Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program at KU Leuven

Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program at KU Leuven: 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 Program is managed by the university’s Interfaculty Council for Global Development.

The aim of the Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program 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. 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.

Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program at KU Leuven | About the University

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.

Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program | Benefits

	Doctoral students	Pre-doctoral students
Number of months to be spent in Belgium	24 max.	6 max.
Number of months to be spent at the home institution	24 min.	NA
Monthly basic amount in Belgium	100% of the net salary of an assistant, approximately € 2,199/month	€ 1,500/month
Monthly basic amount while at the home institution	To be decided by the home institution that pays the scholar	NA
Tuition fee	Waived	Waived
Affiliation with a Belgian Health Insurance Company	Covered by the monthly allowance (only during the time spent in Belgium)	Covered by the scholarship (only during the time spent in Belgium)
Professional and accident insurance coverage; third-party liability insurance (study-related matters and for professional liability)	Covered by the scholarship (only during the time spent in Belgium)	Covered by the scholarship (only during the time spent in Belgium)
Social security coverage (during the time spent in Belgium)	Coverage by Belgian social security in accordance with Belgian legislation applicable to doctoral scholarship holders	NA
Airline tickets (for the scholar)	4 return tickets in economy class covered by the scholarship	1 return ticket in economy class covered by the scholarship
Indirect travel costs (for the scholar)	NA	€ 200 (lump sum)
Supervision allowance (for the KU Leuven supervisor) while the scholar is in Belgium	€ 310/month	NA
Supervision allowance (for the co-supervisor at the home institution) while the scholar is in the home country	€ 310/month	NA

Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program | Eligibility criteria

1. The applicant must be a citizen of one of the countries included in this list.

2. Candidates who hold citizenship of the EU will not be selected. The same applies to applicants with a long-term EU residence permit.

3. The candidate’s latest Master’s degree must have been awarded no more than ten years prior to 1 October 2023 (including the ongoing calendar year).

4. The candidate must have been awarded an academic grade equivalent to High Distinction or higher. Degrees obtained with a final score equivalent to second class second/lower division will not be taken into consideration.

5. The research project must be of excellent academic quality, with a special focus on the development relevance of the proposal.

6. The research project must have a clear time frame indicating how the research periods at KU Leuven and at the home institution will alternate (a maximum period of 12 months at the home institution should alternate with a maximum period of 12 months at KU Leuven).

7. The candidate in Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program must be formally affiliated to a university in the home country. In case the candidate has no such affiliation yet, she/he is eligible to apply to this scholarship programme but will only be granted the scholarship once such an affiliation is obtained.

8. The applicant’s home university must demonstrate sufficient financial support for the doctoral project, guaranteeing that the candidate receives financial means, through a fully funded full-time position including social security coverage similar to that of staff members at the same level and with the same qualifications within the home institution.

9. Candidates who are already enrolled as PhD-students at KU Leuven and who are financed by KU Leuven are not eligible for this programme. They may be eligible for the PhD Scholarships for Researchers from the South though.

10. Candidates who have been employed before in an EEA country other than Belgium are not eligible for Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program. They may be eligible for the PhD Scholarships for Researchers from the South though.

11. The candidate in Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program must demonstrate a development-oriented motivation.

12. The candidate in Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program must be supported by a KU Leuven supervisor.

13. The candidate in Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program must be supported by a local co-supervisor at her/his home university.

14. The candidate in Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program must demonstrate excellent recommendations from at least two relevant referees.

15. The candidate in Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program must follow the 2-step application procedure. In order to be able to apply for a KU Leuven Global Minds Doctoral Scholarship, approval to enroll as a doctoral student at KU Leuven must be obtained first.

We strongly recommend to start this procedure at least 1.5 months before the deadline (March 9, 2023), (procedures started too late may not be evaluated in time by the doctoral committees or doctoral schools!).

16. The application deadline for Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program is March 09, 2023 at 05.00 PM GMT. Applications are submitted using a digital application form (available as soon as possible – see the Scholarship Application Form). On this form you will find further specifications (about the number of pages, language, attachments, and so on).

17. The candidate in Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program has read and agreed to the Regulations, Obligations and Conditions for Terminating the KU Leuven Global Minds Doctoral Scholarship.

The candidate must also conform to the Internal Regulations for the Awarding of PhD Scholarships at KU Leuven (please consult your promotor on this).

18. Candidates in Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program are asked not to submit their application unless it fulfils the conditions listed above. Incomplete or late applications will not be taken into consideration. No exceptions will be made.

KU Leuven Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships | How to Apply

There are two steps in the application procedure for Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program:

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 Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program

In order to be able to apply for a Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program, 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 [email protected].

Incomplete applications will not be considered. No exceptions will be made.

2. Applying for a KU Leuven Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships

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 Scholarships.

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

Applications must be submitted by using the digital application form (online soon), 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) for in Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program.

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 Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program covers a doctoral research trajectory of a maximum of 48 months.
• 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.

Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program | Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where will I be doing the research in Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program?
   • The doctoral dissertation and research will take 48 months. Each research stay at one of the two partner institutions will have a maximum duration of 12 months. The research stays should alternate in line with the timeframe of the research. During the scholarship period, 24 months will be financed by KU Leuven, for stays at KU Leuven, during which the scholar is appointed as a doctoral scholarship holder receiving a scholarship.
   • The other 24 months will be financed by the home institution in the country of the scholar, for stays at the home institution, through a fully funded full-time staff member position, including social security coverage, similar to that provided to staff members at the same level and with the same qualifications within the home institution.
2. Do I need to be enrolled at a university in my home country?
   • No, you do not. You will be enrolled as a doctoral student at KU Leuven, but you do need to be financially supported by your home institution through a fully funded full-time staff member position, including social security coverage, similar to that provided to staff members at the same level and with the same qualifications within the home institution.
3. Am I eligible for the Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program?
   • Please check the General eligibility conditions to see if you comply with the minimum prerequisites.
4. Is my country eligible for the KU Leuven Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships?
   • Only certain countries are eligible; if your country is on this list you can apply for the scholarship.
   • If you have a long-term residence permit or a permanent residence permit from an EU country, then you cannot be considered as eligible, even if your country is on the list.
5. How many times can I try to get the scholarship?
   • You can apply only twice; therefore, we advise you not to apply if you cannot comply with the criteria that are listed here and here.
6. Can I apply for both the PhD Scholarships for Researchers from the South and the KU Leuven Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships?

• Yes, it is allowed to apply for both scholarships, bot not for the same topic/project. This is because of the different nature of the scholarships. A ‘copy paste’ of a single proposal will not make it through the selection. 

7. Who is my KU Leuven promoter (supervisor)?
   • It is your responsibility to get in touch with the professors at KU Leuven to establish whether your research project is suitable. For more information, please take a look at the Research topics section.
8. Who is my local co-promoter?
   • It is your responsibility to get in touch with an authority at your home university willing to support your project. For more information, please take a look at the Research topics section.
9. How can I apply for the scholarship?
   • Please see the Application procedure and follow the instructions carefully. Incomplete or incorrect applications will not be considered eligible. Should this be the case, you would lose one of the two chances you have to apply.
10. What are the language requirements in Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program?
    • You need to provide an official proof of English proficiency; these are the accepted certificates:
      • IELTS: academic
      • TOEFL: iBT, computer-based or paper-based. TOEFL ITP will not be accepted.
      • Cambridge: CAE or CPE. FCE will not be accepted.
    • You can find more information about English proficiency certificates here.
11. Which documents do I need to prepare for the KU Leuven Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships application?
    • Applicants should use the digital application form (available soon). In addition to filling in the form (which should be done by your KU Leuven supervisor), the following documents, also listed in the Application procedure section, must be provided and uploaded:
    • The candidate’s CV, utilizing the Europass format.
    • The candidate’s bibliography, utilizing this form.
    • The local co-supervisor’s CV.
    • The candidate’s motivation letter, contains the original or electronic signatures of  the candidate, the KU Leuven supervisor, and the local co-supervisor.
    • The proof of financial support by the candidate’s home university via a fully funded full-time staff member position including social security coverage similar to that provided to staf members of the same level and with the same qualifications within the home institution. This proof should contain the original, hand-written signatures of the competent authorities which can guarantee the support.
      • Candidates who are not yet affiliated to a university in their home country should present a Letter of Intent from the home institution signaling that the candidate will be recruited and given the assignment to conduct doctoral research at that institution. The scholarship will only be granted once the candidate is formally affiliated with a university in the home country and when, consequently, that university can demonstrate sufficient support.
    • The proof of the candidate’s affiliation to the home university, containing the original, hand-written signatures of the competent authorities which can demonstrate the affiliation.
      • Candidates who are not yet affiliated with a university in their home country should present a Letter of Intent from the home institution signaling that the candidate will be recruited and given the assignment to conduct doctoral research at that institution. The scholarship will only be granted once the candidate is formally affiliated with 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 with a university in their home country should present a Letter of Intent from the home institution signaling that the candidate will be recruited and given the assignment to conduct doctoral research at that institution. The scholarship will only be granted once the candidate is formally affiliated with a university in the home country and when, consequently, that university can demonstrate sufficient support.
    • Two recommendation letters by external scholars (that is: not by the candidate’s supervisor or local co-supervisor).
12. Can I apply if I am already doing a PhD at KU Leuven?
    • No, you cannot. In that case, however, you may be eligible to apply for a PhD Scholarship for Researchers from the South”.
13. How much time does the Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program cover?
    • When you are starting your PhD, the scholarship period will cover 48 months, 24 of which you will be working at KU Leuven. In the remaining months you will be supported by your home institution. Thus, as partners, both KU Leuven and the home institution will co-finance the research.
    • KU Leuven, however, additionally will offer a supervision allowance to your local co-supervisor at the home institution and to your KU Leuven supervisor.
    • In case a predoctoral programme is needed, you can be covered for up to 6 extra months with the support of the KU Leuven Global Minds programme.
    • Every year, a review takes place with a progress report in which your supervisor and the Doctoral Committee agree upon the continuation of your programme. If the progress report states that your research is not moving into the right direction, then your funding may be cancelled. More information is available in the Legal and financial framework section.
14. What is included in the Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program?
    • Please visit the What is included section.
15. When will I know if I have been awarded the in Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program?
    • Please visit the Time frame & selection procedure section.
16. Whom can I contact to receive more information about Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program?
    • For answers to your questions regarding gaining admission to a predoctoral or doctoral programme at KU Leuven, you can send an email to [email protected].
    • For answers to your questions regarding applying to the KU Leuven Global Minds Doctoral Scholarship Programme, please contact Mr. Laurens Rademakers.
17. What kind of support does KU Leuven offer for doctoral students in Global Minds Doctoral Scholarships Program?
    • Several services help doctoral students with their careers and well-being during their studies, such as YouReCa and WellBeing@KULeuven.
18. Does KU Leuven have an inclusion and diversity policy?
    • Indeed. KU Leuven welcomes studends from any background and encourages women to apply for this scholarship. We nurture a culture of inclusion, respect and safety for the entire academic community. Please read more about our inclusion and diversity policy and instruments.

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