Vrije Universiteit Brussel Scholarships 2026

Exciting news — applications for the VUB Scholarships are now open. In this article, we will explain the details of this scholarship program, its benefits, and the complete step-by-step application process.

The VUB Scholarships for the European Master of Science in Photonics are available to international students. The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) offers several fully funded scholarships worth €10,000 per year, helping to cover living expenses while studying in Brussels.

Vrije Universiteit Brussel, located in the heart of Europe, is an internationally recognized institution committed to providing high-quality education and research. VUB’s mission is to contribute to building a stronger future through innovative learning and global engagement. During the admissions process, applicants have the opportunity to demonstrate their technical skills, and scholarship requests are assessed based on merit and motivation.

In addition, the Brussels Photonics Research Group (B-PHOT) at VUB provides Excellence Scholarships to talented students in the MSc Photonics program. These awards are offered automatically — no separate application is required. Recipients must complete their MSc thesis at VUB B-PHOT, and top-performing students may also be encouraged to pursue a PhD in Photonics at the university.

The VUB B-PHOT Excellence Scholarships are open to new international students who demonstrate academic excellence, research potential, and dedication to advancing knowledge in the field of photonics.

Scholarship Summary

Level of Study: Masters
Institution(s): Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Study in: Belgium
Deadline: March 31, 2026 / July 31, 2025

Courses Offered:

The studentships are awarded in the fields of Bridging physics, engineering and photonics. The program is open to applicants with a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, (Applied) Physics, Materials Sciences or equivalent. Students in their last year of such programs will also be considered. Applicants holding a bachelor’s or master’s degree in another field of engineering are welcome to join the program through a personalized preparatory program. This preparatory program can be combined with a specific bachelor’s or master’s program.

Belgian Bachelors in IR Architecture, Physics, Chemistry, Biochemistry and Biotechnology, industrial Science – Electronics/ICT, Engineering Science or KMS Polytechnical Department can apply for the preparatory program of 30 ECTS.

Scholarship Coverage

VUB Scholarship provides the recipient with:

VUB Scholarships for European Master of Science in Photonics

The Vrije Universiteit Brussel will grant several full scholarships of 10000 EUR per year to students of the European Master of Science in Photonics at VUB. This scholarship is foreseen to cover cost of living inherent to studying in Brussels. Every application will be screened based on excellence and motivation.

B-PHOT Excellence Scholarship scheme

Three Entry Scholarships of 1000 Euro, at the beginning of the first semester of the first year of the MSc. The recipients are the 3 best-ranked students according to our selection criteria.
Three Continuation Scholarships of 1500 Euro , at the start of the second semester of the first year of the MSc. will be awarded to the top 3 students according to the academic performance after semester 1. Also students who didn’t receive the Entry Scholarship will be considered for the Continuation Scholarship.
One Excellence Scholarship will be awarded, worth 5000 Euro , at the start of the the second year of the MSc..

Eligibility Criteria for VUB Scholarship

To qualify for the VUB Scholarship, the candidate must fulfil all of the following requirements below:

Eligible Countries: All world countries
Required Languages: English. Language requirements for international students:
- A TOEFL-TEST, taken as recently as within the last two years, showing a score of at least 570 (paper-based) or 87 (internet-based)
- An original “test report from” (TRF) from IELTS, issued as recently as within the last two years, with a minimum overall band score of 6.0
- Cambridge-ESOL: First Certificate in English (FCE)
- Holders of a diploma of secondary or higher education by a recognised institution in the Flemish Community are exempted from submitting proof of language proficiency.
- You are also exempted from language test when you ave successfully completed a minimum of 1 year (60 credits), be it secondary or higher education, where the medium of instruction was English (an official certificate must be submitted).
- Note: if the proof of English proficiency or APS certificate is not ready before the deadline, you can always submit it later instead of missing the deadline.