The Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven) is offering a fully funded scholarship to dedicated international students across the globe who intend to pursue their master’s degree at KU Leuven.

More detailed information on the eligibility and the mode of this scholarship application are all listed in the blog post, please ensure you read to the end so as not to miss valid information.

Opportunity Detail

Language Requirement: TOEFL, IELTS

Gender: Male, Female

Level: Master

Eligible Region/Countries: Open for all

Medium of Instruction: English

Opportunity ID: 26717

Funding Type: Fully Funded

Duration: 1 year

Opportunity Description

The Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven) is now accepting applications for its master’s degree scholarship program. International students may apply to KU Leuven for a fully financed Science@Leuven scholarship. This scholarship is available for Master’s degree studies and pays for tuition, insurance, health insurance, and living costs.

The Faculty of Science and its alumni association, Science@Leuven, are presenting the Science@Leuven Scholarships. Applying for a scholarship is suggested for dedicated international students who intend to take part in an international master’s program at the Faculty of Science at KU Leuven.

About KU Leuven International Students Scholarship

Host University: Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven)

Degree Level: Masters

Location: Belgium

Application Deadline: N/A

Scholarship Duration: 1 year (extendable)

Fields of Study:

Faculty of Science

• Master of Astronomy and Astrophysics
• Master of Biophysics, Biochemistry, and Biotechnology
• Master of Biology
• Master of Chemistry
• Master of Geography
• Interuniversity Master of Geology
• Master of Mathematics
• Master of Physics
• Master of Statics and Data Science

KU Leuven International Students Scholarship Value & Coverage:

• The scholarship can be worth up to 10,000 Euros for a year.
• The Science@Leuven Fund’s Board of Directors will determine the exact amount of a scholarship.
• The scholarship will cover the tuition costs for one year and insurance and basic health coverage. The amount allotted for living expenses is subject to change.
• Even if an applicant receives a full scholarship of 10,000 euros, it is still a good idea to have some extra money.
• The majority of the Faculty of Science’s Master’s programs are two-year programs.
• The second master’s year scholarship will only be extended if the student received excellent grades in the first master’s year.

Eligibility Criteria for KU Leuven International Students Scholarship:

• Applicants have not previously studied or worked at Leuven University.
• The applicants hold a bachelor’s degree from a non-Belgian university, allowing them to apply for the Master’s program.
• The applicants should not have a master’s or doctoral degree.
• The applicants might demonstrate exceptional academic performance during their previous studies.
• During their studies at KU Leuven, the applicants are expected to achieve at least a Distinction.
• The applicants should demonstrate a strong command of the English language (TOEFL: minimum score 94 or IELTS: minimum score 7)
• Demonstrate a significant desire to pursue a master’s degree at the KU Leuven Faculty of Science
• The applicants should be willing to serve as program ambassadors.
• Students who will be awarded a scholarship will be required to sign a contract outlining the terms of their acceptance.

Required Documents:

• A comprehensive list of the courses for which you have received credit Indicate the course length (in ECTS credits) and the grade you received, ideally on the ECTS scale; if a different scale was used, provide a brief explanation of the scores’ meaning.
• Provide a brief (one-half to one-page) overview of the courses from your previous/current program that you believe is the most relevant in preparation for the Master’s degree you are considering. Describe the courses using the ECTS-study guide’s standard guidelines (example).
• 2 letters of recommendation from internationally renowned professors
• Motivation letter

How to apply for KU Leuven Scholarship for Master’s Degree?

• Use the KU Leuven’s application tool to apply for the Master’s program of your choosing. Please carefully read the application instructions.
• Use the KU Leuven application tool to upload the required documents mentioned above.
• When you have finished and submitted your Master’s program application, you will see a notification on the screen stating that you have successfully submitted your application. IMPORTANT! Take a screenshot of this message on your computer. When you apply for the Science@Leuven Scholarship, you must upload the screenshot. You can also upload another screenshot verifying that your application was submitted if you could not snap a screenshot of this message.
• Click here to apply for the Science@Leuven Scholarship.
• Your registration is complete when you receive an email confirming your registration for the Science@Leuven Scholarship.

Apply Now

Selection Procedure:

• Applicants apply to their preferred Master’s program. Only students accepted into one of the Master’s programs available for this scholarship are eligible for the scholarship.
• Applicants who have submitted a complete application and meet all requirements are chosen for the first round.
• The Master’s program director receives the list of applications and ranks the eligible students for the scholarship. The students are mostly ranked based on their academic achievements. Other factors, like motivation and program expertise, can also play a role.
• The selection committee receives the list of chosen applicants for each program and ranks all applicants. The applicants are ranked based on the study results, English language knowledge, and motivation. The primary selection criterion is the chance of achieving at least a distinction during their studies at KU Leuven.
• Some students will be chosen for an online interview by the selection committee (usually around 8)
• Online interviews are conducted with those who have been selected. In the interview, they may be asked questions about their motivation, future plans, extracurricular activities, and why they want to study at KU Leuven. The selection committee also considers how the applicants will represent the Science@Leuven Fund as an ambassador.
• The selection committee gives all of the candidates interviewed a final ranking.
• The Science@Leuven Fund’s Board of Directors determines how many scholarships are available and awards them.

Condition for extending the scholarship duration:

The scholarship will be given for 1 academic year at first. The scholarship will be extended for a second master’s year if the students maintain exceptional grades in their first master’s year.

To get a scholarship, students must enroll in at least 60 courses in their first year. Before being given the scholarship for the second master’s year, they must complete all of the credits they achieved in the first master’s year. The scholarship is only available for two years in a row.

Refer to KU Leuven’s website for more information.

You may also like similar opportunities:

• The Trier University Scholarships for International Degree Students in the Final Stages of their Degree at Germany
• Vrije University Fellowship Program (VUFP) for Master’s Studies
• The Nailekhanim Foundation Postgraduate Scholarship for Female Students