Financial support for your exchange

Erasmus Belgica

• Destination An agreement with a university of the French-speaking community in Belgium for your study programme is needed.
• Application procedure & selection Up to now sufficient funds for all nominated students. In case of insufficient funds, faculties will prioritise using own standards.
• Scholarship details & payment scheme Min. 8 weeks of scholarship (= between €400 - €1000 depending on situation)
• Duration Min. 3 - max. 12 months.

Erasmus+

• Destination An greement with a higher education institution in an Erasmus+ programme country for your study programme is needed.
• Application procedure & selection In case of insufficient funds, faculties will prioritise using own standards. You'll be informed in June if you'll be on the effective liste or reserve list/
• Scholarship details & payment scheme
  • On average grant covers 50-60% of the expenses made abroad. (overview for an exchange for studies)
  • Scholarship amounts vary depending on the destination and top-ups.
  • Students belonging to the below categories get a top-up of 250EUR/month for their exchange for studies.
    • You receive a scholarship from the Flemish community in the year of your exchange
    • You are a 'bijna-beursstudent' in the year of your exchange
    • You have a disability recognised by VAPH (Vlaams Agentschap voor Personen met een handicap) in the year of your exchange
    • You are a working student in a working programme (see the definition of the government of Flanders - only in Dutch available) in the year of your exchange
      • Werkstudent : een student die aan al de volgende voorwaarden beantwoordt :
        1) hij is in het bezit van een bewijs van tewerkstelling in een dienstverband met een omvang van ten minste 80 uren per maand, of hij is in het bezit van een bewijs van uitkeringsgerechtigde werkzoekende en de opleiding kadert binnen het door een gewestelijke dienst voor arbeidsbemiddeling voorgestelde traject naar werk;
        2) hij is nog niet in het bezit van een tweede cyclusdiploma of masterdiploma;
        3) hij is ingeschreven in een studietraject met specifieke onderwijs- en leervormen en met specifieke modaliteiten van begeleiding en aanbod, dat als zodanig geregistreerd is in het Hogeronderwijsregister. De afzonderlijke registratie in het Hogeronderwijsregister impliceert niet dat het hier een nieuwe opleiding betreft.
  • Students can opt for the Green Travel top-up (= the travel that uses low-emissions means of transport for the main part of the travel, such as bus, train or car-pooling) to travel BOTH TO AND FROM your Erasmus mobility destination. You can find here more info on what VUB considers as an eligible Green Travel.
  • Scholarship is paid in 2 instalments; 70% is after arrival and 30% upon return.
  • Students can receive a grant for max. 6 months (with the exceptions of students belonging to the above mentionned categories)
• Duration Min. 3 months (or min. 1 semester) - max. 12 months.
• Specific conditions
  • Complete non-binding online language tests. Results are not accessible by the host institution. Students whose mother tongue is the language of instruction at the host institution are exempt.
  • Complete a survey 

Swiss European Mobility Programme

• Destination An agreement with Swiss higher education institution for your study programme is needed.
• SEMP provides the financial support and the Swiss host institution for which you were selected makes the arrangements and ultimately pays (+/- 440 CHF/month). You need to contact the International Relations office of the Swiss host institution for more info.

Generic scholarships

• *Destination Agreement with a non-European higher education institution is needed. To receive more info on the VUB partner institutions, contact IRMO. 

• Application procedure & selection Students need to be nominated by their Faculty. You will be informed when the VUB call to apply for a Generieke Beurs is open (normally in March) and how to apply. 
   
  Application deadline : 1 April 2026 for an exchange in academic year 2026-2027

   VUB’s International Policy Council decides who is awarded the grant (start of June) on the basis of 2 criteria:

1. Weighted average grades (including the January session)
2. At least 25% of the selected candidates receive a Flemish study allowance

• Scholarship details & payment scheme The scholarship consists of a monthly grant of 1000 EUR.
  • 70% of the scholarship is paid upon arrival.
  • 30% is paid upon return.
  • Duration 
    • Min. 1 month (30 days) 
    • Max.: 4 months for regular students; 5 months for students belonging to fewer opportunities.
• Specific conditions
  - Write a final report
  - Complete a short survey.

! Given the limited number of scholarships available, the competition is high for scholarships for studies to a host organisation of your choice. If you are however not awarded a scholarship, you can still go for an intercontinental exchange at your own expense.

