Master Mind Scholarship (Flanders Government)
The Master Mind Scholarship is funded by the Government of Flanders to attract outstanding international Master's students to Flemish (Dutch-speaking Belgium) universities — KU Leuven, Ghent, Antwerp, Hasselt, VUB, and the Brussels-based university colleges. It covers an annual living grant of €10,200 plus a tuition fee waiver (the standard Flemish tuition is set to a maximum of €128 per year for awardees). Around 40 awards are made each year. Sri Lankan applicants with first-class Bachelor's degrees and a clear research / career fit are competitive.
Open for September 2027 entry — typical deadline late April / early May 2027. Dates follow the same annual pattern — confirm the current round before applying.
Flemish Government / Government of Flanders
Government-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Living Grant
€10,200 / year
Tuition
Reduced to €128/year (statutory minimum)
Duration
1-2 Year Master's
Awards
~40 / year
info How this award actually works
This is a separate, highly competitive application
Government awards like this one run their own selection round against applicants from across the world, and success rates are usually in the low single digits. Lanka Scholar does not administer it and cannot submit it for you. Treat it as a bonus on top of a funded study plan — never as the plan itself.
Who awards it
Flemish Government / Government of Flanders — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.
How you are considered
Through a separate application round run by the funder, with its own forms, deadlines and shortlisting. You submit it yourself — it is not part of a university admission application.
What it covers
€10,200/year + Tuition Waiver. Read the terms carefully: even fully-funded awards rarely cover every cost, and any shortfall is yours to fund.
Where we come in
We help you judge whether this award is worth your time, and build a realistic admission plan that works whether or not you win it.
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
Non-EEA Citizen
Open to non-European Economic Area / non-Swiss / non-UK citizens. Sri Lankan citizens are eligible. EU and Swiss applicants apply under separate Flanders schemes.
Apply to a Flemish Master's
You must hold (or be in the process of obtaining) an admission to a Master's programme at a Flemish public university or university college. The course must be a regular Master's, not a doctorate or Bachelor's.
Outstanding Academic Record
First-class Bachelor's (or equivalent — distinction-level result from a Sri Lankan university) is the indicative floor. Selection is heavily weighted by academic merit and motivation.
No Prior Flemish Study
You must not have previously enrolled in a Flemish higher education programme. Short exchange visits typically don't disqualify, but a previous full degree at a Flemish institution does.
account_tree Application Process
Apply to a Flemish Master's
Submit your Master's application to one of the participating Flemish universities (KU Leuven, Ghent, Antwerp, etc.) by their international deadline — typically March-April. Each university handles its own admissions.
Nomination by the host university
Each Flemish university nominates a fixed quota of its strongest international admits for the Master Mind Scholarship. There is no separate Master Mind application — the host university selects from its admitted pool.
Flemish Government review
Nominated candidates are forwarded to the Flemish Government's higher-education department for final review. Outcomes are typically announced in June, in time for the September academic year.
Visa & enrolment
Awardees use the scholarship offer + university admission for the Belgian student visa application (Type D long-stay). The visa is processed via VFS Global / the Belgian embassy in New Delhi for Sri Lankan applicants.
Why Flanders?
Flanders hosts some of Europe's top-ranked universities — KU Leuven (top 50 globally) and Ghent University (top 80). Most Master's are taught in English. Cost of living is materially lower than in the UK or Netherlands, making the €10,200 grant go further.
5
Flemish Public Universities
Top 50
KU Leuven QS Ranking
Since 2003
Master Mind Running
Looking for a scholarship because of the cost?
Then start here instead. Scholarships are competitive, usually partial, and decided by someone else — they are the least reliable way to make studying abroad affordable. Your destination and course choice move the number far more, and both are entirely within your control.
Work out your real number
Tuition, living costs, visa funds and flights for your destination — so you know the gap you are actually trying to close.
Open the cost calculator arrow_forwardSort courses by lowest fee
The full catalogue, cheapest tuition first. Changing course or country saves far more than most awards are worth.
Browse lowest-fee courses arrow_forwardWhat Netherlands actually costs
Tuition, living costs and the total first-year figure for Netherlands, in LKR as well as local currency.
See the cost breakdown arrow_forwardCheck your proof of funds
Every student visa requires you to show funds. Find out what you need before you commit to an application.
Check the requirement arrow_forwardSimilar Scholarships
Other curated opportunities for Sri Lankan students.
Holland Scholarship (NL Scholarship)
Dutch Ministry of Education / Nuffic
Amsterdam Excellence Scholarship (AES)
University of Amsterdam
University of Amsterdam Merit Scholarship
University of Amsterdam (UvA)