Scholarships

Opening: 4 August 2025.

Deadline: 19 September 2025 at 12pm (Belgian time, UTC+1).

ARES Belgium Scholarship 2026 Duration:

• 1 year advanced bachelor’s or master’s degree program
• 2-to-6-month continuing education program

Academic Programs for the ARES Scholarships 2026-2027:

For Advanced Bachelor’s Programs:

• Bachelor of Specialization in Business Data Analysis

For Advanced Master’s Programs:

• Master’s degree in human rights
• Advanced Master’s in Integrated Management of Health Risks
• Specialized Master in International and Development Economics
• Advanced Master in Microfinance
• Specialized Master in Public Health Methodology
• Advanced Master in Transport and Logistics
• Advanced Master in Social Innovation Design
• Advanced Master in Water–Energy–Food Nexus
• Master of Specialization in Risk and Disaster Management in the Anthropocene Era
• Advanced Master in Public Health Sciences – Analysis and Evaluation of International Health Policies, Programs, and Systems

For Advanced Continuing Education Programs:

• University Certificate in Data Science for Global Health
• Interuniversity and Interdisciplinary Certificate in Transitional Justice
• International Training in Digital University Pedagogy
• Continuing Education – Understanding and Managing the Human Dimensions of Change Projects in Sustainable Development
• Continuing Education in Open-Source Geographic Information Systems
• Continuing Education in Quality Assurance and Quality Control of Medicines and Health Products

Financial support? 

The scholarship includes:

• International travel expenses;
• Subsistence allowance;
• Exceptional costs associated with visa applications (only for bachelor’s degrees and specialised master’s degrees);
• Tuition fees (only for bachelor’s degrees and specialised master’s degrees);
• Indirect mission expenses (for continuing education only);
• Insurance costs.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

To be eligible, applicants must :

• Be a permanent resident and work in one of the 31 eligible countries ( see Eligible countries above). Exception: Palestinian nationals are eligible even if they do not reside in one of these 31 countries.
• Hold an appropriate diploma
  » For specialised masters and continuing education courses (Bac+5 equivalent):
  Have a degree comparable to a 2nd cycle degree (300 ECTS credits) from a Belgian university;
  » For specialised bachelor’s (equivalent to Bac+3): Have a diploma comparable to a 1
  st cycle diploma (180 ECTS credits) of Belgian higher education. The candidate must have held the relevant academic degree for a maximum of 20 years at the time the course begins. This maximum period is increased by one year per event of child birth and/or adoption.
• Prove relevant professional experience in one of the partner countries for at least two years after the end of Bac+3 for specialised bachelor’s holders, or Bac+5 for specialised masters and continuing education students.
• Complete the application form in the language in which the course is given and be able to attest a good written and spoken knowledge of that language. In addition, knowing a minimum of French enables better integratation in everyday life in Belgium.
• Apply for just one course.

SELECTION CRITERIA

• THE QUALITY OF THE ACADEMIC CAREER
  The academic quality of applications is assessed on the basis of diplomas, lists of courses taken, results, teaching or research activities and publications. For diploma courses, priority is given to people who do not already hold a diploma with equivalent skills, except in exceptional circumstances, duly justified in the application.
• PREVIOUS SCHOLARSHIPS
  Priority is given to people who have not yet received an ARES grant in Belgium.
• PROFESSIONNAL EXPERIENCE
  Priority is given to people who, after their university studies, have had the opportunity to work in a profession related to development issues covered by the courses on offer. The social impact of the professional experience is also considered.
• MEMBERSHIP OF A PARTNER INSTITUTION
  People who work in an institution with which ARES has entered into a partnership, either as part of Institutional Support or as part of a development research or training project in the South, are given priority in the event of a tie on the other selection criteria
• THE POTENTIAL OF PEOPLE TO BE AGENTS OF CHANGE IN THEIR OWN SOCIETY Particular attention is paid to applications from people who, in addition to their academic qualities, have demonstrated a commitment to development.
• NATIONALITY CRITERIA  ARES wishes to diversify the geographical origin of grant holders. It ensures that no one nationality is over-represented in all the international courses organised under the programme.
• THE GENDER The cascade effect for gender must be respected in the selection process. It is defined as follows: the proportion of women selected must be greater than or equal to the proportion of female applications judged to be of sufficient quality. If this cascade effect is not respected, the selection must be justified on an ad hoc basis. ARES guarantees the possibility of deferring a grant for men and women in the event of pregnancy.
• THE ABILITY (PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL) TO ENSURE THE TRANSFER OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS ACQUIRED BY GRANTEE: Maximum guarantees are required concerning the candidate’s return to his or her country of origin or to another country, as well as his or her reintegration into a profession that will enable him or her to use the training acquired in Belgium for development purposes (e.g. a work contract, a formal promise of employment) and to produce a multiplier effect

List of documents required for an application to be accepted:

• 2 recommendation letters (academic and/or professional).
• Certified copies of original diplomas.
• Certified copies of original transcripts for all years.
• Proof of occupancy for the last 5 years
• Certificate of nationality or copy of passport.
• Pre-project (for certain courses – see course-specific admission conditions)

SCHEDULE

DATE ACTION

• August 04, 2025: Opening of the call for applications
• September 12, 2025 at 12 noon (Belgian time,
  UTC+1): Deadline for requesting the creation and validation of new GIRAF accounts
• September 19, 2025 at 12 noon (Belgian time,
  UTC+1): Deadline f o r submitting applications via the GIRAF platform
• From October 2025 to May 2026: Candidate preselection and selection process
• June 2026: Communication of results to
  – Successful candidates and candidates on waiting list
  – Unsuccessful candidates

How do I apply?

• Online via the GIRAF platform.

Steps to follow to apply:

1. 1. Have a Giraf account (create one or use your account if it has already been created and validated by ARES).
   2. Access the application form by clicking on Application for international training 2026-2027 > My tasks > Competitive calls.
   3. Fill in the form (it can be filled in several times. You can find it in Competitive calls > My tasks).
   4. Submit your application by clicking on Submit my application. Once submitted, you will be able to consult your file in the My submitted files table. However, you will no longer be able to modify it.

OFFICIAL SOURCE FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP