nationalities are listed below.
46 more eligible countries — full list available on the official application page.
Every academic discipline is accepted.
This programme does not restrict by field. Research proposals across humanities, sciences, engineering, agriculture, and medicine are all accepted.
From here to submitted.
Scholar Africa helps you discover, shortlist, and track. The application itself is submitted on the provider's site.
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Save itAdd this to your shortlist so we can recommend similar scholarships and remind you of the deadline.
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Prepare your documentsMost providers ask for the same set — transcripts, references, a personal statement, ID. Use the checklist below to track progress across all your applications.
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Apply on the provider's siteSubmit on the provider's site before January 15, 2027 · 185 days left.
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Track the outcomeAdd to your tracker so you can update the status as the provider responds (shortlisted, interview, decision).
Document checklist
Checks are local to this device — they're not stored. Always confirm exact requirements on the provider's official application page.
What we checked, when we checked it.
Scholar Africa runs a link-liveness check on every listing before it goes live and an admin manually reviews every scholarship submitted by providers. ARES Scholarships for Development Cooperation Belgium has been reviewed and verified by our team. Five deeper checks (contact, organisation, winners, third-party, formal audit) are on the roadmap.
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Other scholarships worth a parallel application.
Same eligibility window or destination. Many strong applicants apply to three or four programmes per cycle.