VLIR-UOS - Travel grants for internships or research stays

VLIR-UOS Travel Grant

You will receive a grant of lump sum of up to 1,000 EUR towards travel and living expenses for an internship or research placement as part of your final-year dissertation in a developing country, lasting at least 28 consecutive days. The amount will be paid as a lump sum, so you do not need to submit any receipts. This is a grant and not a full scholarship, so you will need to cover the remaining costs yourself and take out your own travel insurance. If you have a disability, an additional budget of up to 5,000 EUR may be available to cover the increased support requirements at your destination. The grant is provided by VLIR-UOS, the Flemish Council for Development Cooperation in Higher Education, which is funded by the Belgian government. It is awarded by your own Flemish university or college.

Who can apply

• Where you study: You are enrolled at a Flemish university or university college, or at an adult-education centre (CVO) partnered with one.
• Level: You are studying on a recognised course, such as an associate degree, a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree or a teacher training programme.
• Part of your studies: The placement must be taken into account for the award of credits in your degree programme, for example as a work placement or as part of your final dissertation.
• Where you go: Your destination is a country that appears on the VLIR-UOS list of developing countries and is situated in Africa, Asia or Latin America.
• Nationality: You are from Belgium, another EU country or an EFTA country (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland).
• Not an exchange: Your studies in Flanders are not part of a European exchange programme such as Erasmus.
• Supervisors: You have a supervisor at your Flemish institution and a supervisor abroad who is inviting you.
• Once only: You may only receive this grant once and may not receive any other travel grant from the Belgian Government at the same time.

How to apply

You must apply via your own Flemish university or higher education institution before you leave. Each institution runs its own call for applications and sets its own application deadline. You submit your application via the VLIR-UOS online database, together with a covering letter and the letter of invitation from your local supervisor. Your institution then draws up a ranking list of applicants and decides who will be selected.

You can find more scholarships in our guide Scholarships in Belgium.