Master Mind Scholarships Requirements and Application

This blog post illustrates the requirements and application process needed to apply for the Master Mind Scholarships. If you are seeking scholarship opportunities to study abroad, then you have come to the right place.

What are Master Mind Scholarships?

Master Mind Scholarships is one of the scholarships offered by the Flemish Ministry of Education and training to bright students who wish to pursue their undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs at the Flemish University.

The Scholarship is made available to international students all over the globe who wish to gain admission into the university.

Flanders, the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium, is a great place to choose as your study destination.

The Flemish Ministry of Education has a section called The Department of Education and Training of the Flemish Community of Belgium. The Department supports the Flemish Minister of Education with policy development, ranging from early childhood to lifelong learning.

Education in Belgium, particularly in Flanders, is often considered to be of high quality.

The Flemish Ministry of Education and Training awards scholarships to highly Outstanding international students who want to study a master’s program at a Flemish university, a school of arts, or the Antwerp Maritime Academy.

There are various reasons why studying at one of the Flemish higher institutions in Flanders or Brussels is a smart choice.

The reasons are stated below:

Excellent Higher Education

The Flemish universities have developed many inventions, such as:

  • Genetic transformation of plants
  • Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) for securing digital information, e.g. on the internet, smartphones, and online banking
  • NarcoReader, an electrochemical sensor for border control to detect drugs, chemicals, explosives
  • Immunotherapy, using the patient’s immune system to destroy cancer
  • Fibricheck, a smartphone app to check the heart rhythm and detect irregularities
  • The universities of applied sciences (and arts) offer practice-based degrees of high quality, using state-of-the-art teaching methods, including compulsory internships, in Belgium or abroad.

These inventions Make their level of education of very high quality.

Excellent Price/Quality Ratio

Access to higher education is strongly valued in Flanders. All initial bachelor’s and master’s programs offered at public institutions are subsidized by the Flemish government, making tuition fees affordable.

The Flemish Community has a world-class education system, while fees are relatively low. You will get excellent value for money

Open and Multilingual Society

Flanders and Brussels boast a high level of diversity on and off-campus. Brussels is the second most diverse city in the world, after Dubai.

Belgians in general are known for being open-minded and interested in meeting people of different backgrounds. English is widely spoken, on top of the three official languages: Dutch, French, and German.

Flemish Higher Education welcomes more and more international students, which results in an increasingly multicultural and international campus environment. In 2020, 12% of international students are enrolled in Flemish Higher Education.

Economically Strong Region

Flanders has a strong, export-oriented, innovation-driven, globalized economy. The port of Antwerp is the second-largest in Europe.

Besides big companies, Flanders has more than 600 000 small and medium enterprises, including spinoffs, startups, and scaleups.

Flanders is also a pole of attraction for foreign companies. Thanks to its central location in Europe, our strongly developed infrastructure, our innovative clusters, and our efficiency, setting up a business in Flanders takes only four days.

Brussels is home to more than 2 000 international businesses and organizations, including NATO and the EU institutions, giving rise to a high number of diplomats and one of the world’s largest press communities.

What better place is there to find an internship, build a professional network and prepare for a successful career?

At the Heart of Europe

Most European capitals can be reached within about two hours by train or plane. But in Belgium, Europe also comes to you.

In Brussels, the seat of the European Commission and the NATO headquarters, you will find a variety of international conferences and events to attend, giving you the chance to network throughout the continent.

High Quality of Life

The Belgian standard of living is among the highest in the world, thanks to universal health care, social security coverage, and an excellent education system.

A cosmopolitan lifestyle, great sports facilities, a patch of green around every corner, thousands of kilometers of bike lanes, top-notch restaurants, atmospheric cafés, a vibrant cultural scene, and the best chocolates, Belgium has it all.

As an international student, you might find Flemish students reserved at first, but this impression will soon vanish once you visit a Belgian home, where you will be warmly welcomed.

Why was Master Mind Scholarships Created?

The Flemish Ministry of Education awards scholarships to outstanding students for Master’s programs in Flanders and Brussels. The program aims to promote Flanders and Brussels as top study destinations.

Who can Apply for Master Mind Scholarships?

The Master Mind Scholarship is open to outstanding students who wish to pursue their undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs in Flanders and Brussels.

How Much is the Master Mind Scholarships Worth?

The total budget available for the Master Mind Scholarships program 2022-2023 is € 400.000.

It is estimated that 30 international students who wish to study in Brussels can benefit from the Master Mind Scholarships.

  • The scholarship amounts to €8 400 for the academic year 2022-2023 and €8 400 for the academic year 2023-2024 in case an application was submitted for a two-year Master’s program.
  • An installment of €4 000 is transferred on a Belgian or European account after arriving in Belgium and uploading the registration certificate which the student will receive from the Flemish higher education institution when he/she arrives.
  • The second installment of €3 000 is transferred in February 2023 upon completion of the first semester.
  • A final installment of €1 400 is transferred upon completion of the first academic year in July 2023, or in September/October 2023 in case of re-sit examinations. If a student completes a one-year Master’s program but does not obtain the Master’s degree at the end of the academic year in July 2023, or in September 2023 in case of re-sit examinations, the final installment of €1 400 will not be awarded.
  • In case of a two-year Master Programme, and on the condition that at least 54 ECTS were obtained in the first academic year, €4 000 is transferred to the student’s bank account before the start of the second academic year 2023-2024 (or in September/October 2023 in case of re-sit examinations).
  • The second installment of €3 000 is transferred in February 2024 upon completion of the first semester of the second academic year.
  • A final installment of €1 400 is transferred upon completion of the second academic year (in July 2024, or in September/October 2024 in case of re-sit examinations). If a student does not obtain the Master’s degree at the end of the second year, the final installment of €1 400 will not be awarded.
  • If a student enrolled in a two-year Master program does not obtain 54 ECTS at the end of the academic year in July 2023, or in September 2023 in case of re-sit examinations, the student will not be awarded the third installment of €1 400 and will not receive the grant for the second year of the Master program.
  • In case of discontinuation before the end of the Master program for which a Master Mind scholarship has been awarded by the Flemish Government: if a student only completes a part of a one or two-year Master program, he or she will need to refund part of the scholarship, e.g. when a student only completes one semester, he or she can keep half of the awarded sum i.e. €4 000.

What degree Level do Master Mind Scholarships Cover?

The Master Mind Scholarship is available for only master’s students. The duration of mobility is one academic year for a master’s program of 60 ECTS and two academic years for a master’s program of 120 ECTS.

Full Requirements for Master Mind Scholarships

The following requirements are important:

  • The applicant applies to take up a master’s degree program at a Flemish higher education institution.
  • The applicant should have high academic performance such as a minimum GPA of 3.5.
  • Demonstrate good knowledge of the English language by taking one of the following English language proficiency tests:
    –  The IELTS test with an overall minimum band score of 7.0
    – A minimum total score of 94 on the TOEFL test
    – A C1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference or a similar result in another official language test (recognized by the host institution)
  • Students who apply for a master’s program at a school of arts have at least:
    -An overall band score of a minimum of 6.5 on the IELTS test
    -A minimum total score of 90 on the TOEFL test
    -A B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference or a similar result in another official English language test (recognized by the host institution)
  • The host institution also performs an academic check of the student’s file. The student has to be accepted by the host institution to receive the scholarship. This criterion applies even if the host institution’s decision to accept the student is taken after the selection for the Master Mind Scholarship program.
  • The applicant can be nominated by only one Flemish higher education institution. If the applicant is preselected by more than one Flemish higher education institution, he/she has to choose one Flemish higher education institution to submit his/her application into the Mobility Online tool.
  • All nationalities can apply. The previous degree obtained should be from a higher education institution located outside Flanders. International students who have been on credit mobility in a hosting Flemish higher education institution are still eligible for a Master Mind Scholarship.
  • Students who are already enrolled in a Flemish higher education institution cannot apply. The only exception is made for international students who, at the moment of their application in Spring 2022, are already enrolled in a specific preparatory program to start a master’s program in September 2022.

Students who enroll in the following programs for the academic year 2022-2023 are not eligible for the Master Mind Scholarships:

  • Preparatory programs
  • Bridging programs
  • Distance learning

Student mobility to partner institutions outside Flanders and Brussels during the master’s program is allowed. However, at least half of the study credits of the master’s program must be obtained at the Flemish host institution.

How to Apply for the Master Mind Scholarships

  • Check if you are eligible to apply and if the Flemish institution of your choice participates in the Master Mind Scholarships
  • Submit your application to the host institution
  • The host institution preselects the eligible applications
  • The host institution starts the application procedure for the Master Mind Scholarship by creating your application file in the Mobility-Online application tool
  • You receive an email generated by the Mobility-Online tool notifying you of being preselected for Master Mind Scholarships
  • You register in the Mobility-Online tool and complete your application file in the Mobility-Online tool before the deadline. Documents to be uploaded are:
    -Passport photo
    -International passport or national ID
    -A Curriculum Vitae (including your American GPA out of 4.0 and if applicable your publications, academic awards, previous scholarships)
    -Transcript of records; if written in a language other than Dutch, French, German, or English, a certified translation must be enclosed.
    -English language test results or letter of the exemption provided by the host university
    -Letter of motivation written in English
    -Two signed letters of recommendation from professors of your (previous) home university, university of applied sciences (and arts), or recent employer written in English.
    -Copy of acquired diploma(s); if written in a language other than Dutch, French, German, or English, a certified translation must be enclosed.
  • The host institution validates and submits the completed application file in the Mobility-Online tool before the deadline of midnight on April 29, 2022, GMT+1. Validated applications submitted after midnight on April 29, 2022, GMT+1 will not be accepted.

How to Contact Master Mind Scholarships Organizers

Interested candidates can contact the Master Mind Scholarship organizers here.

FAQs

Which countries can apply for the Master Mind Scholarships?

The Master Mind Scholarship is available for all international students all over the globe.

How do I know when any Master Mind Scholarships are open for application?

The Master Mind Scholarship is open for application from the 1st February-15th March 2022.

What is the Master Mind Scholarships deadline?

The Master Mind Scholarship deadline is 30th April 2022.

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