VLIR-UOS ICP Connect Scholarships 2027–2028

The VLIR-UOS ICP Connect Scholarship is a fully funded award for students from 25 eligible countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America to study an English-taught bachelor’s or master’s programme at a Flemish university or university college in Belgium. It is funded through Belgian development cooperation by VLIR-UOS, the Flemish Interuniversity Council for University Development Cooperation. The call for students starting in September 2027 is open now, with full scholarships for 12 programmes.

Overview

ICP Connect programmes prepare students to become leaders and change agents in their fields, contributing to societal transformation across sectors such as food, water, health, development and governance. VLIR-UOS offers full scholarships for 12 English-taught programmes — professional bachelor’s degrees, initial master’s degrees and advanced master’s degrees — at Flemish higher education institutions. The programmes start on 1 September 2027 and run for 12, 24 or 36 months depending on the programme. There are no partial scholarships and no extensions.

Scholarship Benefits

Scholars receive a general grant of €1,400 per month (2027–2028), an all-in allowance that covers living and accommodation costs in Belgium, health insurance, installation costs, indirect travel costs and the tuition fee. Depending on the institution, the scholar pays tuition, insurance and accommodation from the allowance, or the institution covers these costs directly and deducts them from the monthly allowance. The scholarship also covers travel: an economy return ticket to Belgium at the start of the scholarship, including any necessary local flights, and a return ticket to the country of residence on completion (plus one additional round trip for three-year bachelor’s programmes). No application fee is charged for ICP Connect programmes.

What it does NOT cover: there are no additional funds from VLIR-UOS for extra activities such as Global South immersions, although programme-specific funds may exist. Partial scholarships and extensions beyond the programme duration are not possible. Amounts can change with government funding decisions.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must hold the nationality of one of the 25 eligible countries AND must reside in one of these countries at the time of application (the country of nationality and the country of residence do not have to be the same). The official country list is: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Niger, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe (Sub-Saharan Africa); Morocco and Palestine (Middle East and North Africa); Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador and Peru (Latin America and the Caribbean); Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam (South East Asia).

Candidates for a bachelor’s or initial master’s programme cannot be older than 35 on 1 January of the intake year, while candidates for an advanced master’s programme cannot be older than 45. Candidates for a bachelor’s programme must be at least 19 years old on 1 January of the intake year. Candidates may apply for only one ICP Connect scholarship per year and cannot receive any other scholarship or grant for the same programme at the same time. Candidates must not have previously received a scholarship from the Belgian government to attend a study programme, and must not have enrolled in a study programme at a Belgian higher education institution before 1 January of the intake year. Preference is given to candidates employed in, or aiming at a career in, higher education, the government or civil society organisations, and to candidates who have not previously studied in a higher-income country. All programmes are taught in English, and applicants must meet the English language requirements set by the organising institution. No Dutch is required.

Available Fields

The 12 scholarship programmes for 2027–2028 are: Bachelor of Hotel Management and Bachelor of Applied Computer Science (professional bachelor’s); Master of Science in Aquaculture (IMAQUA), Master of Science in Food Technology, Master of Science in Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management (Oceans & Lakes), Master of Science in Transportation Sciences — Road Safety, Master of Science in Nutrition and Food Systems, Master of Science in Sustainable Land Management, and Master of Science in Tropical Biodiversity and Ecosystems (initial master’s); Master of Development Evaluation and Management, Master of Globalisation and Development, and Master of Governance and Development (advanced master’s). Scholarships are offered only for the programmes listed on the VLIR-UOS website.

Required Documents

VLIR-UOS publishes no fixed central document list. Documents are set by the organising institution as part of its admission process: reference letters are part of the institution’s admission process (no separate scholarship reference letters are needed), and the English language requirements are set by the organising institution. Applicants from certain countries may need to legalise documents through Belgian embassies or consulates. Confirm the exact document list with the programme you are interested in.

Application Process

1. Choose one programme from the 12 eligible ICP Connect programmes on the VLIR-UOS website. You may apply for only one ICP Connect scholarship per year.
2. Apply to the organising institution for admission to that programme. The scholarship application is part of the programme application; there is no separate central form and no application fee.
3. Screening: the organising higher education institution reviews and ranks all eligible applications first. VLIR-UOS then conducts a separate screening of the selection list it receives from the institution.
4. Results: VLIR-UOS contacts selected candidates and candidates placed on the waiting list by email. Applicants who are not selected for a scholarship or the waiting list are notified by the programme they applied to.

VLIR-UOS holds an online information session on 26 November 2026, from 14:30 to 16:30 CET.

Important Dates

Event	Date
Call submission deadline (VLIR-UOS call page)	28 February 2027
Master of Science in Food Technology deadline	1 February 2027, 23:59
Master of Science in Nutrition and Food Systems deadline	28 February 2027
Information session	26 November 2026, 14:30–16:30 CET
Programmes start	1 September 2027

There is no single deadline — each programme sets its own application deadline. Check the programme’s own page for the date that applies to you. The call page lists 28 February 2027 as the call submission deadline, but individual programmes close earlier.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the ICP Connect Scholarship pay?

Scholars receive a general grant of €1,400 per month (2027–2028), which covers living and accommodation costs, health insurance, installation costs, indirect travel costs and the tuition fee, plus an economy return flight at the start and a return ticket on completion.

Is there a single application deadline?

No. Each programme sets its own deadline. The call page lists 28 February 2027 as the call submission deadline, but programmes close earlier — for example, Food Technology closes on 1 February 2027. Always check your programme’s own page.

Can I apply for more than one programme?

No. Candidates may apply for only one ICP Connect scholarship per year.

Do I need to speak Dutch?

No. All ICP Connect programmes are taught in English, and daily life in Belgium is manageable in English.

Is there an application fee?

No. ICP Connect scholarship programmes do not require an application fee.

Official source: VLIR-UOS — ICP Connect 2027-2028