The Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven) is the oldest Catholic university in the world. Several historically renowned personas such as Erasmus, Vesalius, and Mercator had graced the halls of the 600-year old university. Its long history was not without challenges, as it had to shut down for twenty years between 1797 and 1817 due to its Catholic identity. Its reopening was marked by gradual developments in science and technology throughout the 19th century.
KU Leuven has retained its Catholic values in promoting quality education with ethical standards to prepare its students to take on their social responsibility. Its diverse course offerings are grouped into three main groups: Humanities, Biomedical Sciences, and Science and Technology, and it has consistently ranked among the top 100 universities in the world in terms of research and teaching. The university now has more than 62,000 students, and 11,000 are international students from over 140 countries.
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How do I apply to KU Leuven Scholarships?
Life in Belgium may be a bit too pricey for students from developing or low-income countries. To know what kind of scholarship to apply for, you must first check the cost of living in Belgium. Various scholarships provide any or all of the following: tuition fee reimbursement, living allowance, travel costs, health insurance coverage, and installation costs.
Admission to a degree program at KU Leuven is one of the initial requirements to apply for a scholarship. Most Bachelor’s Degree programs at the university are taught in Dutch. The minimum language requirement for such programs is level B2. You may find more information here.
Scholarships for Master’s or Ph.D. programs require applicants to have high English language proficiency. Applicants must provide certificates to prove their proficiency in English. KU Leuven accepts TOEFL, IELTS, or Cambridge English Exams results, and you may check the accepted scores here. However, scholarship providers may have different requirements. Check the language requirements before submitting your applications.
Check the eligibility criteria of the available scholarships. You may apply for more than one scholarship but may only avail yourself of one. Be sure to submit all the documentary requirements completely and on time.
KU Leuven has a supportive department for prospective international students. You may visit this page for assistance on how to go about the immigration procedures and securing entry or resident permits.
International students who don’t get enough funding to cover living costs may find job offers at the university through this link. You may find a job as long as your visa allows it.
KU Leuven Scholarships for International Students
1. VLIR-UOS ICP Scholarship
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: €1,150 allowance plus one-time payments
- Degrees Offered: Master
This KU Leuven scholarship is for students from eligible countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America who plan to take up a one-year Master of Science in Cultural Anthropology and Development Studies (CADES) or Master of Human Settlements at KU Leuven. Applicants for a two-year Master’s Degree in Food Technology, Water Resource Engineering, or Sustainable Development may also apply for the scholarship.
Successful applicants may receive a monthly allowance worth €1,150 for living costs and one-time payments for materials, travel costs, document legalization, visa application, and more. The scholarship is valid for one or two-year Master’s Degree programs related to sustainable development.
Please visit this page if you want to find out more recent updates about eligibility requirements and application procedures.
2. Science @ Leuven Scholarship
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: up to €10,000
- Degrees Offered: Master
Applicants to eligible Master’s Degree programs at KU Leuven may apply for the Science @ Leuven Scholarship worth up to €10,000 per year. Renewal of this KU Leuven scholarship for the second year of the Master’s Degree program depends on the evaluation of the scholars’ academic performance in their first year.
Be sure to meet all the admission and language requirements before applying for the scholarship. Once you have secured such requirements, follow the application procedures carefully.
3. Erasmus Mundus Nano Scholarship
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: comprehensive
- Degrees Offered: Master of Science in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
International students interested in a Master’s Degree in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology at KU Leuven may apply for the Erasmus Mundus Nano Scholarship.
This scholarship available at KU Leuven covers the €9,000 annual participation cost, €1,000 monthly living allowance for 24 months, €2,000-3,000 per year for the travel costs of students from outside the EU, and €1,000 for the installation costs of moving to Belgium.
Interested applicants may find more details on this page.
4. Taiwan Scholarship Program
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: free tuition and health insurance
- Degrees Offered: Ph.D.
The Taiwan Scholarship Program offers free tuition and health insurance coverage to qualified applicants from Taiwan planning to enter an eligible Ph.D. program at KU Leuven. The scholarship is valid for four years.
Interested applicants may check the scholarship link for the updated call for applications. More information about open Ph.D. vacancies is available on this page. You must contact a potential supervisor at the university about your target research project. You may check the application instructions on this page.
5. CSC-IMEC-KU Leuven Scholarship Program
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: comprehensive
- Degrees Offered: Ph.D. in Science and Technology
ROC residents planning to take up a Ph.D. in Science and Technology at KU Leuven may apply for a comprehensive scholarship from the China Scholarship Council (CSC). Interested applicants may check the eligibility requirements and application guidelines on the program’s official page.
This scholarship available at KU Leuven covers the tuition fees, living allowance, accommodation subsidy worth €400 per month, round trip flight tickets between China and Belgium, and health insurance. It is valid for four years.
6. Study Support Allowance
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: full tuition reimbursement and €1,500 study allowance
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor, Master
Students from non-EEA member countries who have gained admission to a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree program at the Institute of Philosophy at KU Leuven may apply for a study support allowance. Applicants must show proof of financial difficulty.
Qualified applicants may receive full tuition fee reimbursement and a study allowance worth €1,500 for one year.
International students may find more scholarship opportunities available at KU Leuven on this page.
