Belgium Scholarships Without IELTS most often means one of two genuinely different funding routes: VLIR-UOS ICP Connect, which funds Bachelor’s and Master’s study at Flemish universities for students from 29 eligible developing countries, and WBI’s grants through the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, which actually splits into a Master’s-level grant and a completely separate postdoctoral research fellowship. Here’s each one covered accurately, including which actually let you skip a formal IELTS score and which don’t.
Quick Facts about Belgium Scholarships Without IELTS
| Program | Level | Coverage | Who It’s For |
|---|---|---|---|
| VLIR-UOS ICP Connect | Bachelor’s, Master’s, Advanced Master’s | Full tuition, travel, insurance, €1,400/month living allowance | Students from 29 eligible countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America |
| WBI Master’s Grants | Master’s | Varies — confirm directly | Bachelor’s degree holders, degree awarded within the last 5 years |
| WBI Excellence Scholarships (WBI.WORLD) | Postdoctoral | €2,120/month + return travel | Researchers who already hold a PhD, in specific technical fields |
VLIR-UOS ICP Connect Scholarships
Funded by the Flemish Interuniversity Council for University Development Cooperation (VLIR-UOS), ICP Connect is the most accessible and comprehensive Belgium scholarship for students from developing countries, covering full tuition, travel, insurance, and living costs for the entire duration of your program.
What It Covers
- Full tuition fees
- International travel
- Health insurance
- A monthly living allowance of approximately €1,400 (covering accommodation, food, and local transport)
There are no partial VLIR-UOS scholarships — every award covers the complete program length, from 12 months (advanced Master’s) up to 36 months (Bachelor’s).
Degree Levels and Duration
- Professional Bachelor’s: 3 years
- Initial Master’s: 2 years
- Advanced Master’s: 1 year
Eligible Countries You must be a national and resident of one of 29 eligible countries (nationality and residence don’t need to be the same country). The list spans Sub-Saharan Africa — including Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe — alongside countries in Asia and Latin America. Confirm the current full list on VLIR-UOS’s official page, since eligible countries can shift between cycles.
Eligibility
- Be 35 or younger for a Bachelor’s or initial Master’s program, or 45 or younger for an advanced Master’s
- Not have previously received a scholarship funded by the Belgian government
- Not have studied in Flanders before
- Preference given to candidates working in higher education, the public sector, or civil society organizations
- You may submit only one VLIR-UOS application per year — applying to more than one program can disqualify all of your applications
Do You Need IELTS? VLIR-UOS asks for proof of English proficiency through TOEFL, IELTS, “or equivalent” — so a formal test isn’t strictly the only route, but it isn’t banned either. Check your specific program’s exact accepted alternatives before assuming you can skip a test entirely.
Application Process Unlike a centralized national scholarship, you apply directly through the admissions portal of the specific Flemish university offering your chosen program, explicitly noting that you’re applying under VLIR-UOS ICP Connect. Eligible institutions include Ghent University, University of Antwerp, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Hasselt University, KU Leuven, VIVES University of Applied Sciences, and Thomas More University of Applied Sciences.
Current Deadline Status: The 2026–2027 cycle’s deadlines mostly fell between February 1 and 28, 2026 (with some programs, like the MSc in Tropical Biodiversity and Ecosystems, closing as early as November 2025) — that cycle has now closed. The next cycle (2027–2028) is expected to open around the end of October 2026, with application windows typically running November through February, results by June 2027, for a September 2027 start.
WBI Master’s Grants
Wallonia-Brussels International (WBI) offers Master’s grants to international students who already hold a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized foreign institution, to complete a Master’s degree at a higher education institution recognized by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. Your Bachelor’s (or Master’s, if applying for a further qualification) must have been awarded no more than five years before your program starts. This program is administered through Wallonie-Bruxelles Campus, a separate portal from VLIR-UOS — check their official site directly for current coverage details, as exact stipend figures weren’t consistently published across our sources for this specific grant.
WBI Excellence Scholarships (WBI.WORLD) — Postdoctoral Only
This is a distinctly different program from the Master’s grant above, and it’s easy to confuse the two since both carry the “WBI” name. WBI Excellence Scholarships fund postdoctoral research only — you need to already hold a doctoral degree to apply.
- Coverage: A net monthly scholarship of €2,120 (paid as a mobility allowance, not a salary), plus return international travel in economy class
- Duration: Minimum 1 year; doctoral-track grants can be renewed up to 3 times, postdoctoral grants can be renewed once
- Priority Fields: Transport and logistics, mechanical engineering, life sciences, agribusiness, aerospace, and environmental technologies — other fields, including basic and applied sciences, are also considered
- Eligibility: Researchers of any nationality holding a doctoral degree from a foreign institution who want to complete a postdoctoral training program at a higher education institution organized or subsidized by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation
- Deadline: Applications open annually with a cutoff around March 1 — confirm the exact current-year date directly with WBI
If you’re a current PhD student rather than already holding your doctorate, you may still be able to apply, provided you can submit evidence of successful completion of your program by a set date if selected — check the current call’s specific rules.
Required Documents (General, Confirm Per Program)
- Academic transcripts and degree certificates: Fully Funded Scholarships for International Students
- Proof of English proficiency (IELTS, TOEFL, or an accepted equivalent, depending on the program)
- A copy of your passport
- Recommendation letters: Recommendation Letter for Scholarship
- A current CV — for WBI Excellence Scholarships specifically, a brief scientific CV (maximum 5 pages) plus a list of publications where applicable
- A motivation letter
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Belgium scholarships really not require IELTS? It depends on the program. VLIR-UOS accepts IELTS, TOEFL, or an equivalent proof of English proficiency — meaning a formal test is one valid route, not something you can always skip entirely. Confirm your specific program’s accepted alternatives directly.
What’s the difference between VLIR-UOS and WBI scholarships? VLIR-UOS funds Bachelor’s and Master’s study at Flemish (Dutch-speaking) universities for students from 29 eligible developing countries. WBI funds study and research specifically in Wallonia and Brussels (French-speaking Belgium), and splits into a separate Master’s grant and a postdoctoral-only Excellence Scholarship — these are not the same program.
Can I apply for more than one VLIR-UOS program at once? No. You may only submit one VLIR-UOS application per year. Applying to more than one program can disqualify all of your applications.
Do I need a PhD to apply for WBI funding? Only for the WBI Excellence Scholarship (WBI.WORLD), which is postdoctoral-only. WBI’s separate Master’s Grants program is for Bachelor’s degree holders pursuing a Master’s degree instead.
How much is the VLIR-UOS living allowance? Approximately €1,400 per month, covering accommodation, food, and local transport, on top of full tuition, travel, and insurance coverage.
How much does the WBI Excellence Scholarship pay? €2,120 per month as a mobility allowance, plus return international travel, for a minimum of one year.
Which countries are eligible for VLIR-UOS? 29 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Check VLIR-UOS’s official current list, since eligible countries can change between cycles.
When does the next VLIR-UOS cycle open? The 2027–2028 cycle is expected to open around the end of October 2026, with most program deadlines falling between November 2026 and February 2027.
Explore More European Scholarships
This guide is part of our full Europe Scholarships hub, covering 15+ fully funded programs across the continent, from Hungary’s Stipendium Hungaricum to France’s Eiffel Excellence Scholarship. Back to the Europe Scholarships for International Students hub
Official Resources
- VLIR-UOS ICP Connect (official): vliruos.be
- WBI Master’s Grants: studyinbelgium.be
- WBI Excellence Scholarships: wbi.be