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.
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
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
Similar Scholarships
Other curated opportunities for Sri Lankan students.
Danish Government Scholarship under the Cultural Agreements
Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science
Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Programme
French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs
Holland Scholarship (NL Scholarship)
Dutch Ministry of Education / Nuffic