Belgium: Ghent University Full-fee Doctoral Scholarships 2023/2024 for Developing Countries

With support from its “Special Research Fund” (BOF), Ghent University grants PhD scholarships to promising PhD students from developing countries who wish to carry out half of their PhD research at Ghent University and half in a university in a developing country. See more scholarships in Belgium for international students.

Application Deadline: 2nd February 2023

Eligible Countries: Developing Countries

To be taken at (country): Belgium

About the Ghent University Full-fee Doctoral Scholarships: These grants take the form of a so-called “sandwich” scholarship: the candidate obtains a scholarship for maximum 24 months to work within 48 months on an alternating basis on the PhD at Ghent University (‘North’) and at the university or research centre in a developing country (‘South’). Only for the periods the scholarship holder works at Ghent University the scholarship holder will receive a monthly income. The rest of the PhD research is done in the partner university, for which no funding is provided through this scholarship. For this part of the PhD research students must prove that they will be financed at their home university (e.g. full-time PhD scholarship or salary).

If you want to study for masters in Belgium, here’s what you should know.

Eligible Fields of Research: No restrictions are imposed on the field of research, nevertheless preference will be given to relevant topics for development. Relevance for development measures the degree in which the action of development corresponds with the expectations of the beneficiaries, the needs of the country, global priorities and the policies of partners and donors.

The proposals must be submitted by a candidate, a promoter at Ghent University and a supervisor at the local institution.

Type: Doctoral

Eligibility: Before applying for Ghent University Full-fee Doctoral Scholarships, students always need to find a professor from Ghent University who is willing to act as the supervisor (‘promoter’) of their doctoral research and agrees to support their application. The best way to do this is by browsing the list of faculties and research topics available on the research directory

• The proposals must be jointly submitted by a candidate, a promoter at Ghent University and a supervisor at the partner university.
• No restrictions are imposed on the field of research, nevertheless, preference will be given to topics that are relevant for development

Development relevance relates to the extent to which the proposals’ objectives are consistent with beneficiaries’ requirements, country needs, synergy opportunities, global priorities and partners’ and donors’ policies.

• Candidates need to come from – and have the nationality of – a developing country (see country list);
• There must be a guarantee that the candidate can work full-time on the PhD project for 24 months at the partner university in a selected developing country (South). This implies that the following conditions need to be fulfilled:

1. there must be a local PhD supervisor at the partner university or research center in the South;
2. A written  statement is requested stating that the candidate is either a funded fulltime PhD student or a staff member at this partner university
3. and will be sufficiently exempted from teaching or other assignments as to be able to fully concentrate on the PhD research in the South.
4. This statement should also mention that the candidate receives a local PhD scholarship or salary for 24 months when working on the PhD at the partner university in the South.

• This funding is only intended for students who want to obtain a (joint ) PhD degree at Ghent University .

Number of Awardees: Not specified

Value of Ghent University Full-fee Doctoral Scholarships:

• The value of the scholarship at Ghent University depends on, a.o., the researcher’s family situation.
• The Ghent University promoter also receives a bench fee to cover (part of) the operational costs, as well as the travelling costs of the student and both the Ghent University and the local promoter.

Duration of Scholarship: 

• The candidate obtains a scholarship for maximum 24 months
• Students are obliged to divide the scholarship into minimum 2 different research stays in Ghent (North) and need to return at least once to their home university (South)  in between (=‘sandwich- schedule’)
• The candidate must propose at least 12 months of locally funded research stay in the South after the first BOF funded stay in Ghent (North).
• Due to all practical arrangements (visa, housing, contract, …) students are advised to stay for long periods in Ghent (e.g. 1 year).
• This scholarship call does not intend to support students who plan only 1 research stay in Ghent.

How to Apply for Ghent University Full-fee Doctoral Scholarships: 

• Applications must be submitted on the application forms provided for this purpose.
• GOODLUCK!

Visit Scholarship Webpage for details