KU Leuven Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Programme 2023

As one of its contributions to development cooperation, every academic year KU Leuven selects exceptional students from developing countries as scholarship candidates to obtain their PhD from the largest university of Belgium. The Global Minds Programme is managed by IRO, the university’s Interfaculty Council for Development Cooperation.

The aim is to give students the opportunity to conduct PhD research in a ‘sandwich’ system, which means that 50% of the research takes place at KU Leuven and 50% at the home institution of the scholar, supported by a local co-promoter. The PhD degree is awarded by KU Leuven.

About KU Leuven

KU Leuven (or Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) is a Catholic research university in the city of Leuven, Belgium. It conducts teaching, research, and services in computer science, engineering, natural sciences, theology, humanities, medicine, law, canon law, business, and social sciences. In addition to its main campus in Leuven, it has satellite campuses in Kortrijk, Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, Ostend, Geel, Diepenbeek, Aalst, Sint-Katelijne-Waver, and in Belgium's capital Brussels.KU Leuven is the larg... read more

KU Leuven Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Programme

Aim and Benefits of KU Leuven Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Programme

• The scholarship covers tuition fee, monthly allowance, insurance, travel costs, research allowance, etc.

Requirements for KU Leuven Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Programme Qualification

• The applicant must be a citizen of one of the countries included in this list.
• Candidates who hold citizenship of the EU will not be selected. The same applies to applicants with a long-term EU residence permit.
• The candidate's latest Master’s degree must have been awarded no more than ten years prior to 1 October 2023 (including the ongoing calendar year).
• The candidate must have been awarded an academic grade equivalent to High Distinction or higher. Degrees obtained with a final score equivalent to second class second/lower division will not be taken into consideration.
• The research project must be of excellent academic quality, with a special focus on the development relevance of the proposal.
• The research project must have a clear time frame indicating how the research periods at KU Leuven and at the home institution will alternate (a maximum period of 12 months at the home institution should alternate with a maximum period of 12 months at KU Leuven).
• The candidate must be formally affiliated to a university in the home country. In case the candidate has no such affiliation yet, she/he is eligible to apply to this scholarship programme but will only be granted the scholarship once such an affiliation is obtained.
• The applicant’s home university must demonstrate sufficient financial support for the doctoral project, guaranteeing that the candidate receives financial means, through a fully funded full-time position including social security coverage similar to that of staff members at the same level and with the same qualifications within the home institution. The home institution must also guarantee, in writing, that the candidate can dedicate himself/herself sufficiently to conducting doctoral research during the periods spent at the home institution. As will be stipulated in the contract, at least 80% of the time spent at the home institution should be dedicated to conducting the doctoral research. Candidates who are not yet affiliated to a university in their home country should present a Letter of Intent from the home institution signaling that the candidate will be recruited and given the assignment to conduct the doctoral research at that institution. The scholarship will only be granted once the candidate is formally affiliated to a university in the home country and when, consequently, that university can demonstrate sufficient support.
•  Candidates who are already enrolled as PhD-students at KU Leuven and who are financed by KU Leuven are not eligible for this programme. They may be eligible for the PhD Scholarships for Researchers from the South though.
•  Candidates who have been employed before in an EEA country other than Belgium are not eligible for this scholarship. They may be eligible for the PhD Scholarships for Researchers from the South though.
•  The candidate must demonstrate a development-oriented motivation.
• The candidate must be supported by a KU Leuven supervisor.
• The candidate must be supported by a local co-supervisor at her/his home university.
•  The candidate must demonstrate excellent recommendations from at least two relevant referees.
•  The candidate must follow the 2-step application procedure. In order to be able to apply for a KU Leuven Global Minds Doctoral Scholarship, approval to enroll as a doctoral student at KU Leuven must be obtained first. We strongly recommend to start this procedure at least 1.5 months before the deadline (March 9, 2023), (procedures started too late may not be evaluated in time by the doctoral committees or doctoral schools!).
• The application deadline is March 09, 2023 at 05.00 PM GMT. Applications are submitted using a digital application form (available as soon as possible – see the Scholarship Application Form). On this form you will find further specifications (about the number of pages, language, attachments, and so on).
• The candidate has read and agreed to the Regulations, Obligations and Conditions for Terminating the KU Leuven Global Minds Doctoral Scholarship. The candidate must also conform to the Internal Regulations for the Awarding of PhD Scholarships at KU Leuven (please consult your promotor on this).
• Candidates are asked not to submit their application unless it fulfils the conditions listed above. Incomplete or late applications will not be taken into consideration. No exceptions will be made.

