ARES Belgium Scholarships 2027-2028: Apply by Sept 18

The ARES Belgium Scholarships 2027-2028 cover travel, living support, insurance, and tuition for eligible specialised degree programs in Belgium. ARES offers these scholarships through higher education institutions in Belgium’s Wallonia-Brussels Federation for applicants from 32 eligible countries. Applications close on 18 September 2026 at 12 noon Belgian time (UTC+1). Meeting the eligibility requirements does not make you competitive. ARES also weighs your academic record, the social impact of your professional experience, your development commitment, and your ability to return home and transfer the skills you gain in Belgium.

ARES Belgium Scholarships 2027-2028: Quick Overview

Detail	Information
Host Country	Belgium
Institution	ARES / Wallonia-Brussels Federation higher education institutions
Program Name	International Training Scholarships 2027-2028
Study Level	1 specialised bachelor’s, 8 specialised master’s, 1 continuing training course
Funding	Travel, subsistence, insurance; tuition and eligible visa support for specialised bachelor’s/master’s
Duration	1 academic year for bachelor’s/master’s; 6 months for continuing training
Eligible Countries	32 ARES partner countries
Applications Opened	3 August 2026
Application Deadline	18 September 2026, 12 noon Belgian time (UTC+1)
Application Method	Online through GIRAF
Results	June 2027

What Are the ARES International Training Scholarships?

The Academy for Research and Higher Education (ARES) coordinates higher education institutions within Belgium’s Wallonia-Brussels Federation and manages part of Belgian academic development cooperation.

The 2027-2028 scholarship call forms part of the “From Knowledge to Change” 2027-2032 programme. ARES uses international training to strengthen participants’ professional skills and help them contribute to development in their institutions and societies.

ARES offers scholarships for specialised higher education and continuing training in Belgium.
Belgian higher education institutions deliver the selected training programs.
ARES partner countries provide the geographical focus for the scholarship.
Scholarship recipients transfer their acquired skills back into professional and development settings.

That last relationship explains much of the selection process.

ARES Scholarship 2027-2028 Courses and Study Levels

The current call covers:

One specialised bachelor’s degree
Eight specialised master’s degrees
One continuing training course

ARES identifies the continuing training course as the Certificate in Cybersecurity Operations and Risk Governance.

The specialised bachelor’s and master’s routes run for one academic year. The continuing training route runs for six months.

You can apply for one course only, so your program choice needs a clear connection to your existing education and professional work.

If you want a broader one-year master’s route in the UK instead, compare the Chevening Scholarship 2027.

ARES Scholarship Eligibility Requirements 2027-2028

ARES targets professionals who permanently reside and work in one of 32 partner countries, hold the qualification required by their chosen program, and have at least two years of relevant professional experience after their latest qualifying degree. You must also meet the program’s language requirements and apply for only one course. A detailed ARES Belgium Scholarship for international students eligibility is as follows;

Academic requirements

You must:

Hold a higher education qualification that meets your chosen course requirements.
Have earned the relevant qualification no more than 20 years before the program begins.
Meet the specific admission conditions for your selected course.

ARES extends the 20-year limit by one year for each childbirth and/or adoption event.

Professional experience

You need at least two years of relevant professional experience in one of the eligible countries after completing your latest qualifying higher education degree.

This requirement matters twice. It determines your eligibility, and the jury later evaluates the relevance and social impact of your professional experience.

Residence and employment

You must permanently reside and work in one of the 32 eligible countries.

ARES makes an exception for Palestinian nationals, who can qualify even when they do not reside in one of those countries.

Language requirement

Complete your application in the language of instruction and demonstrate good written and spoken command of that language.

ARES also notes that basic French helps with everyday integration in Belgium.

If the two-year professional experience rule makes you ineligible, use the Scholarship Eligibility Checker to compare opportunities that better match your current profile.

Which Countries Are Eligible for the ARES Scholarship?

ARES accepts applicants from 32 partner countries:

Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

South America and the Caribbean: Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Haiti and Peru.

Asia: Cambodia, Indonesia, Nepal, Philippines, Vietnam and Palestine.

Required Documents for the ARES Scholarship

Prepare your documents early. ARES requires a complete application with mandatory supporting evidence.

Two recommendation letters, academic and/or professional
Certified copies of original diplomas
Certified copies of transcripts for all study years
Proof of occupancy for the previous five years
Nationality certificate, national identity card, or passport copy
Proof of residence
Employer commitment to re-employ you
A pre-project when your selected course requires one

ARES does not accept a voter registration card as identity evidence.

The employer commitment deserves particular attention because it connects directly with one of the jury’s selection priorities: your ability to return to professional work and use the training after Belgium.

If you want to explore and compare scholarship aborad, expolore the latest Fully Funded Scholarships for International Students worldwide.

How to Apply for ARES Scholarships Through GIRAF

Step 1: Create or activate your GIRAF account

Request a GIRAF account before starting the application.

ARES Scholarship GIRAF Account Creation Request Form

ARES warns that account validation can take several hours or several days, so do not leave this step until the deadline. Creating multiple accounts will not speed up validation.

Important: Create and validate your account well before 4 September 2026. The detailed call instructions and GIRAF guide list 4:00 p.m. Belgian time (UTC+1), while one schedule table in the call lists noon. Starting early removes that timing risk.

