ARES International Training Scholarships 2027-2028

ARES is offering international training scholarships for the 2027-2028 academic year. These scholarships allow students to pursue a one-year bachelor’s or master’s degree, or a 6-month continuing education course, at an institution within the Wallonia-Brussels Federation in Belgium. The program is part of a five-year initiative from 2027-2032, aimed at deepening skills in development-related themes.

This is a fully-funded scholarship. It covers international travel expenses, a living allowance, and insurance costs. For bachelor’s and specialized master’s degrees, it also covers exceptional costs related to visa applications and registration fees. For continuing education courses, indirect assignment costs are covered.

Applicants must be permanent residents and working in one of the 32 eligible countries, which includes Ethiopia. An exception is made for people of Palestinian nationality. Candidates must hold a higher education diploma and meet the specific admission requirements of their chosen course, as detailed on the ARES website. The relevant academic degree must have been obtained a maximum of 20 years prior to the start of the training, with an additional year allowed per delivery and/or adoption. Applicants must demonstrate at least two years of relevant professional experience in one of the eligible countries, gained after their last graduate degree and before the application deadline. The application must be completed in the language of the training, and applicants must have good written and spoken knowledge of that language. While not mandatory, a basic knowledge of French is recommended for daily life in Belgium. Only one course application is permitted per candidate.

Required documents are not explicitly listed but typically include a higher education diploma, proof of professional experience (at least two years post-graduation), and evidence of language proficiency in the training language. Specific admission requirements for the chosen course must also be met.

Applicants must first create or use an existing GIRAF account, which needs to be validated by ARES. Once logged into GIRAF, navigate to “Competitive calls” and click on the “Application – International Training 2027-2028” button. The application form can be completed and saved in multiple sessions by clicking “Save as draft.” Mandatory fields, marked with an asterisk, must be completed before the initial save. To resume an application, go to “Competitive Calls” > “My Tasks,” select the form, and click “Open.” Once the application is complete, click “Submit my application.”

Once an application has been submitted, it cannot be modified. It will then be available under “Competitive Calls” > “My Submitted Files.”