Documents Required for Application

• The candidate's CV, utilising the Europass format
• The candidate's bibliography, utilising this form
• The local co-supervisor's CV
• the research proposal (6 pages at the most), containing the following sections:
• Proposed outline of the dissertation: provisional description of the objective(s) of the doctoral dissertation (research plan), the methodology, and any previously accomplished research related to the present proposal.
• Proposed research timeline: clearly indicate the way in which the research periods alternate between stays at KU Leuven and stays at your home university, so as to obtain a ‘balanced’ sandwich system in line with the research objectives. The scholarship covers a doctoral research trajectory of a maximum of 48 months. Of those 48 months, 24 months maximum must be spent at the KU Leuven; at least 24 months must be spent at the home university, financially covered by that home institution. The maximum duration of a single research stay at either university is 12 consecutive months, after which the next stay has to take place at the other university. Within these limits, the candidate is free to develop the timeline.
• Indicate to which degree the proposed project fits in with the scientific activities of your local promoter.
• Indicate the development relevance of the proposal.
• A tentative bibliography of the most relevant sources.
• The motivation letter (3 pages at the most), containing the following sections:
  • Describe the development problem you wish to target.
  • Describe in what way your project is relevant to the development of your region/country, and how the interests/needs of all stakeholders involved will be taken into account. State the applicability and possible short and medium-term benefits of the results of your research for the wider society (economy, social, environment, public health, etc.) in the developing country, and how you plan to disseminate those results locally.
  • Describe your personal motivation. Why did you choose the proposed subject?
  • What are your plans after graduation? In which way will the proposed PhD influence your professional career?
  • Describe your current affiliation and possible future affiliation with your home institution.
  • Describe how your research will contribute to the capacity building of your home university.
• The proof of the candidate's affiliation to the home university: with the original, hand-written signature from the authority that can confirm this affiliation.
• • Candidates who are not yet affiliated to a university in their home country should present a Letter of Intent from the home institution stating that the candidate will be recruited and given the assignment to conduct the doctoral research at that institution. The scholarship will only be granted once the candidate is formally affiliated to a university in the home country and when, consequently, that university can demonstrate sufficient support. 
• The home institution must also guarantee, in writing, that the candidate can dedicate himself/herself sufficiently to conducting doctoral research during the periods spent at the home institution. As will be stipulated in the contract, at least 80% of the time spent at the home institution should be dedicated to conducting the doctoral research.
  • Candidates who are not yet affiliated to a university in their home country should present a Letter of Intent from the home institution stating that the candidate will be recruited and given the assignment to conduct the doctoral research at that institution. The scholarship will only be granted once the candidate is formally affiliated to a university in the home country and when, consequently, that university can demonstrate sufficient support.
• A certified copy of the candidate's contract with the home institution (employment contract, scholarship agreement or any other agreement confirming the fully funded full-time position as a staff member including social security coverage).
• • Candidates who are not yet affiliated to a university in their home country should present a Letter of Intent from the home institution stating that the candidate will be recruited and given the assignment to conduct the doctoral research at that institution. The scholarship will only be granted once the candidate is formally affiliated to a university in the home country and when, consequently, that university can demonstrate sufficient support.
• Two recommendation letters by external, relevant referees (that is: not by your supervisor or local co-supervisor). Please use this form only.

Candidates will only be informed of their results at the end of the selection process. Rejected applications cannot be appealed under any circumstance.

Application Deadline

How to Apply

There are two steps in the application procedure. (1) First the candidate should obtain admission to a doctoral or predoctoral programme. (2) Once this admission has been obtained, the candidate can apply for the KU Leuven Global Minds Doctoral Scholarship. As a result, being admitted to a doctoral or predoctoral programme does not automatically imply one has also obtained a scholarship.

1. Applying for admission to a doctoral or predoctoral programme

In order to be able to apply for a GM scholarship, candidates must first obtain admission to a (pre-)doctoral programme.

Please follow the online application instructions accurately.

Make sure to obtain admission early. We strongly suggest you obtain the admission 1.5 months ahead of the deadline of the PhD scholarship call (Marc 09, 2023). If the application procedure is started too late, the application file may not be evaluated in time.

For questions regarding the application procedure, please contact [email protected].

Incomplete applications will not be considered. No exceptions will be made.

2. Applying for a KU Leuven Global Minds Doctoral Scholarship

Once a candidate has received admission to a doctoral or predoctoral programme, his or her supervisor can apply for a KU Leuven Global Minds Doctoral Scholarship.

Applications must be submitted by using the digital application form (online soon), wich is to be filled out by the supervisor.

In this form you will find further specifications (about the number of pages, language, attachments, and so on).

For more details,visit  KU Leuven website