VLIRUOS ICP Connect Study Scholarship 2025

The ICP Connect study programs provide scholarships to students from developing countries so that they can pursue a bachelor’s or master’s degree program at any top university in Belgium.

Beneficiaries will be selected from 30 eligible countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. They will get to undertake the study programs taught in English at one or more Flemish higher institutions or universities of Applied Sciences And Arts.

The VLIRUOS ICP Connect Study Scholarship is a fully funded program that covers each student’s tuition fees, travel, insurance, and living expenses (board and lodging) for the full duration of the study program.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees in Flanders-Belgium vary depending on the type of institution to which a candidate applied, the program of study, and the student’s nationality. For EU students, the tuition fees typically average around €906 per year.

International (non-European Union) students generally pay tuition fees between €2,500 and €7,500 per year, which can also range as high as €15,000 per year. However, postgraduate students may also need to pay an application fee and additional fees for research courses or laboratory fees. Note that private institutions and business schools charge higher amounts.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible, you have to meet the following requirements set by the study program;

• Age: Candidates for a bachelor or initial master program cannot be older than 35 as of 1 January of the intake year, while candidates for an advanced master cannot be older than 45. Additionally, candidates for a bachelor program must be at least 19 years old by 1 January of the intake year.
• Nationality and country of residence: Candidates must be citizens of one of the 30 eligible countries and reside in any of these countries at the time of application (though not necessarily in their country of origin).
• Professional background and experience: Preference will be given to candidates in higher education, government, civil society, or those targeting a career in one of these sectors. Newly graduated candidates or those employed in the private sector with no work experience may also be considered if they provide strong motivation and a compelling profile.
• Scholarship applications: Candidates may apply for only one ICP Connect scholarship annually. Candidates cannot receive any other scholarship or grant to simultaneously participate in this study program or another program.
• Previously awarded scholarships: Candidates may not have previously received a scholarship from the Belgian government to attend a study program, nor may they have enrolled in a study program at a Belgian higher education institution before 1 January of the year of intake.
• Motivation: Candidates’ motivation and professional goals must reflect their competence in transferring knowledge/skills, setting up extension activities, and highlighting themes relevant to sustainable development and the study program. Not only are academic results significant, but so are – especially – the potential and commitment of the candidates to become an ‘agent of change’ after completing their studies.
• Professional experience: Preference will be given to candidates who can demonstrate a greater chance of implementing and/or transferring newly gained knowledge/skills upon completion in a sustainable development context, such as in the higher education sector, government, civil society, or the private sector, thereby contributing to positive societal change.
• Gender balance: VLIRUOS targets a balance between male and female candidates awarded ICP Connect scholarships. It strongly encourages female candidates to apply.
• Regional balance: Provided there are sufficient qualified candidates, a reasonable cross-section of scholars from different countries and regions is targeted.
• Leave No One Behind (LNOB): Preference will be given to candidates from vulnerable groups over equally qualified candidates.
• Previously awarded a scholarship: Preference will be given to candidates who have never received a scholarship to study in a higher-income country (bachelor’s or master’s).

Eligible Courses

The ICP Connect Study scholarship applies to the following subject areas at any Flemish (Belgian) university:

Professional Bachelors (3 years)

• Bachelor of Hotel Management
• Bachelor of Applied Computer Science

Initial Masters (2 years)

• International Master of Science in Agro- & Environmental Nematology
• International Master of Science in Rural Development (IMRD)
• Master of Aquaculture (IMAQUA)
• Master of Epidemiology
• Master of Science in Food Technology
• Master of Science in Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management
• Master of Statistics and Data Science
• Master in Sustainable Development
• Master of Transportation Sciences – Road Safety
• Master of Water Resources Engineering (WRE)
• Master of Science in Nutrition and Food Systems
• Master of Science in Sustainable Land Management
• Master of Science in Tropical Biodiversity and Ecosystems (Mundus tropical c/o TROPIMUNDO)

Advanced Masters (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)

Scholarship Benefits

The successful candidates of the VLIR-UOS ICP Connect scholarships will receive financial aid that covers tuition fees, travel, insurance, and living expenses (board and lodging). The scholarships awarded by VLIRUOS are only designated for the full duration of the study program (12/24/36 months).

Application Procedure

• Step 1: Check if you are eligible based on all given criteria.
• Step 2: Learn more about the selected study programs. If interested in a specific program, visit the institution’s website and follow the instructions.
• Step 3: Apply for both the program and the scholarship through the institution’s website. When submitting your program application, indicate if you are also applying for a scholarship. Do not apply for more than one ICP program per year.

Each program sets its deadlines. We receive the selection results from the program organizers. VLIR-UOS contacts selected candidates and those on the waiting list by email as soon as possible after the selection process and no later than mid-June.

Deadline/Expiration: Not Specified

Find other scholarship programs currently open for application