Applications are open for the KU Leuven Scholarship for Africa for the 2027-2028 academic year. South African applicants may qualify if they meet the nationality, residence, academic and programme requirements. The award provides a tuition fee waiver and €4,000 for the full duration of the programme. Apply for an eligible master's programme and complete the separate scholarship candidacy registration by 15 January 2027, 23.59 CET.
Closing date: 15 January 2027, 23.59 CET
At a glance
- Sponsor/host: KU Leuven International Scholarship Fund
- Opportunity type: International master's scholarship
- Who it’s for: Outstanding applicants who are nationals of an eligible African country, including South Africa, reside in an eligible country when applying, and seek admission to an eligible KU Leuven master's programme for 2027-2028.
- Study level: Master's and advanced master's
- Location: KU Leuven, Belgium
- Academic year: 2027-2028
- Closing date: 15 January 2027, 23.59 CET
- Last verified: 2026-11-04
High-value notes (read this first)
South African nationality qualifies, but applicants must also reside in an eligible country when applying.
The scholarship is available for eligible master's programmes; bridging and distance-learning programmes are excluded.
KU Leuven lists one award. It waives tuition for the programme duration, but recipients still pay an annual €140 administration fee.
The €4,000 scholarship covers the full programme duration; the page does not state it as an annual payment.
One application procedure also considers eligible applicants for the Inspiring the Outstanding Scholarship and the Flemish Government's Master Mind Scholarship.
Applicants whose first language is not English must take the required language test before the deadline; results may be submitted afterward.
About the sponsor
KU Leuven is a higher education institution that offers master's programmes and administers scholarships for students seeking to study there. The KU Leuven Scholarship for Africa is financed by the KU Leuven International Scholarship Fund, which the university says is supported by donations from the KU Leuven community. The fund supports an outstanding African student entering an eligible master's programme, including qualifying applicants from South Africa.
What it covers
Full tuition fee waiver for the programme duration, with an annual administration fee of €140 still payable, plus a €4,000 scholarship for the full programme duration. The university lists one available scholarship.
Eligible fields
- Eligible master's programmes at KU Leuven; check the official 2027-2028 programme list.
Eligibility
- Be a national of an eligible country, including South Africa, and reside in an eligible country at the time of application.
- Apply for an eligible KU Leuven master's programme for the 2027-2028 academic year. Bridging and distance-learning programmes are excluded.
- Demonstrate a high level of academic performance and potential, reflected in a high GPA on the transcript of records.
- Have previous degrees from a higher education institution outside Flanders. The page makes an exception for international students who completed credit mobility at a Flemish higher education institution.
- If your first language is not English, demonstrate good command of English. The language test must be taken before the application deadline, though results may be submitted later. The page lists an exemption for applicants who completed an English-taught programme in Australia, English-speaking Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States.
- Applicants already enrolled at a Flemish higher education institution are generally ineligible, subject to the specific preparatory-programme exception stated on KU Leuven's page.
- The scholarship cannot be combined with another scholarship offered by KU Leuven, Belgian national or regional governments, or the European Commission.
Documents to prepare
- KU Leuven Scholarships & Master Mind Candidacy Form, included as an annex to the programme application and uploaded under the document type Annexe.
- A complete application file for an eligible master's programme. The scholarship page does not specify the full programme-specific document checklist.
- English-language test results, if required. The test must be taken before the application deadline, but results may be submitted after it.
Closing date
15 January 2027, 23.59 CET
Common mistakes to avoid
- Do not assume every master's programme qualifies: check KU Leuven's eligible-programme list for 2027-2028.
- Bridging and distance-learning programmes are excluded.
- Applicants must be nationals of an eligible country and reside in an eligible country when applying.
- The scholarship application requires both a complete eligible-programme application and a separate online scholarship candidacy registration by the deadline.
- The award cannot be combined with scholarships offered by KU Leuven, Belgian national or regional governments, or the European Commission.
How this opportunity was verified
Verified against KU Leuven's official scholarship page on 4 November 2026. The page confirms the 2027-2028 cycle, South African eligibility, current application window, award details and application steps.
How to apply
- Check that your intended master's programme is on KU Leuven's eligible-programme list for 2027-2028.
- Submit a complete application file for that programme by 15 January 2027 at 23.59 CET. Include the KU Leuven Scholarships & Master Mind Candidacy Form as an annex and upload it under the document type Annexe.
- Register your scholarship candidacy through KU Leuven's online registration tool by 15 January 2027 at 23.59 CET.
- If nominated, follow KU Leuven's instructions for the next selection stage, which requires a one-minute motivational video by 16 March 2027.