The scholarships are only granted for doctoral or pre-doctoral programmes. Scholarships for a pre-doctoral programme are awarded for only one year. The scholarship may be converted into a scholarship for doctoral studies, thus extended for 4 more years, on the condition that you pass the pre-doctoral programme with distinction and are admitted to the doctoral programme.

The maximum period for which you may be awarded a scholarship is thus 5 years: 1 pre-doctoral year and 4 doctoral years. The scholarship is renewable each year and its renewal depends on the annual evaluation by your supervisor. Further extensions are not possible through the Interfaculty Council for Development Co-operation and further scholarships cannot be awarded, since the law permits tax-free doctoral scholarships only for a maximum of 4 years.

Application procedure

If you meet our scholarship requirements, you will need to complete the online application form accurately and fully. The new online application form will be available only by 1st December 2009. In the meantime, you may already submit the requested documents below and a brief CV, but you are still required to fill in the new online application form in December 2009. Click here for more information. Check this IRO Scholarships website by December for the new link.

For your proposed research, kindly print out your chosen faculty research topic from one of the doctoral schools, and include your motivation, OR submit your personal research proposal for a doctoral dissertation signed by your prospective supervisor. Include your brief motivation explaining how your topic or proposal can be approached and treated in a manner relevant to development co-operation.

You are also requested to submit:

1. a certificate of professional engagement, signed by a person or an institution confirming that, upon your return, you will be accepted for a specific position or job in your country of origin or in another developing country
2. two letters of recommendation by persons who are qualified to assess your academic capabilities, to be submitted in sealed envelopes
3. a certificate of English proficiency, for instance a TOEFL score or an IELTS score or results of an equivalent test (only for new students who have not yet been enrolled at K.U.Leuven)
4. only for applicants for the doctoral programme in economics or applied economics: a GMAT or GRE score (for a GMAT score, please contact GMAC [code JQH7X51] and arrange for an original score card to be sent; see below)
5. copies of applications for other scholarships, if any

Any applications that do not meet the requirements and any incomplete or late applications will not be accepted. K.U.Leuven does not acknowledge receipt of inadmissible applications.