VLIR-UOS ICP Connect Scholarship 2027/2028

About this scholarship

Full scholarships from VLIR-UOS for English-taught International Course Programmes (ICPs) at Flemish universities and universities of applied sciences in Belgium. They cover professional Bachelor's, initial Master's and advanced Master's programmes linked to development. Only nationals of 29 eligible countries, including Palestine and Morocco, who also live in an eligible country, can apply. The 2027-2028 call is expected to open in mid-November 2026.

Funding type

Full scholarship for the entire programme duration (no partial awards). Tuition fees covered. Monthly allowance of EUR 1,400 (2026-27 rate) covering accommodation, meals, local transport, health insurance and installation costs. Return economy flight to Belgium. No application fee for ICP Connect programmes.

Tuition fees

Covered

Living costs

Covered

Travel

Covered

Insurance

Covered

Eligibility requirements

Nationalities

Listed nationalities only — Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo - Kinshasa, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Haiti, Nicaragua, Peru, Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam

Residence condition

Must live in listed countries — Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo - Kinshasa, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Haiti, Nicaragua, Peru, Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam

Nationality of an eligible country AND residence in an eligible country at the time of application (not necessarily the same one). Eligible Arab countries: Palestine and Morocco. Maximum age 35 for Bachelor's and initial Master's (minimum 19 for Bachelor's); maximum 45 for advanced Master's, as of 1 January of the intake year. Must meet the programme's academic admission requirements. No previous Belgian government scholarship or earlier enrolment at a Belgian institution. Preference for candidates working in higher education, government or civil society; recent graduates may apply with strong motivation.

Minimum grade

Not stated

Work experience asked for

Not stated

Return condition

Return condition not stated

How to apply

Straight to the provider

Language requirements and exemptions

Language test required IELTS TOEFL iBT Waiver not mentioned

All ICPs are taught in English and Dutch is not required. Most programmes require an English certificate (e.g. IELTS or TOEFL iBT); minimum scores and any exemptions are set by each programme.

University admission details

Admission included in application?

Apply for admission and the scholarship together through the host institution. It reviews and ranks eligible applicants, then VLIR-UOS does its own screening. Programmes include Food Technology, Epidemiology, Aquaculture, Rural Development, Nematology, Water Resources Engineering, Statistics and Data Science, Transportation Sciences (Road Safety), Sustainable Development, Sustainable Land Management, Nutrition and Food Systems, Marine and Lacustrine Science, Tropical Biodiversity, Human Settlements, Development Evaluation and Management, Governance and Development, Globalisation and Development, Cultural Anthropology and Development Studies, plus professional Bachelor's in Hotel Management and Applied Computer Science. Host institutions include Flemish universities such as KU Leuven, Ghent University, University of Antwerp, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Hasselt University, as well as universities of applied sciences.

Required documents

Online programme application ICP Connect scholarship form Two recommendation letters Motivation letter English proficiency certificate Diplomas and transcripts Passport and proof of residence

Application steps

The 2027-2028 dates are not yet announced; VLIR-UOS expects the call to open in mid-November 2026. Deadlines are set by each programme. In the 2026-2027 round the general deadline was 28 February 2026, and some programmes closed earlier (e.g. KU Leuven programmes 1 February 2026, with English test results due by 1 March 2026). Check your chosen programme's page for exact dates and apply early.

Requirement checklist

Scholarship contacts

No official contact email published