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By Olami, AbroadPilot · Reviewed September 2026
When people search “Government of Belgium Scholarships,” the main programme is the ARES International Training Scholarship — funded by Belgium’s Wallonia-Brussels Federation and run by ARES (the Academy of Research and Higher Education). It funds professionals from developing countries to do a one-year specialised Bachelor’s or Master’s, or a 2–6 month continuing-education course, in a development-related field.
It’s aimed at working professionals, not school-leavers — you need a degree and relevant work experience, and a key advantage is you don’t need university admission in advance.
What the Belgium ARES Scholarship covers
- A monthly living allowance (recently around €1,150/month for the degree programmes)
- Round-trip economy airfare (one per academic year)
- Tuition / registration fees (for bachelor’s and specialised master’s)
- Insurance, visa costs and arrival/return allowances
- It’s completely free to apply — ARES never charges fees
Who is eligible?
- Country: be a national, resident and worker in one of the ~31 eligible ARES partner countries (many in Africa, plus parts of Asia and Latin America). Palestinian nationals have a special exception.
- Degree: hold an appropriate diploma — a master-level (2nd-cycle/300 ECTS-equivalent) degree for specialised master’s/continuing education, or a bachelor-level (1st-cycle/180 ECTS) degree for specialised bachelor’s.
- Experience: at least two years of relevant professional experience in an ARES partner country.
- Age: commonly under 40 for degree programmes (under 45 for training courses); the degree should be no more than ~20 years old.
- Language: good written and spoken command of the course language (usually French; some in English).
- You must not have previously studied in Belgium on an ARES scholarship.
Documents you’ll need
- Completed online application (via the GIRAF platform)
- Certified copies of your diplomas/degree
- Certificate of nationality or passport copy
- Proof of at least two years’ professional experience
- A “pre-project” / motivation document
- Letters of recommendation (academic and/or professional)
How to apply: step by step
- Check eligibility — confirm your country is on the ARES partner list and read the official call.
- Choose one programme that matches your background and development goals (you can only apply for one).
- Create a GIRAF account and wait for ARES to validate it (a few hours to a few days — don’t create duplicates).
- Complete the application form under “Competitive Calls” — you can save and return across multiple sessions.
- Submit before the deadline (recent calls closed around September–January, depending on the cycle). Once submitted, you can view but not edit your file.
- If selected, ARES places you in the most appropriate institution in its network — you don’t arrange admission yourself.
How competitive is it?
ARES awards roughly 200+ scholarships a year, with about half earmarked for Sub-Saharan Africa — so it’s a meaningful opportunity for African professionals. Selection is development-focused: a clear link between your work experience, academic background and the development impact you intend to have back home is what stands out, alongside a strong pre-project/motivation. Women are particularly encouraged to apply.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need university admission before applying?
No. Unlike most scholarships, you don’t arrange admission yourself — if selected, ARES places you in the appropriate institution within its Wallonia-Brussels network.
Do I need work experience?
Yes. You generally need at least two years of relevant professional experience in an ARES partner country, in addition to the required degree.
Is the ARES scholarship really free to apply for?
Yes. ARES does not charge any fees at any stage of the application or selection process — be wary of anyone asking for payment.
Apply / verify on the official site: ARES International Training Scholarships (ares-ac.be). Eligible countries, allowances and deadlines change each cycle — always confirm on the official page.
Free tools for this
- Scholarship Odds Estimator — real award-to-applicant ratios where funders publish them
- Scholarship Eligibility Checker — which of our tracked scholarships you can actually apply for
- Scholarship Deadlines Calendar — never shows a deadline that already passed
- How to Verify a Scholarship Is Real — the red flags that separate real funders from scams
Explore more on our Scholarships hub, including the DAAD EPOS scholarship (another development-focused option for working professionals).
Olami is the founder and lead writer at AbroadPilot. He started the site after going through the visa process himself — a German student visa in 2019 and a Canadian work permit in 2023 — and learning first-hand how confusing official immigration language can be, how often rules change, and how easy it is to lose money to bad advice. He spent three years as an international education and travel consultant, helping people source and verify the information that landed their visas and planned their trips. Every guide on AbroadPilot is built from official sources — embassy pages, government immigration portals, and .gov fee schedules — and reviewed as requirements change. AbroadPilot does not sell visas or applications; it is a free resource to help readers apply with confidence.
