ARES Master’s and Training Courses Scholarships 2019/2020

Are you interested in receiving a study grant? The Academy of Research and Higher Education (ARES) invites applications for the 2019-2020 Scholarships. Each year, ARES grants an average of 150 scholarships as part of the master’s program, and 70 grants for training courses, to citizens from countries in the global South.

Are you a national of a developing country? Do you already hold a master’s degree? Do you have professional experience and are you looking to further develop your skills in a development-related topic? Apply now!

Scholarships for masters and training courses offer you the chance to pursue a one-year specialised master’s degree programme or a 4-to-6-month advanced training course within a higher education institution of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, Belgium.

ARES Master’s and Training Courses Scholarships Eligibility

For a request to be valid, the applicant must:

1. Be a citizen of a developing country. To be eligible, applicants must be residing and working in their country of origin when they apply;
2. Only nationals of the following countries may apply for grants from ARES: Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cuba, Ecuador, Ethiopia (only for training courses in English), Haiti, Madagascar, Morocco, Niger, Peru, the Philippines, the DR Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, and Vietnam;
3. Be under the age of 40 for degree programs, and under 45 for training courses, at the time the training is scheduled to begin;
4. Have earned a diploma comparable to a graduate-level diploma from Belgian university studies. Nevertheless, for certain training courses, different requirements may be requested, which will be specified below;
5. Possess relevant professional experience in a developing country of at least two years after graduate studies, or of three years after their studies if the applicant has earned a post-grad degree from a university in an industrialized country;
6. Have good mastery of written and spoken French. For training courses held in another language, it is essential to have a proper level in the course’s language, both written and spoken. We shall insist that the applicant commit to learning French in order to take part in daily life in Belgium;
7. Apply for only one training course.

ARES Master’s and Training Courses Scholarships Selection Criteria

As part of the selection process among admissible applications, ARES considers the following criteria:

• Academic curriculum: Judgement of the academic quality of applicants will be based on diplomas and lists of coursework completed, with results, teaching activities, or research and publications. For coursework, priority will be given to applicants who have not yet completed a post-graduate degree, except under exceptional circumstances duly justified in the application file.
• Receipt of previous grants: Priority will be given to applications who have not yet received a Belgian grant.
• Professional experience: ARES places a priority on giving grants to applicants who, after their university studies, have been able to work in a professional field related to issues raised by development. The social impact of professional experience is considered an important element in evaluating an applicant’s file.
• Part of a partner institution: Applicants who work within an institution that is a partner of ARES, whether as part of institutional support, or a development research project or global South training program, are automatically given priority, in case of all other selection criteria being equal.
• The applicant’s commitment to development initiatives: Particular attention will be given to application files from candidates who, in addition to their academic qualities, have proven their commitment to the development field. Commitment is illustrated by having worked with the least fortunate members of society and having engaged with them to find efficient ways to defend and promote their interests.
• Nationality criteria: ARES wishes to diversify the geographic origin of its grantees. It wants, for the totality of its international coursework and training courses as part of the “Training, Research & Outreach for Development” program, 50% of total trainees to be applicants from Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Gender equality: ARES is particularly interested in encouraging the participation of women in the international coursework and training courses that are part of the “Training, Research & Outreach for Development” program.
• The prospects for future reintegration: A maximum number of guarantees is required concerning the applicant’s return to their country of origin or to another developing country, as well as their reintegration into a field that will allow them to make use of the training acquired in Belgium in a development context (e.g. a work contract or a formal pledge) and to generate a multiplier effect that benefits their country of origin.

How to Apply for ARES Master’s and Training Courses Scholarships

Applying for an ARES grant is totally free. ARES does not charge fees at any stage of the application or selection process. You may inform us via e-mail at [email protected] of any problems with individuals or companies who claim to represent ARES and request any payment.

Download the 2019-2020 form in English (15 pages – 119 KB) (for specialized master’s degrees in English).

For more information, visit ARES Scholarships.