Ghent University Top-up Grants for Candidates from Developing Countries in Belgium
Ghent University provides Top-up Grants to candidates from all countries on the OESO-DAC list, who wish to obtain a master’s degree at Ghent University. The call will only be open for new students applying for a master or master-after-master programme taught in English.
How to apply?
You cannot apply yourself for this Top-Up Grant. There’s no application form to fill in.
The programme you would like to study at, decides which top-student applicant will be in their top 3 list. If you want to stress the need for such a top-up grant you can contact the study program to motivate why they should take you up in their shortlist of candidates. If you are on that list, you will get a notification of that.
There’s no open call for these grants, they are now incorporated in the normal application scheme to obtain admission.
Only academically admitted students will be considered.
Only applications from students enrolled in a full program will be considered for a Top-Up Grant. Students who follow a preparatoy program or a linking program cannot receive a Top-Up grant.
The application for academic admission should be submitted before the 1st of April according to this procedure.
In the enrolment application under ‘Financial Means’, you can indicate the financial means which you would like to use to finance your studies with. After choosing ‘Scholarship’, you can mention ‘Top-Up Grant’.
You can no longer apply to study at Ghent University and you cannot be considered for the topping up grant if you apply for admission later than 1st of April.
About the Top-up Grant
For the AY 2023-2024, 10 scholarships can be awarded.
The scholarship fee consists of:
- Allowance of € 1000 per month.
- All-in insurance (health, civil liability, repatriation)
Airline ticket and visa costs are NOT included in the grant.
As a top-up grant student you pay the tuition fee as for EEA-students.
Note that Ghent is an expensive city and living standards are high in Belgium.
Especially housing and living. It’s highly recommended to have some extra funding.
That’s why this funding is called ‘Top Up Grant’. It should be a Top Up of your own financial means.
Check the average personal living expenses.
Which programmes?
New students who have been academically admitted to any of the English-taught master programmes and master after master programmes.
The latest overview of these master programmes can be consulted in the online course catalogue.
Who’s eligible?
New students who wish to obtain a Master’s or Master-after-Master’s degree at Ghent University.
Degree
You have to have a bachelor degree when applying for a Master programme.
You have to have a Master degree when applying for a Master-after-Master programme.
Nationality
You have to come from a country on the longlist of the OESO-DAC country list.
Priority is given to students from the first three columns of the country list. As an exception, students from the fourth column can be considered upon clear motivation by their programme.
Selection procedure
The coordinator of each English-taught master programme proposes their top 3 applicants to the Committee for Development Cooperation (CDC).
Decision will be taken at the end of May by the CDC. Results will be announced at the latest half of June by e-mail.
Selection Committee
- The Committee for Development Cooperation makes a selection of the applications based on the recommendations obtained from a working group of this Committee.
- The Committee then proceeds to formulate well-founded recommendations to the Executive Committee of Ghent University.
Selection criteria
The recommendations are based on:
- The qualifications of the applicant for the Top-up grant
- There is no strict age limit, although applicants below 40 years are preferred
- Programmes are encouraged to enlist female candidates, as they are generally underrepresented.
- The significance of the master’s programme for the student’s country
- Validation of the knowledge in the student’s country
Selected students need to do their thesis at Ghent University. The Top-up grant is for 2 master-years, but the grantee needs to prove at least 50 credits in the first master year.