If you are thinking about studying in Belgium with financial support, the ARES Scholarships are among the most valuable opportunities available to international students. These fully funded scholarships support studies across a wide range of academic disciplines. This guide provides a complete overview of the ARES Scholarships 2027, including the benefits offered, eligibility criteria, available programs, and the application process.
The ARES Scholarships 2026–2027 are fully funded awards for international students pursuing bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and professional training programs in Belgium. The scholarship covers international travel expenses, a monthly living allowance of €1,150, an arrival grant, tuition-related costs, and a return allowance of €700.
ARES Scholarships
1. Benefits for the ARES Scholarships
2. Eligibility criteria for the ARES Scholarships
3. Courses Offered for ARES Scholarships
4. Documents Required for the ARES Scholarships
5. How to Apply for the ARES Scholarships
6. Deadlines for ARES Scholarships
7. FAQs about the ARES Scholarships
1. Benefits of the ARES Scholarships
Benefits for Bachelor’s and Master’s Programs:
ARES Scholarship recipients enrolled in bachelor’s and master’s programs receive:
- International airfare in economy class through an IATA-approved airline, limited to one round-trip ticket per academic year
- Monthly living allowance of €1,150 for 12 months
- A one-time indirect mission allowance of €150 upon arrival
- A one-time arrival, tuition, and return allowance of €700 upon arrival
- Registration fees payable by DGD scholarship recipients according to the applicable rates
- Health and accident insurance premiums fully covered by ARES
- Reimbursement of travel expenses related to inter-university training upon submission of receipts
Benefits for Training Programs:
Participants in training programs are entitled to:
- One round-trip economy-class airline ticket on an IATA-approved carrier
- Daily allowance of €83 for programs lasting between 8 and 17 days
- Monthly allowance of €1,400 for programs lasting from 18 days to one month
- Monthly allowance of €1,400, calculated proportionally, for programs lasting from one to six months
- A one-time indirect mission allowance of €150 upon arrival
- Insurance costs covered directly by ARES
- Reimbursement of eligible travel expenses incurred during inter-university training, subject to proof of expenditure
2. Eligibility criteria for ARES Scholarships
To qualify for an ARES Scholarship, applicants must satisfy the following conditions:
Required languages: English and French:
- Eligible applicants must be citizens of Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cuba, Ecuador, Ethiopia (for English-language training programs only), Haiti, Madagascar, Morocco, Niger, Peru, the Philippines, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, or Vietnam
- Applicants must be nationals of a developing country and must be living and working in their home country at the time of application
- Candidates must be younger than 40 years old for degree programs and younger than 45 years old for training courses when the program begins
- Applicants must possess a qualification equivalent to a graduate-level degree awarded by a Belgian university. Certain training courses may require additional credentials or relevant professional experience
- Applicants must have at least two years of professional experience in a developing country after completing graduate studies, or three years if they obtained a postgraduate degree from a university in an industrialized country
- Candidates must demonstrate strong written and spoken French proficiency. For programs conducted in another language, applicants must have sufficient proficiency in that language and agree to learn French for everyday life in Belgium
- Applicants may submit only one training course application
3. Courses Offered for ARES Scholarships
Bachelor’s Programs:
- Specialized Bachelor’s in Business Data Analysis
- Specialized Bachelor’s in Pediatrics and Neonatology
Master’s Programs:
- Master’s in Development, Environment, and Societies
- Master’s with a specialization in Human Rights
- Advanced Master’s in Aquatic Resources Management and Aquaculture
- Advanced Master’s in Risk and Disaster Management
- Advanced Master’s in Integrated Risk Management in the Global South (IManHR)
- Advanced Master’s in International and Development Economics
- Advanced Master’s in Transfusion Medicine
- Advanced Master’s in Microfinance
- Master’s in Integrated Production and Conservation of Natural Resources in Urban and Peri-Urban Areas
- Advanced Master’s in Public Health Methodology
- Advanced Master’s in Public Health Sciences – Research Methods Applied to Global Health
- Master’s in Environmental Science and Management in Developing Countries
- Master’s with a specialization in Transport and Logistics
Training Programs:
- Training in Quality Control and Quality Assurance of Medicines and Health Products
- Research Training in Health Systems Strengthening
- Training in Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- Training in the Use of Secondary Resources for Sustainable Construction, emphasizing recycled materials and innovative eco-friendly building methods
- Training on Methodological Approaches to Encourage Innovation in Family Farming
3. Documents Required for ARES Scholarships
3.2. Passport & National ID card
3.3. Research proposal/plan (Optional)
3.4. Statement of Purpose or Motivational Letter
3.6. Proof of Previous Work Experience
3.1. Academic documents
This includes all your certificates & academic record like
A: Bachelor’s transcript & certificate
B: Master’s transcript & certificate (if the student is applying for 2nd Master or fellowship)
C: Metric & FSC transcripts (10-12th Grade) (A level) (DMCs) and certificates (Supporting academic documents)
D: Course summary (to explain your courses & how your previous courses & studies resemble your future studies to which you are applying)
NOTE:
All of the above documents should be attested by respective boards.
Also, attest them from issuing authority of home countries. The respective university must attest university documents.
In the case of Pakistan, The above-mentioned documents must be attested by IBCC, HEC, and MOFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
IBCC authority is only responsible for the attestation of metric and inter documents.
Dear offices are present in Peshawar, Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, and also in other cities of Pakistan.
HEC office attests to bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. documents.
