VLIR-UOS Eligibility Rules 2027–28: Who Can Apply
Six requirements you must all meet, the age limits of 35 and 45, why work experience matters even though it is not mandatory, and the rule that closes the door if you start a programme without the scholarship.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
4 min read
Updated Oct 6, 2026
The Non-Negotiable Requirements
All six must be met. Failing any one of them ends the application.
- 1You hold the nationality of a VLIR-UOS scholarship country
The 2026–27 call had 29 countries; VLIR-UOS has announced 25 for 2027–2031. If your country is not on the list, the ICP Connect degree scholarship is not available to you. See the Eligible Countries page for the full list and the 2027 changes.
- 2You live in an eligible country when you apply
Living in a non-eligible country — even temporarily for study or work — makes you ineligible at the time of application. If you are abroad, wait until you are back. Your country of residence and nationality do not have to be the same, but both must be on the list.
- 3You have never enrolled at a Belgian higher education institution
Specifically, not before 1 January of the intake year. This has no time limit: a previous master's or a previous VLIR-UOS scholarship in Belgium disqualifies you, and if you did an exchange enrolment at a Belgian university, ask the programme whether it counts. This surprises many people who once studied in Belgium.
- 4You hold no other scholarship or grant for the programme
You cannot receive any other scholarship or grant for this or another programme at the same time. The two cannot run together, and receiving an extra scholarship leads to exclusion.
- 5You have never had a Belgian government study scholarship
Any earlier scholarship from the Belgian government for a study programme disqualifies you, with no time limit. ARES scholarships are also funded by Belgian development cooperation, so assume an earlier ARES scholarship counts and confirm with the programme. This is separate from the prior-study rule.
- 6You submit only one ICP Connect application per year
Applying to two or more programmes in the same year leads to exclusion of all your applications. If you are unsure, pick one programme. You can try a different one next year if you are not selected.
Age Limits by Programme Level
Age is measured on 1 January of the year you start — 1 January 2027 for the 2027–28 intake — not on the application deadline.
| Programme level | Age limit | Measured on |
|---|---|---|
| Professional bachelor's | At least 19 and not older than 35 | 1 January of the intake year |
| Initial master's (2 years) | Not older than 35 | 1 January of the intake year |
| Advanced master's (1 year) | Not older than 45 | 1 January of the intake year |
| ITP training | Set by each course | Check the course |
A note on sources: some older third-party sites cite 40 as the limit for initial master's programmes. The official VLIR-UOS limit is 35. Always check the official site before you submit.
Mid-career option: the advanced master's programmes in governance, development evaluation, globalisation, human settlements and anthropology are one-year degrees with the higher limit of 45. If you are 36 to 45, they are your main VLIR-UOS route.
Professional Background: Preferred, Not Mandatory
This is not a pass/fail rule, but it shapes your chances considerably.
VLIR-UOS gives preference to candidates employed in higher education, government or civil society, or aiming for a career in those sectors. The scholarship looks for “agents of change” who will return and apply what they learn in their organisations. Fresh bachelor's graduates without work experience are at a disadvantage compared with professionals in relevant fields.
No work experience does not automatically disqualify you, but it weakens your position in the scholarship screening. As a recent graduate, be precise in your motivation letter about how you will use the degree in a development context.
Private sector applicants
Private sector work is not disqualifying either. VLIR-UOS says newly graduated candidates and private sector employees without work experience “may also be considered if they provide strong motivation and a compelling profile.” The bar is higher: you must spell out how your role connects to development impact and how the degree will let you contribute. Vague statements about wanting to help communities will not do.
Two other preferences
- Candidates who have not already studied (bachelor's or master's) in a higher-income country get preference. A short exchange there does not count as such a degree.
- Between equally qualified candidates, preference goes to people from vulnerable groups (VLIR-UOS's “Leave No One Behind” principle).
Individual programmes can add their own admission criteria on top of these — check each programme's page.
If You Started the Programme Without a Scholarship
If you enrol in an ICP Connect programme as a self-funded student, you cannot apply for the scholarship in later years of that programme. VLIR-UOS states it plainly:
“If you decided to start the programme without a scholarship, you can no longer apply for a VLIRUOS scholarship from the second year onward.”
The only way in is to apply for the scholarship before you start. There is no back door. Being admitted in an earlier year without a scholarship, and not starting, does not hurt you: you can reapply.