Scholarship Overview
- Every academic year, KU Leuven selects exceptional scholars from institutions from around the world as scholarship candidates to obtain their Ph.D. from the largest university in Belgium.
- The Global Minds Scholarship aims to allow scholars to conduct 4 years of PhD research in a ‘sandwich’ system. 50% of the research is financed by and takes place at KU Leuven, and the other 50% takes place and is financed by the home institution of the scholar, supported by a local co-promoter.
- These scholarships are offered to excellent proposals dealing with a development-relevant research topic linked to one or more of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Host School(s)
- KU Leuven, Belgium
Field(s) of Study
- Each candidate works on a formal doctoral research topic proposal of their own.
- This research proposal must be original, innovative, clear, and goal-oriented, and should be completed within a maximum period of four years (48 months). The topic should ideally be related to one of the Sustainable Development Goals.
What does the scholarship cover?
- Tuition Fee
- A monthly basic amount to cover living costs
- Health insurance
- Professional and accident insurance coverage
- Social security coverage
- Airline tickets
How many scholarships are given?
- 10 scholarships
Which countries are targeted?
- Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, D.R. Congo, Ethiopia,
- Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger,
- Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, South Africa,
- Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Palestinian Territories, Vietnam,
- Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Haiti, Nicaragua, Peru.
Am I Eligible to Apply?
To qualify for this scholarship, you should:
- Not be a citizen of the EU.
- Be a citizen of one of the countries listed above.
- Should hold a Master’s degree. This degree should have been awarded no more than ten years before 1 October 2024 (including the ongoing calendar year).
- Have been awarded an academic grade equivalent to High Distinction or higher.
- Have a research project that is of excellent academic quality, with a special focus on the development relevance of the proposal.
- Have a clear time frame for the research project indicating how the research periods at KU Leuven and the home institution will alternate (a maximum period of 12 months at the home institution should alternate with a maximum period of 12 months at KU Leuven).
- Be formally affiliated with a university in your home country. This home university should demonstrate that it is providing sufficient financial support for the doctoral project.
- Not already be enrolled as a PhD student at KU Leuven or financed by KU Leuven.
- Not have been employed before in an EEA country other than Belgium.
- Demonstrate a development-oriented motivation.
- Be supported by a KU Leuven supervisor and a local co-supervisor at her/his home university.
- Demonstrate excellent recommendations from at least two relevant referees.
How Do I Apply – Next Steps
- Apply for admission to a doctoral or pre-doctoral program.
- Apply for the KU Leuven Global Minds Doctoral Scholarship. Applications are submitted using the digital application form, which must also be filled out by the supervisor.
- Make sure you follow the online application instructions correctly.
- Get your admission early so that you can apply for the scholarship well before the deadline.
- Note that incomplete applications will not be considered.
Required Documents (PDF scans)
- Diplomas and transcripts of academic records (and their translations, where required)
- An English Proficiency Certificate (Cambridge, TOEFL or IELTS)
- The identity page of your passport
- Thesis proposal
- A curriculum vitae (CV)
- Motivation letter (one A4 page)
- Residence Permit (front and back)
NOTE:
- If your application is successful, you will have to present your original university diplomas to the Admissions Office before enrollment.
Closing Date
- 22 February 2024
How do I get more information?
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