Master Mind Scholarships in Belgium 2024
Applications for Master Mind Scholarships in Belgium 2024 are open to international students. Domestic students are not eligible to apply for this scholarship. The offered level of study is a Master’s degree in various fields in Europe. All students who wish to study in Belgium are encouraged to apply for this scholarship. The host of the Master Mind scholarship is Flemish higher education institutions. The deadline for this scholarship for 2024-25 is 28th April 2024.
This scholarship is supported by the Flemish higher education institutions in Belgium. It funds the Master Mind scholarship and gives the students the opportunity to study for free in any institution. They can choose and study their desired degree. They will access the modern learning system and they will be taught by professors and professionals. The duration of mobility is one academic year for a master’s programme of 60 ECTS and two academic years for a master’s programme of 120 ECTS.
The Flemish Ministry of Education and Training awards scholarships for master’s programs in Flanders and Brussels to high-performing students from around the world. A Master Mind Scholarship includes a grant of €10. 000 + a tuition fee waiver per academic year (60 ECTS). Master Mind Scholarship holders only pay an administrative enrolment fee. The grant is paid in installments and covers accommodation costs, insurance, and a significant amount of their living expenses.
Brief details about Master Mind Scholarship 2024
- Location: Belgium
- Type: Fully Funded
- Level of study: Master’s degree
- Offered courses: Various fields
- Gender: Both
- Eligible students: International students
- Deadline: 28th April 2024 23h59 GMT+1.
Eligibility Criteria for Master Mind Scholarship 2024
- The applicant applies to take up a master’s degree programme at a Flemish higher education institution.
- The applicant should have a high standard of academic performance and/or potential:
- The student has a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.5 out of 4.0:
- The student has a good knowledge of the English language:
- An overall minimum band score of 7.0 on the IELTS test
- A minimum total score of 94 on a TOEFL test
- A C1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference
- Or a similar result in another official language test (recognized by the host institution)
- Online language tests of IELTS and TOEFL will also be accepted:
- IELTS Indicator (https://www.ieltsindicator.com/)
- TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition (https://www.ets.org/s/cv/toefl/at-home/)
- Students who apply for a master’s programme at a school of arts have at least:
- An overall band score of minimum 6.5 on the IELTS test
- A minimum total score of 90 on the TOEFL test
- A B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference
- Or a similar result in another official English language test (recognized by the host institution)
- Online language tests of IELTS and TOEFL will also be accepted:
- IELTS Indicator (https://www.ieltsindicator.com/)
- TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition (https://www.ets.org/s/cv/toefl/at-home/)
- The host institution also performs an academic check of the student’s file. The student has to be accepted by the host institution in order to receive the scholarship. This criterion applies even if the host institution’s decision to accept the student is taken after the selection for the Master Mind Scholarship programme.
- The applicant can be nominated by only one Flemish higher education institution. If the applicant is preselected by more than one Flemish higher education institution, he/she has to choose one Flemish higher education institution to submit his/her application into the Mobility Online tool.
- All nationalities, except for Russian (see news item for more information), can apply. The previous degree obtained should be from a higher education institution located outside Flanders. International students who have been on credit mobility in a hosting Flemish higher education institution are still eligible for a Master Mind Scholarship.
- Students who are already enrolled in a Flemish higher education institution cannot apply. The only exception is made for international students who, at the moment of their application in Spring 2024, are already enrolled in a specific preparatory programme in order to start a master’s programme in September 2024.
- Students who enrol for the following programmes for the academic year 2024-2025 are not eligible for the Master Mind Scholarship:
- Preparatory programmes
- Bridging programmes
- Distance learning
- Student mobility to partner institutions outside Flanders and Brussels during the master’s programme is allowed. However, at least half of the study credits of the master’s programme must be obtained at the Flemish host institution.
Benefits of Master Mind Scholarship 2024
- The scholarship amounts to €10.000 for the academic year 2024-2025 and €10.000 for the academic year 2025-2026 in case an application was submitted for a two-year Master programme.
- An installment of €4.500 is transferred on a Belgian or European account after arriving in Belgium and uploading the registration certificate which the student will receive from the Flemish higher education institution when he/she arrives.
- Or if preferred, a first installment of €2.000 can be transferred to the student’s bank account (European or foreign bank account) prior to the start of the academic year. Additionally, the remaining installment of
€2.500 will be transferred on a Belgian or European account after arriving in Belgium and uploading the registration certificate. - A second installment of €4.000 is transferred in February 2025 upon completion of the first semester.
- A final installment of €1.500 is transferred upon completion of the first academic year in July 2025, or in September/October 2025 in case of re-sit examinations. If a student completes a one-year Master programme, but does not obtain the Master degree at the end of the academic year in July 2025, or in September 2025 in case of re-sit examinations, the final installment of €1.500 will not be awarded.
- In case of a two-year Master Programme, and on the condition that at least 54 ECTS were obtained in the first academic year, €4.500 is transferred to the student’s bank account prior to the start of the second academic year 2025-2026 (or in September/October 2025 in case of re-sit examinations).
- A second installment of €4.000 is transferred in February 2026 upon completion of the first semester of the second academic year.
- A final installment of €1.500 is transferred upon completion of the second academic year (in July 2026, or in September/October 2026 in case of re-sit examinations). If a student does not obtain the Master degree at the end of the second year, the final installment of €1.500 will not be awarded.
- If a student enrolled in a two-year Master programme does not obtain 54 ECTS at the end of the academic year in July 2025, or in September 2025 in case of re-sit examinations, the student will not be awarded the third installment of €1.500 and will not receive the grant for the second year of the Master programme.
- In case of discontinuation prior to the end of the Master programme for which a Master Mind scholarship has been awarded by the Flemish Government: if a student only completes a part of a one or two-year Master programme, he or she will need to refund part of the scholarship, e.g. when a student only completes one semester, he or she can keep the first installment of €4.500.
Application Process for Master Mind Scholarship 2024
- STEP 1 Check if you are eligible to apply and if the Flemish institution of your choice participates in the Master Mind Scholarships
- STEP 2 Submit your application to the host institution
- STEP 3 The host institution preselects the eligible applications
- STEP 4 The host institution starts the application procedure for the Master Mind Scholarship by creating your application file in the Mobility-Online application tool
- STEP 5 You receive an email generated by the Mobility-Online tool notifying you of being preselected for a Master Mind Scholarship
- STEP 6 You register in the Mobility-Online tool and complete your application file in the Mobility-Online tool before the deadline. Documents to be uploaded:
- Passport photo
- International passport or national ID
- A Curriculum Vitae (including your American GPA out of 4.0 and if applicable your publications, academic awards, previous scholarships, etc.)
https://www.scholaro.com/gpa-calculator/ (see annex: How to calculate your American GPA) - Transcript of records; if written in a language other than Dutch, French, German or English, a certified translation must be enclosed.
- English language test results or letter of exemption provided by the host university
- Letter of motivation written in English
- Two signed letters of recommendation from professors of your (previous) home university, university of applied sciences (and arts) or recent employer written in English.
- Copy of acquired diploma(s); if written in a language other than Dutch, French, German or English, a certified translation must be enclosed.
- STEP 7 The host institution validates and submits the completed application file in the Mobility-Online tool before the deadline of 28th April 2024 23h59 GMT+1. Applications validated submitted after 28th April 2024 23h59 GMT+1 will not be accepted.
