ARES International Training Scholarships 2027–2028

The ARES International Training Scholarships provide candidates with the chance to pursue a one-year advanced bachelor's or master's degree programme or a 2-to-6-month continuing education programme within a higher education institution of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation in Belgium.

The programme aims to deepen skills and knowledge in development-related topics and is not a full-time degree programme — rather, it is specialized training for professionals already holding higher education qualifications.

Key features of the programme:

• Fully funded — No tuition fees, living allowance, travel, and insurance covered

• Specialized training — Focused programmes in development-related fields

• Professional development — Designed for mid-career professionals with at least two years of experience

• No prior admission required — Applicants do not need to secure university admission before applying; ARES places selected students in appropriate institutions

• Application completely free — ARES does not charge fees at any stage of the process

Related: Learn more about ARES and studying in Belgium.

Successful ARES scholarship recipients receive comprehensive financial support:

For Specialized Bachelor's and Specialized Master's Programmes

• International travel expenses — Economy-class travel on an IATA-approved airline, with a maximum of one round-trip ticket per academic year

• Living allowance — Lump sum for the duration of 12 months (+ 13th month reduced)

• Monthly allowance — Approximately €1,150 per month for 12 months

• Tuition fees — Full coverage for bachelor's and specialized master's degree programmes

• Visa-related exceptional expenses — Up to €200; amounts greater than €200 reimbursed based on actual costs with supporting documents

• Inter-institution travel expenses — Up to €250, based on actual justified costs

• Insurance fees — Health and civil liability insurance paid directly by ARES

• Housing support — Housing grant included in the overall package

All applicants must submit the following documents through the GIRAF platform:

• Two recommendation letters — Academic and/or professional references

• Certified copies of original diplomas — With translations if not in French or English

• Certified copies of original transcripts — For all years of study

• Proof of occupation for the last 5 years — Employment records or certificates

• Certificate of nationality or copy of passport — National identity card (voter card not accepted)

• Proof of residence — Certificate, resident card, or permit; if such documents do not exist in the applicant's country, a signed declaration on honour is accepted

• Commitment from employer — A commitment to re-employ the applicant after their studies

• Pre-project — Required only for certain courses; check specific admission conditions on the ARES website

Important: All documents must be submitted in the language of the course (French or English). Following the conclusion of the application process, ARES will issue result notifications by email to all candidates by June 2027 .

Applicants must meet the following requirements to be eligible for the ARES International Training Scholarships:

Citizenship and Residency

• Must be a citizen, permanent resident, and employee of one of the 32 eligible countries:

  • Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zimbabwe

  • South America and the Caribbean: Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Haiti, Peru

  • Southeast Asia: Cambodia, Indonesia, Nepal, Philippines, Vietnam

  • Asia: Palestine (Palestinian nationals are eligible even if they do not reside in one of the eligible countries)

Academic Qualifications

• Must hold an appropriate higher education diploma:

  • For specialized master's and continuing education programmes: A degree comparable to a second-cycle degree (300 ECTS credits / Bac+5) from a Belgian university

  • For specialized bachelor's programmes: A diploma comparable to a first-cycle diploma (180 ECTS credits / Bac+3) from Belgian higher education

• Must have obtained the diploma no more than 20 years before the start of the course — For each childbirth or adoption, one extra year is added to this limit

Professional Experience

• Must have at least two years of relevant professional experience in an ARES partner country, acquired after the last higher education qualification

Age Requirements

• Under 40 years old for specialized bachelor's and specialized master's programmes

• Under 45 years old for continuing education programmes

Language Proficiency

• Must have good written and spoken knowledge of the language in which the programme is taught (French or English)

• Knowing French is an asset for daily life in Belgium

Application Limit

• Must apply for only one course

Follow these steps to complete your application for the ARES International Training Scholarships 2027–2028:

1. Check your eligibility — Ensure you meet all criteria including citizenship, age, education, and professional experience.

2. Select your programme — Review the list of available specialized bachelor's, master's, and continuing education programmes.

3. Create a GIRAF account — Visit the ARES website and complete the account creation request form. Account validation may take from a few hours to several days. Do not create more than one account

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4. Await validation — You will receive a confirmation email to set your password and log in.

5. Access the application form — Log in to your validated GIRAF account, go to the "Competitive Calls" tab, and click "Application – International Training 2027–2028".

6. Complete the application form — Fill in all required fields. You can save as a draft and return later. Mandatory fields (marked with *) must be completed to save for the first time.

7. Upload all required documents — Submit certified copies of diplomas, transcripts, recommendation letters, proof of occupation, nationality documents, and employer commitment.

8. Review and submit — Once complete, click "Submit my application". After submission, the application cannot be modified.

9. Await results — Check your email for notifications by June 2027.

Important: Applying for an ARES scholarship is completely free of charge. ARES does not charge fees at any stage of the application or selection process. If anyone asks you for payment, report it to scholarships-cooperation@ares-ac.be