35 VLIR-UOS Questions — Answered

Two main types. ICP Connect scholarships fund full degree programmes (bachelor's or master's) at Belgian universities. ITP scholarships fund short professional training courses (14–90 days) for working professionals. They have different eligible country lists, age limits, and application processes.

Yes. For ICP Connect, the scholarship covers tuition, monthly living allowance (approximately €1,150–1,400), round-trip economy airfare, health and liability insurance, visa fees, and installation and return allowances.

Approximately 180–200 ICP Connect scholarships per year across all 20 programmes — roughly 10 per programme. About 50% are targeted at Sub-Saharan African candidates.

Most programmes close around late February (typically ~28 February). Exception: TROPIMUNDO (Master of Tropical Biodiversity and Ecosystems) — around 30 November. The exact 2027–2028 dates have not yet been officially announced; these deadlines shift slightly by year, so verify on the current VLIR-UOS website once the new call opens.

Studies begin in September of the intake year.

By mid-May to mid-June at the latest. Scholars and waitlist candidates are both notified by this point.

29 countries:

For ICP Connect degree scholarships: No. Nigeria is not on the 29-country list. Nigeria is on the broader 54-country ITP list, which covers short professional training only, not degree programmes.

Same as Nigeria — eligible for ITP training only, not ICP Connect degree scholarships.

Same — ITP only, not ICP Connect.

Rwanda is on the 54-country ITP list. For the most recent published ICP Connect cycle, Rwanda did not appear on the 29-country eligible list (the 2027–2028 list is expected later this year and is not yet confirmed). Verify on the current official VLIR-UOS website, as the country list can change between cycles.

No. You must be resident in an eligible country at the time of application. Temporary residency in a non-eligible country — even for study — makes you ineligible. Apply when you return home.

Yes, if that exchange was at a Belgian higher education institution before January 1 of the intake year. Prior study at a Belgian institution is a permanent disqualifier, regardless of how long ago it occurred.

Professional bachelor's and initial master's: 35 years old as of January 1 of the intake year. Advanced master's (1-year programmes): 45 years old. ITP training: 40 years old as of the training start date.

Yes, but VLIR-UOS notes that private sector applicants "may also be considered if they provide strong motivation." The scholarship strongly favours candidates in higher education, government, NGO, or civil society roles. Private sector applicants must make a more explicit case for the development relevance of their application.

For advanced master's programmes (1-year), yes — these are designed for experienced professionals who already have a relevant master's. For initial master's (2-year), holding a prior master's is not automatically disqualifying but check the specific programme's admission requirements.

Absolutely not. Submitting more than one ICP Connect scholarship application in the same academic year causes automatic rejection of all your applications.

No. The scholarship application is embedded in the programme application at the host university. You apply through the specific university's portal. VLIR-UOS does not accept direct applications.

The two happen simultaneously — you apply to both the programme and the scholarship through the same university portal. If the university does not admit you academically, your scholarship application does not proceed.

Baseline: academic transcripts, degree certificate, English language proof (IELTS/TOEFL or equivalent), passport copy, CV, motivation letter, two recommendation letters, and for some programmes: an employer support letter or portfolio. Check each programme's specific page.

No. VLIR-UOS and ICP Connect programme applications are free. Any individual or website charging fees for VLIR-UOS applications is operating a scam.

Yes. Reapplication is explicitly encouraged. The applicant pool changes annually, and relative selection criteria (gender and regional balance) mean your odds shift independently of any change to your application. Some applicants have been selected after two or three rejections.

Yes. Per documented university practice, 10 substitute (waitlist) candidates are named alongside 10 primary scholars per programme (at least at UAntwerp). Waitlisted candidates are awarded scholarships when primary scholars decline. Stay available.

No. VLIR-UOS explicitly states: "If you decided to start the programme without a scholarship, you can no longer apply for a VLIR-UOS scholarship from the second year onward."

No. The scholarship covers the scholar only. Bringing family is possible under separate visa arrangements, but VLIR-UOS provides no financial support for dependents.

In smaller cities (Hasselt, Geel, Bruges): yes, comfortably. In Ghent and Leuven: manageable with careful budgeting. In Brussels: very tight. Choose your programme's host city with this in mind.

No. All ICP Connect programmes are in English. No Dutch is required at any level. Daily life in Belgian university cities is very manageable in English.

Yes. Belgian student employment law allows approximately 475 hours per year of student work under favourable tax conditions. The scholarship does not explicitly prohibit part-time work, but English-language casual work in Belgium is limited.

A Type D long-stay visa for non-EU nationals. Applied for at the Belgian embassy in your home country. Processing typically takes 4–8 weeks.

Yes. Visa application fees, document legalisation, travel to the embassy, and the medical certificate are all reimbursed.

The IOB (Institute of Development Policy) at the University of Antwerp acts as the scholarship secretariat for many VLIR-UOS programmes. It handles the second-stage screening (after university academic review) and applies the selection criteria including gender and regional balance.

Yes. VLIR-UOS officially acknowledges that even unchanged applications may succeed in a subsequent year due to different pool composition. If you received no feedback (which is standard), reapply the following year. Consider whether the motivation letter can be made more specific about the development challenge and your post-study plan.

Specificity. A named development challenge in your country. A named professional role or organisation. A named problem the programme curriculum addresses. A concrete post-graduation plan. Generic statements about development passion are the most common failure — committees read hundreds of them. See the full Motivation Letter guide for structure, examples, and common mistakes.

No formal legal contract or financial penalty for not returning is publicly documented for ICP Connect. However, the entire selection process favours candidates who will return. The scholarship funds development impact through return; applying without intention to return is at odds with the programme's purpose.