During its meeting of 23 May 2001, the Board of Directors decided that special measures would be taken to provide postgraduate scholarships to candidates from developing countries who wish to obtain a master’s degree at Ghent University.

In view of the changes in the Flemish Higher Education System the information in the call for applications has been adjusted at the Executive Committee meeting of 9 November 2006. Each year, a maximum of 10 scholarships can be awarded.

Scholarship type and duration
The master scholarships are awarded for the duration of the studies, aiming at the delivery of a Ghent University diploma after max. 2 years of study. The scholarship is in principle paid for the total duration of the studies. In case of a 2-year study programme, the 2nd year will be paid upon successful completion of the first year (minimum 60 credits)

Eligible Master programmes for the Master Grants
Faculty of Sciences

• Marine Biodiversity and Conservation (Erasmus Mundus) (Higher tuition fee)
• Master of Nematology
• Erasmus Mundus - European Master of Science in Nematology (Higher tuition fee)
• Master of Physical Land Resources
• Master of Biochemistry and Biotechnology
• Master of Geology
• Master of Statistical Data Analysis
• Master of Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management

Faculty of Engineering

• International Master of Science in Fire Safety Engineering (Higher tuition fee)
• Master of Textile Engineering
• Master of Nuclear Engineering (Acceptance to the programme is based on the review of a formal application to BNEN Secretariat)

Faculty of Bioscience Engineering

• Master of Aquaculture (ICP)
• Master of Environmental Sanitation (ICP)
• Master of Food Technology (ICP)
• Master of Nutrition and Rural Development; Human Nutrition (ICP)
• Master of Nutrition and Rural Development; Rural Economics and Management (ICP)
• Master of Nutrition and Rural Development; Tropical Agriculture (ICP)
• International Master of Rural Development (Higher tuition fee)
• Master of Technology for Integrated Water Management (Higher tuition fee)

Eligibility criteria
Degree
Applicants for master’s programmes should already have obtained a bachelor degree when they submit the application.

Nationality
The applicants must come from and should be nationals of one of the developing countries on the Master Grants country list. Priority, however, will be given to the categories on the country list with the lowest levels of development and income. Priority will also be given to students applying for an ICP-programme whose country is not on the VLIR-country list but on the UGent list.

Language and proficiency
The application is to be made in English. The applicant should have a very good command of the English language.

Applicants who already received a Master Grant in the past, are not eligible.

Selection procedure
Eligibility check
Application files that do not comply with all eligibility criteria or submission requirements, will not be considered for selection.

Selection Committee
The Council for Development Cooperation (COS or Commissie Ontwikkelingssamenwerking) makes a selection of the applications based in part on the recommendations obtained from a working group of this Council and proceeds to formulate well-founded recommendations to the Executive Committee of Ghent University.

Selection criteria
The recommendations are based on:

• The qualifications of the applicant for the master grant (this also implies that the chances of overly qualified candidates might increase);
• Students who successfully follow the first year of a Master Grant programme at Ghent University may have a higher chance of selection;
• There is no strict age limit, altough applicants below 40 years are preferred;
• The significance of the master’s programme for the student’s country;
• Validation of the knowledge in the student’s country;
• The student’s nationality. In the event of equal rankings on the basis of the quality of the file, priority will be given to the categories on the Master Grants country list with the lowest level of development and income. Priority will also be given to students applying for an ICP-programme whose country is not on the VLIR-UOS country list but on the Master Grants country list;
• The motivation of the applicant.
• IMPORTANT selection criterium: Proof of relation with UGent: Demonstrate that the university of your studies, your current or future employer has a relation with Ghent University (former or current). For example: staff exchange, research projects, publications, etc.

For Ghent University it’s important that for the type of grants you are applying for, the students will return to their home country upon their study and add to the UGent international network in developing countries. Therefore as a prerequisite we ask that you can demonstrate that the university of your studies, your current or your future employer has already a former or current relation with UGent. It’s an asset if this is in the field of your study, but if there’s already collaboration in another field, that’s also good.

In view of the extremely high number of Master Grant applications we normally receive, your application will not be eligible if there’s no relation at all. It’s up to the applicant to add documents or letters that support this institutional link.

Funding
The scholarship consists of an allowance of €1000 per month and the yearly tuition fee with a maximum of 80€. Once you get an intstallation fee of 500€. In case of increased tuition fee for the master’s programme, Ghent University will only reimburse the refundable part. Airline ticket and visa costs are carried by the student.

Deadline and decision
Deadline
New students: 23rd of December 2011

Students already in their first Master at Ghent University and students already having official admission to Ghent University:

• time till the first of March 2012 to ask for the application form
• time till 31st of March 2012 to send the soft and hard copy of the filled in application form
  

Decision
The final decision will be taken on the first Council for Development Cooperation following on the 30th of April 2012.

If you would have more questions, send an e-mail to developmentcooperation@UGent.be

Application new students
New students, which are students who never applied before for a Master Grant, need to take the following steps:

1) Send an e-mail to admission@UGent.be with the following information:

• Title of your e-mail: Admission - Master Grant 2012-2013
• Content of your e-mail
  • Your first and last name (surname) separately
  • The complete postal address
  • The date and place of birth
  • The programme you are applying for
  • A confirmation that you have read, understood and accept the admission requirements

2) The application form will be sent by e-mail to you after an application file has been opened in our database.

3) Send your completed application form together with all the required documents before the 23rd of December 2011 to the International Admission Desk. Postmark date will serve as proof.

If the outcome is successful, then the International Admissions Desk will forward the application and letter of admission to the Department of Research Affairs. No further action needs to be taken by the applicant.

Once the Research Coordination Office gets your application from the International Admissions Desk, you will be informed by e-mail.

Application students already in their first Master at Ghent University
Send an e-mail to developmentcooperation@UGent.be with the following information before the 1st of March 2012:

• Your full name
• The complete postal address
• The date and place of birth
• The programme you are applying for
• A scan of your admission letter

You will receive an e-mail of confirmation and an application form.

You’ll have the time till the 31st of March of 2012 to bring or to send the hard copy.

Application students already having official admission to Ghent University
Send an e-mail to developmentcooperation@UGent.be with the following information before the 1st of March 2012:

• Your full name
• The complete postal address
• The date and place of birth
• The programme you are applying for
• A scan of your admission letter

You will receive an e-mail of confirmation and an application form.

You’ll have the time till the 31st of March of 2012 to bring or to send the hard copy.

For more information, please visit official website: www.ugent.be.

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