Erasmus+ Internship during studies

• Destination To host organisation, agreed upon with Exchange Coordinator, located in an EU Member State, FYROM, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Turkey.
• Application procedure & selection Up to now all students who are selected by their Faculty are eligible. In case of insufficient funds, faculties will prioritise using own standards. You'll be informed in June if you are on the effective list or reserve list.
• Scholarship details & specific conditions
  • On average grant covers 50-60% of the expenses made abroad. Scholarship amounts vary depending on the destination (overview for an exchange for traineeships).
  • Students belonging to the below categories get a top-up of 250EUR/month for their exchange for studies.
    • You receive a scholarship from the Flemish community in the year of your exchange
    • You are a 'bijna-beursstudent' in the year of your exchange
    • You have a disability recognised by VAPH (Vlaams Agentschap voor Personen met een handicap) in the year of your exchange
    • You are a working student in a working programme (see the definition of the government of Flanders - only in Dutch available) in the year of your exchange
      • Werkstudent : een student die aan al de volgende voorwaarden beantwoordt :
        1) hij is in het bezit van een bewijs van tewerkstelling in een dienstverband met een omvang van ten minste 80 uren per maand, of hij is in het bezit van een bewijs van uitkeringsgerechtigde werkzoekende en de opleiding kadert binnen het door een gewestelijke dienst voor arbeidsbemiddeling voorgestelde traject naar werk;
        2) hij is nog niet in het bezit van een tweede cyclusdiploma of masterdiploma;
        3) hij is ingeschreven in een studietraject met specifieke onderwijs- en leervormen en met specifieke modaliteiten van begeleiding en aanbod, dat als zodanig geregistreerd is in het Hogeronderwijsregister. De afzonderlijke registratie in het Hogeronderwijsregister impliceert niet dat het hier een nieuwe opleiding betreft.
  • Students can opt for the Green Travel top-up (= the travel that uses low-emissions means of transport for the main part of the travel, such as bus, train or car-pooling to travel to/travel from your Erasmus mobility destination. You can find here more info on what VUB considers as an eligible Green Travel.
  • Scholarship is paid in 2 instalments; 70% is after arrival and 30% upon return.
  • Students can receive a grant for max. 6 months (with the exceptions of students belonging to the above mentionned categories)
• Duration Min. 2 -  max. 10 months
• Specific conditions
  - Complete non-binding online language tests. Results are not accessible by the host institution. Students whose mother tongue is the language of instruction at the host institution are exempt.
  - Complete a survey 

Erasmus+ Internship after graduation

• Destination To host organisation agreed upon with Exchange Coordinator located in
  • one of the 27 EU Member States
  • the European Free Trade association: Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway
  • Candidate members: North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey.
  • Third countries, not associated with the programme (attention: limited budget)
  • Click here to find an overview of all possible countries
• Application procedure & selection Students who are selected by their Faculty for this exchange will be informed on the call to apply. The application itself is managed by Students on the Move.
• Scholarship details & payment scheme Students on the Move applies a first come first served principle.
• Duration Min. 2 and max.12 months (including the deduction of the # of months you have been on an Erasmus+ exchange within the study cycle (Bachelor, Master) you are graduating from). You can get a grant for max. 6 months.
• Specific conditions Need to be nominated by your Faculty towards IRMO (see procedure), register while you are still a VUB student (i.e. before graduation), and internship needs to be in line with your VUB programme. Only possible to do this internship after your bachelor or master. Not possible after a postgraduate programme.
• More information via this link.

Thinking about doing a traineeship after graduation? Learn from students who have already taken this step by watching this video.

Flanders Traineeship Programme

The Flanders Trainee Programme (via the Flemish Government and the Department Chancellery and Foreign Affairs) has grants for internships for students and graduates with multilateral international organisations.

The grants are available for those who:

• have secured a work placement with a multilateral organisation (list is available here)
• are younger than 35 at the starting date of their internships/work placement
• have a final diploma obtained at an institution of secondary or higher education that is financed or subsidised by the Flemish community.

Duration of the internship/work placement is from at least 2 months until maximum 6 months with one of the approved organisations from the list. 

To find out more on how it works, check the website. You can find the procedures and application forms online as well. 

Here below you can find more information about the possible scholarships for a traineeship outside Europe. Each scholarship has its own conditions: Washington Center, Generic Scholarship, Erasmus+ Traineeship after graduation and Rei Scholarship. 

