Are you a citizen of one of the ARES partner nations? Have you completed any college? Do you have professional experience and want to hone your knowledge in the field of development?

With the help of the ARES scholarships, you may enroll in a 2- to 6-month continuing education course or a 1-year advanced bachelor’s or master’s degree program at a university in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation of Belgium.

Scholarships 2024-2025

The call for applications for the academic year 2024-2025 is now open.

Opening: 15 September 2023.

Deadline: 17 November 2023 at 12 pm.

Want to apply? The application procedure is ONLY online via the GIRAF platform.

Which training courses are available?

The ARES 2022-2027 cooperation program offers three types of international training scholarships.

• Advanced bachelor’s and master’s degrees are inter-institutional training programs organized in one academic year at the end of which an academic degree is awarded.
• Continuing education programs are more practical and of shorter duration (2 to 6 months). They deliver a certificate.

Advanced Bachelor’s programs for 2024-2025

• Bachelier de spécialisation en Business Data Analysis

Advanced Master’s programs for 2024-2025

• Master de spécialisation en droits humains
• Master de spécialisation en gestion des risques et des catastrophes à l’ère de l’anthropocène
• Master de spécialisation en gestion intégrée des risques sanitaires
• Specialized Master in International and Development Economics
• Specialized Master in Microfinance
• Specialized Master in Public Health Methodology
• Master de spécialisation en sciences de la santé publique – analyse et évaluation des politiques programmes et systèmes de santé internationale
• Master de spécialisation en transport et logistique
• Master de spécialisation – Design d’innovation sociale
• Master de spécialisation en Nexus Eau-Énergie-Alimentation

Continuing education programs 2024-2025

• Formation continue en science des données pour la santé mondiale
• Formation continue en pédagogie universitaire numérique
• Certificat interuniversitaire et interdisciplinaire en justices transitionnelles
• Formation continue – Comprendre et gérer les dimensions humaines des projets de changement en développement durable
• Formations continues en assurance qualité et contrôle en qualité des médicaments et produits de santé
• Formation continue en système d’information géographique libre

Benefits

Each year, The ARES awards an average of 130 scholarships Master’s and Bachelor’s scholarship and 70 Countinuing education scholarships to nationals of its partner countries.

 Amounts for a Continuing education scholarship

Selection criteria

For each training, a deliberative jury is organized to carry out the selection process. The ARES provides the selection panel with the authority to evaluate the applications’ compliance with the common selection criteria described below, either individually or in combination. Additional criteria may also be applied for each training, which are announced on the training description page.

Quality of the academic curriculum

The academic quality of applications is evaluated on the basis of diplomas, lists of courses completed, results, teaching or research activities, and publications.

For degree programs, priority will be given to applicants who have not yet completed a degree with equivalent skills, except under exceptional circumstances duly justified in the application file.

The benefit of previous scholarships

Priority will be given to applicants who have not yet received an ARES scholarship in Belgium.

Professional experience

ARES gives priority to people who, after their university studies, have had the opportunity to work in a profession related to development issues. The social impact of the professional experience is an element of appreciation.

Membership in a partner institution

Individuals who work in an institution with which ARES has a partnership, either in the context of institutional support or in the context of a research for development or southern training project, are given priority in case of equality over the other selection criteria.

The potential of people to be actors of change in their own society

Applications from candidates who have demonstrated a commitment to development, in addition to their academic qualities, will receive special attention. This commitment should be shown through working with disadvantaged social groups to find effective ways to defend and promote their interests.

Nationality criteria

ARES wishes to diversify the geographical origin of its recipients. It ensures that there is no over-representation of any nationality in the international training programs.

Gender

In the selection process, it is important to adhere to the cascade effect for gender. This means that the number of women selected should be equal to or greater than the proportion of women who submit applications that are deemed to be of satisfactory quality.

If this cascade effect is not respected, the selection must be justified accordingly.

ARES guarantees the possibility of deferring a grant in case of pregnancy (for men and women).

The ability (personal and professional) to ensure a transfer of the knowledge and skills acquired by the scholarship holders.

It is necessary to ensure that the applicant will return to their country of origin or another developing country, and will be able to use the skills they acquired in Belgium to contribute to development efforts. This can be achieved through a work contract or a formal promise of commitment to a development project, which will have a multiplying effect. Maximum guarantees should be provided to ensure successful reintegration.

Documents 

• 2 letters of recommendation (academic and/or professional);
• Certified copies of the original diplomas;
• Certified copies of the original transcripts for all years;
• Proof of occupation for the last 5 years;
• Certificate of nationality or copy of passport;
• Pre-project (for certain courses – see the admission conditions specific to the courses).

Applying for an ARES scholarship is completely free. ARES does not charge fees at any stage of the application nor selection process. You may inform us via e-mail at [email protected] of any problems with individuals or companies claiming to represent ARES and request any payment.

How to Apply

For more information please visit the official website