ARES-Research and Higher Education Academy of Wallonie and Brussels - Scholarships for Higher Education Courses and International Traineeships

ARES international training scholarship (Belgium)

You will be awarded a fully funded place to study at a French-speaking university in Belgium for up to 12 months. ARES, the coordinating body for higher education in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, will cover your return flights, a monthly living allowance and your insurance. If you are undertaking a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, ARES will also cover your enrolment fees and any exceptional visa costs. For a shorter course, your costs whilst there will be covered instead. You can choose between a one-year specialised Bachelor’s or Master’s degree programme, leading to a degree, or a 2 to 6-month professional development course, leading to a certificate. The topics vary with each call for applications. Recent topics have included human rights, public health, development economics, microfinance, food chain safety, disaster management and cyber security.

Who can apply

• Where you live and work: You live and work in one of the 32 eligible partner countries in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and South-East Asia. If you are a Palestinian national, you are eligible to participate regardless of where you live.
• Degree: You already hold a university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) and meet the entry requirements for your chosen degree programme.
• How recent your degree is: You obtained your qualification no more than 20 years before the start of the course. This period is extended by one year for each child you have given birth to or adopted.
• Work history: Since completing your most recent qualification and before the deadline, you have worked for at least two years in a profession related to your field of specialisation in one of the 32 countries.
• Language: You can read, write and speak the language in which your course is taught. Some knowledge of French is useful for everyday life in Belgium.
• One choice: You are applying for just one course.

How to apply

You apply online via the ARES-GIRAF portal: open the application form, complete it and submit it. You do not need to have secured a place at a university at this stage. ARES places successful applicants at the most suitable institution within its network. The last call for applications closed on 18 September 2026 at 12:00 midday Belgian time. The next call for applications is expected to take place in August 2027.

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