PHORTIFY - Master of Science in Photonics Engineering (MSPE) — VUB & UGent

PHORTIFY scholarship for the Photonics Engineering master

You get a one-year scholarship worth EUR 12,000 if you come from outside the EU, or EUR 7,200 if you are an EU or Belgian student. EU and Belgian students receive the EUR 7,200 as a reduced tuition fee. The money runs for a fixed 12 months (one academic year). It supports the Master of Science in Photonics Engineering, a joint English-taught degree from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Universiteit Gent (UGent). The programme combines physics, engineering and photonics, the technology of working with light for uses in AI, space, medicine and renewable energy. The scholarship is funded by the EU's Digital Europe Programme through the PHORTIFY network.

Who can apply

• Degree: You hold or are finishing a bachelor's or master's degree. A background in physics, photonics, optics, electrical engineering or materials science is preferred, but other science degrees are also considered.
• Where you study: You enrol in the MSPE master in Belgium and study on campus. Online students do not qualify.
• Nationality: Open to students from a wide list of eligible countries, including all EU states and many others worldwide.
• English: You can prove English at level B2 or higher, for example TOEFL iBT 79, IELTS Academic 6.5, Cambridge English 170, or schooling taught in English. A test result must be no older than five years.
• Grades: You have strong academic results, since the scholarship is awarded on academic merit.

How to apply

If you have a foreign degree, first apply for admission through the MSPE pre-admission platform. If you have a Belgian degree, apply through the central admissions platform. Once you meet the academic threshold, you are invited to a technical interview. Only those who pass move on to enrolment at VUB. The scholarship is a separate application through PHORTIFY, due 3 April 2026. Admission deadlines differ by group: 31 March 2026 for non-EU students, 31 July 2026 for EU students and 23 September 2026 for Belgian students.

How realistic are your chances?

This is a narrow, specialist award. You need a science or engineering background, admission to one specific master, and you must pass a technical interview before a place is confirmed. That keeps the applicant pool small compared with open scholarships. If you clearly fit the academic profile and apply early, especially as a non-EU student facing the earliest deadline, your prospects are solid.