If you plan to study in Belgium with financial support, the KU Leuven Scholarship is one of the best opportunities for international students. This scholarship provides fully funded programs at Belgian universities across a wide range of fields. In this article, we will explain everything you need to know about the KU Leuven Scholarship, including its benefits, eligibility criteria, required documents, and a detailed step-by-step application process to help you apply successfully.
KU Leuven offers a fully funded Science@Leuven scholarship for 2026-2027 for international students. This scholarship is available for master’s studies and provides 12,000 euros to cover tuition fees, insurance, health insurance, and living expenses.
The Faculty of Science and its alumni association, Science@Leuven, are proud to announce the Science@Leuven Scholarships. Motivated and talented international students interested in participating in an international master’s program of the Faculty of Science of the KU Leuven are invited to apply for a scholarship.
KU Leuven was founded in 1425 and has been a center of learning for almost six centuries. Today, it is Belgium’s highest-ranked university as well as one of the oldest and most renowned universities in Europe. KU Leuven offers high-quality academic education to its students at a wide level.
Scholarship Summary
- Level of Study: Masters
- Institution(s): The Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
- Study Destination: Belgium
- Courses Offered:
— Master of Physics
— Master of Chemistry
— Master of Geography
— Master of Statistics
— Interuniversity Master of Geology
For more information, click here. - Deadline: February 15, 2026
Scholarship Coverage
The KU Leuven Scholarship provides the recipient with:
- The amount of the scholarship can be up to 12,000 euros for one year. The Board of the Science@Leuven Fund will decide exactly how much a scholarship will be. The scholarship will always cover the tuition fee for one year, insurance, and basic health insurance coverage. The amount awarded for living expenses can vary.
- If a student is awarded the full scholarship of 12,000 euros, it is still advisable to bring some extra money for unforeseen expenses, including books, supplies, and personal costs.
- Most master’s programs of the Faculty of Science are two-year programs. Only if the student achieves outstanding results in the first master’s year will the scholarship for the second master’s year continue.
Eligibility Criteria for the KU Leuven Scholarship
To qualify for the KU Leuven Scholarship, the candidate must fulfill all of the following requirements:
- Required Languages: English (TOEFL minimum score of 94 or IELTS minimum score of 7).
- The applicants have not studied or worked at the University of Leuven before.
- The applicants have a bachelor’s degree from a foreign university that gives them access to the master’s program they are applying for.
- The applicants have not yet acquired a master’s degree or a PhD.
- The applicants can prove excellent study results during their former training, such as achieving high grades or receiving academic honors, which demonstrate their capability and readiness for advanced studies.
- The applicants show strong motivation to follow a master’s program at the Faculty of Science of the KU Leuven.
- The applicants are willing to act as ambassadors for the program.
- The students who have been awarded a scholarship will be asked to sign a contract that stipulates the conditions of acceptance.
- For more information about eligibility requirements, click here.
- Click here to learn more about the language requirements.
How to Apply for the KU Leuven Scholarship?
Please follow the steps below to avail this scholarship:
(1) Apply for the master’s program of your choice through the application tool of KU Leuven. Please read the application instructions carefully.
(2) Upload the following information via the KU Leuven application tool:
- Please provide a comprehensive list of course titles for which you have earned credit. Indicate the course size (in ECTS credits) and the result you obtained, preferably according to the ECTS scale; if a different scale is used, please provide a summary explanation of the meaning of the scores.
- Provide a short (about one-half to one page) description according to the standard guidelines for an ECTS study guide for the courses that you deem most relevant for the master’s that you are considering.
- Two reference letters from internationally renowned professors;
- Include a letter that expresses your motivation for the program.
(3) When you have completed and submitted your application for the master’s program, you will get a message on the screen that you have successfully applied.
IMPORTANT! Please capture a screenshot of this message. You will have to upload the screenshot when you register for the Science@Leuven Scholarship.
(4) Apply for the Science@Leuven Scholarship via this link.
(5) Your registration is complete after you have received an email stating that you have been registered for the Science@Leuven Scholarship.
Important Notice
- Only students who have complied with all the above requirements will be considered for the scholarship!
- You can apply for the scholarship immediately after you have applied for a certain program; you do not need to wait until you are accepted into the master’s program. However, your scholarship application will be considered only if you are accepted into the master’s program.
- You can find more details about the application process here.
Websites
To learn more about the KU Leuven Scholarship, please visit the official website: