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The Inter-faculty Council for Development Cooperation invites applications from deserving students from developing countries for the 2014/15 IRO Doctoral Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded to enable them do their PhD in the largest university of Flanders, Belgium. The programme is organized and managed by the Interfaculty Council for Development Cooperation.
The PhD holders are expected to return home after completing their academics to help in their home countries either in university academic research or in various sectors of industry.
Worth of Awards
Doctoral student:
- Monthly basic amount:, € 1,383 (75% of the net salary of an assistant),
- with accompanying partner (and children), Housing allowance of € 200/month
- Social security* covering health insurance, child allowance, occupational hazard and occupational illness. Coverage by social security*
- Tuition fee: Waived
- Affiliation with a Belgian Health Insurance company: Reimbursed by KU Leuven
- Third-party liability insurance (private life): Reimbursed by KU Leuven
- Professional and accident insurance coverage
- third party liability insurance (study related matters and for professional liability: Paid by KU Leuven
- Return flight tickets for the whole family after completion of the doctorate: Paid by KU Leuven
Pre-Doctoral Student:
- Monthly basic amount: € 900
- with accompanying partner (and children), Housing allowance of € 200/month
- Social security* covering health insurance, child allowance, occupational hazard and occupational illness. No Coverage by social security*
- Tuition fee: Waived
- Affiliation with a Belgian Health Insurance company: Reimbursed by KU Leuven
- Third-party liability insurance (private life): Reimbursed by KU Leuven
- Professional and accident insurance coverage
- third party liability insurance (study related matters and for professional liability: Paid by KU Leuven
- Return flight tickets for the whole family after completion of the doctorate: Paid by KU Leuven
Eligibility
- The applicant must be a citizen of one of the countries on the OECD DAC table that are listed under the following categories: Least Developed Countries, Low Income Countries or Low Middle Income Countries. The applicant must not possess dual citizenship, where the second citizenship is from an EU country.
- The time period between the date of completion of your MA degree and the date of submission of your scholarship application can be no more than ten years.
- Excellent academic results
- Excellent research project
- Proof of embedness in the South and motivation in the framework of development cooperation
- Excellent recommendations
Research Topics:Applicants for the IRO Doctoral Scholarship Programme may choose a research topic proposed by one of the KU Leuven Doctoral Schools or applicants may propose their own research topic.
The research topics proposed by the KU Leuven Doctoral Schools can be found on their respective websites:
- Humanities and Social Sciences
- Science, Engineering and Technology
- Biomedical Sciences
- Applicants proposing their own research topic are asked to contact a professor at KU Leuven to discuss the opportunities for pursuing doctoral studies with their proposed research topic. Within the websites of the three Doctoral Schools, namely “Humanities and Social Sciences”, “Science, Engineering and Technology” and “Biomedical Sciences”, you can find out which KU Leuven professors do research on which topics.
- Alternatively, you may also visit the webpages of the faculties or departments in order to get an idea of the faculty members’ research interests. The contact information for each professor is provided accordingly.
- The personal research proposal must be original and innovative. Moreover, the proposal must be clear, goal-oriented and feasible, meaning that it must be possible to complete the research within a maximum of four years.
- Applicants who choose to propose their own research topic as well as applicants who choose to work on one of the KU Leuven Doctoral School research topics are required to further elaborate on the proposal in depth by using this form.
Applicants who are already enrolled in a doctoral programme at KU Leuven will only need to prepare the detailed progress report as defined in their Doctoral School. The report must be signed by the promoter and the members of the examination committee of the doctoral student.
How to Apply
Online application:
- Complete the online application form accurately and fully. Please read the instructions carefully on how to download, fill in and send the application form. Please note the instructions about uploading PDF documents and sending the certified copies of diplomas and transcripts of records in hard copy.
- Please note that the system only accepts one application form per faculty. Even though your research topic may be different and your prospective promoter may be different within the same faculty, you still can submit only one application for the first research topic and promoter, and you will have to contact the case administrator to inform her that you want to apply for a second topic and with a different promoter within the same faculty.
Documents to upload and submit:
- The elaboration form of your Research Proposal signed by the appropriate professors. (Applicants who are already enrolled in a doctoral programme at KU Leuven will only need to prepare the detailed progress report as defined in their Doctoral School. The report must be signed by the promoter and the members of the examination committee of the doctoral student.)
- Your personal motivation and the development relevance of your research proposal making use of this form. Herein the applicant must explain how the research proposal can be approached and treated in a manner relevant to development cooperation.
- Two letters of recommendation by persons other than your (prospective) promoter and local co-promoter, who are qualified to assess your academic capabilities. The two letters of recommendation should be submitted in sealed envelopes and sent directly by the referees to International Admissions and Mobility, KU Leuven, Atrecht College, Naamsestraat 63 – bus 5410, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium before January 15.
- Certificate of English proficiency, for instance a TOEFL score or an IELTS score or results of an equivalent test (only for new students who have not yet been enrolled at KU Leuven). The TOEFL or IELTS score should be sent to International Admissions and Mobility by ETS or by The British Council, respectively, before January 15.
- Only for applicants for the doctoral programme in economics or applied economics: a GMAT or GRE score (for a GMAT score, please contact GMAC [code JQH7X51] and arrange for an original score card to be sent directly to International Admissions and Mobility by ETS or GMAC, respectively, before January 15.
- Copies of applications for other scholarships, if any
Deadline: Application closes on January 5, 2014
For more details and to apply online click here