ARES Belgium Scholarships 2027–2028 for Applicants From 32 Countries Open
If you have been searching for a fully funded scholarship in Belgium for 2027, there is one detail about the ARES International Training Scholarships 2027–2028 you should understand immediately: this is not primarily a scholarship for fresh graduates looking for any master’s degree in Belgium.
ARES has officially opened its new 2027–2028 call, but the programme is aimed largely at graduates who are already working and want specialised professional training connected to development challenges in their countries. Applications opened on August 3, 2026, and the final GIRAF submission deadline is September 18, 2026.
That distinction could save a lot of applicants from preparing the wrong application.
Can You Actually Apply for the ARES Scholarship 2027?
You may be eligible if you permanently reside and work in one of the 32 countries included in the new call, hold the required higher-education qualification, and have the professional experience required for your chosen programme.
The eligible countries are Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Haiti, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Palestine, Peru, Philippines, Guinea, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. Palestinian nationals receive a specific exception concerning the residence rule.
The professional-experience rule is especially important. ARES targets applicants who can connect their previous education and professional work with the specialized training they want to pursue. Recent ARES programme information consistently requires at least two years of relevant post-degree professional experience for these international training scholarships.
So if you graduated recently but have little or no professional experience, do not assume that strong grades alone make you a strong ARES candidate.
What Can You Study in Belgium?
Here comes another misconception: you cannot simply select any bachelor’s or master’s programme at any Belgian university.
For 2027–2028, ARES has announced a restricted portfolio consisting of one specialised bachelor’s programme, eight specialised master’s programmes and one continuing-education programme. The bachelor’s option is Digital Integrated Supply Chain, while the master’s portfolio includes areas such as international and development economics, public health, health-risk management, food-chain safety, preventive conservation and collections management, and risk and disaster management. The continuing programme focuses on cybersecurity operations and risk governance.
The specialised bachelor’s and master’s programmes can last up to 12 months, while the continuing-education programme can last up to six months.
Is the ARES Scholarship Really Fully Funded?
For selected applicants, ARES provides a substantial package rather than merely reducing tuition.
The official 2027–2028 call includes support for international travel, a subsistence allowance and insurance. For specialized bachelor’s and master’s scholarship holders, ARES also covers registration costs and provides support for qualifying exceptional visa-related expenses. Continuing-training recipients receive additional mission-related support under the applicable funding structure.
In practical terms, this is why ARES belongs in the fully funded category—but do not confuse “funded” with “you need absolutely zero money before departure.” Passport costs, document certification or other personal preparation expenses may still arise before scholarship payments or reimbursements begin.
No IELTS Mentioned? Do Not Jump to the Wrong Conclusion
ARES requires you to complete your application in the language in which your chosen programme is taught and to demonstrate good written and spoken command of that language. ARES also notes that at least some knowledge of French is useful for everyday integration in Belgium.
That is different from saying, “IELTS is not required for everyone.”
If you are targeting an English-taught programme such as the Specialized Master in International and Development Economics, for example, the programme itself is taught entirely in English. Your programme-specific academic and language conditions therefore matter alongside the scholarship rules.
If your previous degree was taught in English and you are wondering whether your Medium of Instruction certificate is enough, that is exactly the type of profile-specific question worth checking before submitting.
How Do You Apply—and Why September 4 Matters?
Applications are submitted through ARES’s GIRAF platform, and applying for the scholarship itself is free.
But there are actually two deadlines applicants should remember:
September 4, 2026 at 16:00 Belgian time: deadline to request creation or validation of a new GIRAF account.
September 18, 2026 at 12:00 Belgian time: final deadline to submit the scholarship application through GIRAF.
Waiting until September 17 to create an account could therefore end your application before you even reach the scholarship form.
Should You Apply?
Apply if your degree, professional experience and intended specialized training tell one coherent story. ARES is designed around developing professionals who can take specialized knowledge back into their institutions, industries or communities—not simply applicants looking for a free European degree.
If you are unsure about your own case, leave your country, qualification, graduation year, years of work experience and the ARES programme you want to apply for in the comments. Those details usually make it possible to tell very quickly whether your issue is basic eligibility, programme admission or competitiveness.