Step 2: Open the application

Select the International Training 2027-2028 application. GIRAF then places your application under My Tasks.

Step 3: Complete your form

Fill the mandatory fields marked with an asterisk before saving your first draft.

GIRAF has no automatic save function. Save your draft regularly, especially after uploading documents.

Step 4: Check every attachment

Review your form, recommendations, certified documents, residence evidence, and employer commitment before final submission.

Step 5: Submit the application

Submit before 18 September 2026 at 12 noon Belgian time (UTC+1).

Once you submit, GIRAF does not allow further changes. Your submitted application will appear under the submitted-files section.

How ARES Selects Scholarship Candidates

Eligibility only gets you into the competition.

An academic jury evaluates candidates against eight selection criteria:

Academic record, results, research, teaching and publications
Previous ARES scholarship history
Professional experience and its social impact
Employment at an ARES partner institution in tie situations
Potential to act as an agent of change
Geographic diversity
Gender balance
Ability to return, reintegrate professionally and transfer knowledge

ARES also gives priority in diploma programs to applicants who do not already hold qualifications that provide equivalent skills. Previous recipients of an ARES grant in Belgium cannot receive another one.

Those criteria change how you should write the application. ARES does not simply ask whether you qualify; the jury looks for evidence that funding you will create value after the training ends.

Careers Help Desk Counter-Angle: What the Selection Criteria Really Tell You

1. Another degree does not automatically strengthen your profile

Applicants often treat every previous qualification as another advantage.

ARES takes a more specific view. For diploma courses, the jury prioritises candidates who do not already possess equivalent skills.

If you already hold an advanced degree, explain the capability gap that remains. Show why this particular Belgian training adds something your previous education did not provide.

Your strongest question is not, “How qualified am I?”

It is: “What professional gap will this training specifically fill?”

2. Two years of experience only clears the first hurdle

ARES does not simply count your employment years.

The jury also examines whether your professional experience connects with the development issues covered by the course and considers its social impact.

Avoid filling your application with job descriptions.

Instead, connect problem → your action → measurable or visible impact → remaining skills gap → proposed training.

That sequence gives the jury a reason to invest in you.

3. Your return plan needs more than a promise

ARES asks for an employer commitment to re-employ you and separately evaluates your capacity to return, reintegrate professionally, transfer knowledge, and create a multiplier effect.

Those requirements reinforce each other.

Explain what role you will return to, what new capability you will introduce, who will use that knowledge, and how your institution or community will benefit.

“I want to contribute to my country” sounds positive but proves little.

A defined post-training role makes the same claim credible.

Common ARES Scholarship Application Mistakes

Waiting until the final week to create a GIRAF account
Applying without two years of relevant professional experience
Applying to more than one course
Uploading uncertified diplomas or transcripts
Forgetting the employer re-employment commitment
Describing duties instead of professional impact
Choosing a program that duplicates skills you already hold
Submitting GIRAF before checking every attachment
Paying an intermediary. ARES charges no application or selection fee

ARES Belgium Scholarship Benefits and Financial Support

ARES provides different financial support according to the training route.

Specialised bachelor’s and master’s students receive:

Economy-class international travel, up to one return trip per academic year
A monthly subsistence package for 12 months, plus a reduced 13th-month payment
Tuition fees
Eligible visa-related costs
Up to €250 for justified inter-establishment travel expenses
Insurance, paid directly by ARES

For eligible visa expenses, ARES includes up to €200 within the subsistence arrangement and can reimburse qualifying costs above that amount against supporting documents.

Continuing training participants receive:

Economy-class international travel
Monthly subsistence support for the training period
A fixed €200 allowance for additional international travel expenses
Insurance paid directly by ARES

If you already hold a PhD and want research-focused funding rather than another specialised qualification, compare the JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship Japan 2027.

Ready to Apply for ARES Belgium Scholarships 2027-2028

The ARES Belgium Scholarships 2027-2028 offer substantial support for professionals who want specialised training in Belgium and can connect that training to real development needs at home. Start with the practical risk first. Create your GIRAF account well before 4 September, prepare your certified documents early, and submit the final application before 18 September 2026 at 12 noon Belgian time (UTC+1). Then focus on what separates a strong application from an eligible one: relevant professional impact, a genuine skills gap, and a convincing plan to transfer your new knowledge after returning home.

Official Source: ARES International Training Scholarships 2027-2028 call for Applications

If you are already targeting doctoral study rather than specialised professional training, compare the Commonwealth PhD Scholarship 2027.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the ARES Belgium Scholarship 2027-2028 open?

Yes. ARES opened applications on 3 August 2026 and closes them on 18 September 2026 at 12 noon Belgian time (UTC+1).

How many countries qualify for ARES Scholarships?

32 countries qualify under the 2027-2028 International Training Scholarship call.

Do I need work experience for the ARES Scholarship?

Yes. ARES requires at least two years of relevant professional experience after your latest qualifying higher education degree.

Can I apply for more than one ARES program?

No. You can submit an application for one course only.

Do I need Belgian university admission before applying?

No. You do not need prior admission to a French-speaking Belgian higher education institution before applying for the ARES scholarship.

When will ARES announce scholarship results?

June 2027 is the stated period for ARES to communicate outcomes to successful, reserve and unsuccessful candidates.

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