Belgium Government ARES 2024 Scholarships for Developing Countries

Are you a citizen of a developing nation? Do you possess a master’s degree? The chance to pursue education in Belgium and enhance your expertise for the progress of your home country is currently available. Applications are being accepted for the Belgium Government Masters and Training Programmes (ARES) Scholarships for the academic year 2024-2025.

Scholarships for master’s and training courses provide you with the opportunity to enroll in a one-year specialized master’s degree program or a 4-to-6-month advanced training course at a higher education institution in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, Belgium.

ARES, the Belgium Government’s initiative, invites aspiring individuals to apply for its Masters and Training Programmes Scholarships for the academic year 2024-2025. The application process is conducted entirely online through the GIRAF platform, ensuring a streamlined and accessible experience. Aspiring candidates, hailing from developing nations, can pursue specialized one-year master’s degree programs or advanced 4-to-6-month training courses in higher education institutions of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation in Belgium. Notably, ARES emphasizes a fee-free application process at all stages and provides clear guidelines for admissibility criteria. Through ARES, individuals have the opportunity to contribute to the development of their home countries by enhancing their skills in the dynamic educational landscape of Belgium.

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Scholarship Summary:

Scholarship Sponsor(s): Belgium Government

Scholarship to be taken at: Higher education institutions in Belgium

Scholarship Type: Full Scholarships

Scholarship level: Postgraduate

Scholarship Slots: 200

Nationality: Students of Developing Countries

Requirement and Eligibility Criteria for the Belgium Government ARES Scholarship:

Be national, reside and work in one of the following countries: Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Haiti, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Peru, Philippines, Republic of Guinea (Conakry), Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.
Hold a diploma comparable to a graduate level degree (300 credits ECTS) from Belgian university studies for advanced masters and countinuing education courses (equivalent to Bac+5); Hold a diploma comparable to a undergraduate level degree (180 credits ECTS) for advanced bachelors (equivalent to Bac+3). The candidate must have held the relevant academic degree for a maximum of 20 years at the time of the start of the course. This maximum period is increased by one year by childbirth and/or adoption.
Possess relevant professional experience in a ARES partner country of at least two years after graduate studies for advanced bachelors, after postgraduate studies for advanced masters and countinuing education courses.
Complete the application in the language in which the training is given and can attest a good written and spoken knowledge of it. Moreover, knowing a minimum of French allows for a good integration into daily life in Belgium.

Apply for only one training course

Benefits for the Belgium Government ARES Scholarship:

Information on the funding breakdown is given in the table (below)

Bachelor’s or Master’s Scholarship Benefits

International travel costs /Receipts must be provided /Economy-class travel on an IATA-approved airline, with a maximum of one round-trip ticket per academic year.
Living allowance- Lump sum- For a duration of 12 months
Indirect mission fees- Lump sum- This amount is given once per stay, upon arrival of the grantee.
Arrival allowance, tuition and return fees -Flat rate -This amount is given once per stay, upon arrival of the grantee.
Registration fees -At the current rate for DGD grantees.
Insurance fees- Directly paid by ARES.
Travel costs that are part of inter-university training Receipts must be provided Reimbursed based on real costs incurred, with receipts provided.
Amount for a Continuing education scholarship
International travel costs /Receipts must be provided /Economy-class travel on an IATA-approved airline, one round-trip ticket.
Living allowance- Lump sum- For the duration of the course
Indirect mission fees- Lump sum This amount is given once per stay, upon arrival of the grantee.
Insurance costs- Directly paid by ARES.
Travel expenses in the framework of inter university trainings /Receipts must be provided/ Reimbursed based on the real incurred, with receipts provided.

Application Procedures for the Belgium Government ARES Scholarship (How to Apply):

Prospective candidates for the Belgium Government Masters and Training Programmes (ARES) Scholarships 2024-2025 can now complete their applications exclusively through the online platform. The application process is cost-free, as ARES does not impose any fees at any stage of application or selection.

To initiate the application process, interested individuals should follow these steps on the GIRAF platform:

Create a GIRAF account by clicking here. The account will undergo validation within a few hours to a few days, and a confirmation email will be sent upon completion.
Once the account is validated, access the application form through the Competitive Calls tab on your GIRAF profile. Click the “Start an application for masters and training programmes” button only once. The application form will then be available in the My Tasks table of the Competitive Calls tab.
The form can be completed in multiple sessions using the “Save and edit later” option. Retrieve your form each time in the My Tasks table of the Competitive Calls tab in GIRAF.
Upon clicking “Submit my application,” your file will be transmitted to ARES, and further modifications will be disabled. You can still review your submission in the My Submitted Files section.

It’s crucial to note that application files will not be considered if they are incomplete, sent via post, email, or fax (as the procedure is entirely online through GIRAF), submitted outside the application period on GIRAF, not completed in the language of the training course, or if they do not adhere to specified admissibility criteria outlined on the form (such as a certified copy of diploma, age, professional experience, etc.).

Application Deadline: 17 November 2023

For more information Visit the Official Website

Belgium Government ARES 2024 Scholarships for Developing Countries