3.2. Valid passport, Birth certificate & NIC
The passport of the applicant must contain at least one full blank page on both sides.
The passport must be valid at the time of visa application and on arrival to Belgium.
A birth certificate or national ID card is also important to attach.
3.3. Research Plan / Proposal (Optional)
Research publications/ Achievements (conference papers, article review, abstract of thesis)
The research proposal is mostly required for postdocs or Ph.D. students. (Depend upon the courses)
It asks you to write about the research project you agree upon completing with the assigned academic advisor.
Your research proposal should be a brief description of your research goals and objectives, the methods with which you wish to process that research, the outcomes you desire, the timeline and budget you have estimated, and the area of study you wish upon exploring.
It shall be a brief document yet explain the entire vision to the reader so that those analyzing your application could know of your objectives and grant you the scholarship if they match the program’s criteria and eligibility.
Taking help from an external party is strictly prohibited and violation in this regard could lead to your disqualification no matter how incredible your proposal is.
3.4. Statement of purpose or Letter of Motivation
Remember, SOP or LOM can be asked during university admission.
Technically SOP or LOM are the same things.
It’s a Short biography to tell the panelist about yourself:
Letter of motivation or SOP could be a tricky part while selecting your course in French universities.
In this letter, you are asked to write about your personal and professional reasons why are you applying for a course & scholarship.
The maximum length of this letter is three pages, But it is advised to make it short & concise to one page.
How to write a perfect letter of Motivation
If you are interested in writing your LOM on one page concisely, then follow this exact method.
LOM consists of three parts.
3.4.1. Introduction (one paragraph)
3.4.2. Body (3 paragraphs)
3.4.3. Conclusion (1 paragraph)
Let’s explain these three things one by one.
3.4.1. Introduction:
Introduction is the gateway to the rest of the letter. Try to capture their interest in first few sentences. Be original & creative.
Make it personal & full of enthusiasm.
TIP: Try to initiate a story about yourself relevant to the scholarship you are applying & then expand it to the first paragraph of the body.
3.4.2. Body:
In the first paragraph of the body, try to tell about your relevant academic & experienced background to the course.
And your professional goals attached to the France & university. Share your expectations of the scholarship.
In the 2nd paragraph be more precise & focus on the specific achievement related to the scholarship & course.
In the 3rd paragraph expand on what you are currently doing & the interesting things you look forward to.
3.4.3. Conclusion:
Tell them why you are the best candidate for the Course/scholarship. Don’t sound needy or use pompous language instead focus on why you deserve it.
Tell them how this scholarship will help you or the future of your community.
3.5. CV
Europass CV can be easily made here.
The Cv must contain all the latest & relevant information about your occupation & interests.
A perfect CV must be hand signed.
3.6. Experience letter
Applicant must provide an Experience letter of the previous jobs & Internships.
Try to customize the work experience letter with future studies.
Mention your job descriptions, work projects & the skills you learned through time.
The letter must be signed & verified by the Head or CEO of the company.
The work experience could be Paid,
Unpaid,
full-time,
part-time, or voluntary.
It could be done before, during, or after graduation.
4. How to Apply for ARES Scholarships
To apply for the ARES Master’s or Training Scholarships, follow these steps:
- Ensure you have an active GIRAF account.
- Create a GIRAF account through the platform. ARES will verify your account within a few hours or several days, after which you will receive an email to set up your password. Avoid creating multiple accounts.
- If you already have a validated account from a previous year, you may reuse it and reset the password if necessary.
- Log in to your GIRAF account and access the application form through the Competitive Calls section of your profile.
- Click the International Training Application 2025–2026 button only once. Your application form will then appear in the My Tasks section.
- You may complete and save your application multiple times using the Save and Edit Later option.
- After selecting Submit My Application, no further modifications can be made.
- Submitted applications remain accessible through the My Submitted Files section.
5. Deadlines for ARES Scholarships
Target Audience: Students and young professionals from ARES partner countries
Application Deadlines: Depending on the academic cycle, deadlines typically fall around mid-September (for example, September 19 at 12:00 PM Belgian time)
Application Portal: Applications are accepted exclusively through the ARES International Training Scholarships online platform
6. FAQs about the ARES Scholarships
Q. Do I need admission to a Belgian university before applying for an ARES Scholarship?
No. Applicants for ARES International Training programs are not required to obtain admission to a Belgian institution before applying. If selected, the host institution will assist with the academic enrollment process.
Q. What is a Master of Specialisation (Advanced Master)?
An ARES-funded Master of Specialisation is generally a one-year advanced academic program, often organized jointly by several institutions. It leads to an official academic qualification and differs from the conventional two-year master’s programs common in many countries.
Q. Are ARES Scholarships available for PhD studies?
No. ARES International Training Scholarships are intended for specialized bachelor’s programs, advanced master’s degrees, and short-term training courses, usually lasting between two and six months. Doctoral studies are not covered under this scholarship scheme.
Q. How are candidates selected?
Each program has its own selection committee. Applicants are evaluated based on several factors, including academic performance, qualifications, research and teaching experience, professional experience related to development issues, and potential social impact. Preference is often given to candidates who do not already possess an equivalent qualification and to first-time ARES scholarship applicants.
Q. Will holding a master’s degree in a similar field affect my chances?
Possibly. For degree programs, priority is generally given to applicants who do not already hold a qualification with equivalent competencies. However, exceptions may be considered if exceptional circumstances are clearly explained and justified in the application.
