Scholarships

Fully-Funded KU Leuven Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Programme: DEADLINE IS TODAY, APPLY NOW!

Apply for Fully Funded KU Leuven Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Programme

Location

Brussels, Belgium

Target Audience

International

Host Organization

KU Leuven University

Application Deadline: 9 March 2023

Welcome to the KU Leuven Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Programme!

As one of its contributions to Global Development, every academic year KU Leuven selects exceptional scholars from institutions in the Global South as scholarship candidates to obtain their PhD from the largest university in Belgium. The KU Leuven Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Programme is managed by the university’s Interfaculty Council for Global Development.

The aim of the Global Minds Doctoral Scholarship is to give scholars the opportunity to conduct 4 years of PhD research in a ‘sandwich’ system, which means that maximum 50% of the research is financed by and takes place at KU Leuven, whereas at least 50% takes place and is financed by the home institution of the scholar, supported by a local co-promoter. Thus, as partners, both the KU Leuven and the home institution co-finance the research. KU Leuven, however, additionally offers a supervision allowance to the local co-promotor at the home institution and to the promotor at KU Leuven.

Candidates have to be assigned by the home institution and receive sufficient financial backing from that institution so as to pursue the research in an effective manner. This ensures that the candidate is embedded strongly in the home country and can, after obtaining the PhD, contribute to local capacity building.

The PhD degree is awarded by KU Leuven.

The Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships are offered to excellent proposals that deal with a development-relevant research topic, preferably linked to one or more of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Having obtained their doctoral degree from KU Leuven, the PhD holders are expected to mobilise their expertise at the university in their home country so as to help strengthen that institution’s capacity.

KU Leuven is situated at about twenty kilometers from Brussels, the capital of both Belgium and Europe. It is the oldest university of the Low Countries. As such, it has a long-standing tradition of hospitality towards students and scholars from abroad. Currently, more than 11,000 international students (about 18% of the total number of students at KU Leuven) have found their home away from home in Leuven

Applying for a KU Leuven Global Minds Doctoral Scholarship

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 admissions.phd@kuleuven.be.

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.

The deadline is March 09, 2023 at 05.00PM GMT.

Applications must be submitted by using the digital application form, 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).

The main elements of the scholarship application are:

  • 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.

VISIT THE OFFICIAL PAGE HERE AND APPLY

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