The Washington Center

• Destination An opportunity for students to do an internship and follow academic seminars at the Washington Center (TWC) in Washington, D.C. Find out more here.
• Application procedure & selection
  • In order to qualify for this scholarship you need approval from your Exchange Coordinator who approves to award and recognize 30 ECTS in your curriculum for this programme. The exchange covers the following disciplines: arts, business and management, global trade, information technology, media and communication, international relations, law and criminology, political sciences.
  • Students who expressed their interest to IRMO will be informed when the call to apply is open, detailing the application procedure. The application deadline is 28 February. The application should be sent by 28 February 2026 to Tahaney.Kattash@vub.be with international.relations@vub.be in C.C Selection is done external and based on following criteria.
• Scholarship details & payment scheme 12,000 EUR (15,000 EUR for students receiving a Flemish study allowance) as a onetime pay-off.
• Duration 15 weeks during the first semester of the academic year 2026-2027.
• Specific conditions are set by Vlaamse Universiteiten en Hogescholen Raad - VLUHR (Flemish Universities and Colleges of Higher Education Board) awarding the grant.
• More information via this link.

Generic Scholarships

• Destination: To host organisation, agreed upon with your Exchange Coordinator, located in any country except in one of the EU Member States, FYROM, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Turkey. There needs to be a Learning Agreement for Traineeships.

• Application procedure & selection Students need to be nominated by their Faculty. You will be informed when the VUB call to apply for a Generic scholarship is open and how to apply. Applications are sent to IRMO the latest 1 April 2026 for exchanges in academic year 2026-2027.  

  VUB’s International Policy Council decides who is awarded the grant (start of June) on the basis of 3 criteria:
  - Weighted average grades (including the January session)
  - At least 25% of the selected candidates receive a Flemish study allowance

• Scholarship details & payment scheme
  - Scholarship consists of a monthly grant of 1000 EUR.
  - 70% of the scholarship is paid upon arrival, 30% upon return.
• Duration 
  • Min. 1 month.
  • Max. 4 months for regular students, 5 months for students belonging to fewer opportunities.
• Specific conditions
  - Write a final report.
  - Complete a short survey.

! Given the limited number of scholarships available and that priority is given to exchanges to a VUB partner institution, the competition is extremely high for scholarships for an intercontinental internship to a host organisation of your choice. If you are however not awarded a scholarship, you can still go for an intercontinental internship at your own expense.

Erasmus+ Traineeship after graduation

• Destination To host organisation agreed upon with Exchange Coordinator located in
  • one of the 27 EU Member States
  • the European Free Trade association: Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway
  • Candidate members: North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey.
  • Third countries, not associated with the programme (attention: limited budget)
  • Click here to find an overview of all possible countries
• Application procedure & selection Students who are selected by their Faculty for this exchange will be informed on the call to apply. The application itself is managed by Students on the Move.
• Scholarship details & payment scheme Students on the Move applies a first come first served principle.
• Duration Min. 2 and max.12 months (including the deduction of the # of months you have been on an Erasmus+ exchange within the study cycle (Bachelor, Master) you are graduating from). You can receive a grant for max. 6 months.
• Specific conditions Need to be nominated by your Faculty towards IRMO (see procedure), register while you are still a VUB student (i.e. before graduation), and traineeship needs to be in line with your VUB programme. Only possible to do this traineeship after your bachelor or master. Not possible after a postgraduate programme.
• More information via this link.

Thinking about doing a traineeship after graduation? Learn from students who have already taken this step by watching this video.

Scholarship REI

Want to go for studies in a developing country?  Then this REI scholarship is for you.

• Destination There are 23 countries in Africa, Asia & Latin America.
• Application procedure & selection Applications include a student’s motivation letter, an invitation letter from the host institute and a commitment letter from both the VUB supervisor and host institute supervisor. At the time of application, the student should have registered to take a UCOS preparatory course. The first selection is on admissibility and the 2nd on content by BAOW members.
• Scholarship details & payment scheme 1,500 EUR (lump sum), first 70% paid after approval by VUB’s International Policy Council and signing of a grant agreement, remaining 30% after completing the final report.
• Duration At least 28 consecutive days (no maximum)
• Specific conditions Must be part of a recognized study component (i.e. work placement/internship or a thesis). Following classes is not enough.
• More information via this link.

Flanders Trainee Programme

The Flanders Trainee Programme (via the Flemish Government and the Department Chancellery and Foreign Affairs) has grants for internships for students and graduates with multilateral international organisations.

The grants are available for those who:

• have secured a work placement with a multilateral organisation (list is available here)
• are younger than 35 at the starting date of their internships/work placement
• have a final diploma obtained at an institution of secondary or higher education that is financed or subsidised by the Flemish community.

Duration of the internship/work placement is from at least 2 months until maximum 6 months with one of the approved organisations from the list. 

To find out more on how it works, check the website. You can find the procedures and application forms online as well.