Doctoral Scholarships in the framework of the Interfaculty Council for Development Co-operation (IRO)

Doctoral Scholarships in the framework of the Interfaculty Council for Development Co-operation (IRO)
Welcome to the IRO Doctoral Scholarship Programme
As one of its contributions to development cooperation, KU Leuven offers each academic year scholarships to deserving students from developing countries to do their PhD in the largest university of Flanders, Belgium. The programme is organized and managed by the Interfaculty Council for Development Cooperation.
The IRO Doctoral Scholarship Programme has supported more than a hundred PhD graduates over the past ten years. After obtaining their doctorates at KU Leuven, these PhD holders are now valorizing their degrees in their home countries either in university academic research, in government bodies, civil society organizations or in various sectors of industry.
KU Leuven, which is situated at about 20 kilometers from Brussels, the capital of both Belgium and Europe, is the oldest university of the Low Countries. As such, it has a long-standing tradition of hospitality towards students and scholars from abroad. At present, almost 7,000 international students (about 15% of the total number of students at KU Leuven) have found their home away from home in Leuven. 

General Eligibility Conditions

1. The applicant must be a citizen of one of the countries on the OECD DAC table that are listed under the following categories: Least Developed Countries, Low Income Countries or Low Middle Income Countries. Click here fore an overview of these countries.
   The applicant may not possess dual citizenship, where the second citizenship is from an EU country.
   
2. The candidate must have been awarded his master’s degree or an immediately contiguous master’s degree no more than ten years prior to the 1st of October 2015 (including the ongoing calendar year).
   
3. The candidate must hold an academic qualification at least with distinction or equivalent.
   
4. Research project of excellent academic quality, taking into account the development relvance of the proposal.
   
5. The candidate must demonstrate a development oriented motivation.
   
6. Excellent recommendations.
   
7. In order to ensure embeddedness of the research within the context of the home country, a local co-promoter must be appointed.
   

Application procedure
1. Online application:
If you meet the eligibility conditions, you will need to complete the online application form accurately and fully. Please read the instructions carefully on how to download, fill in and send the application form. When filling in the form, pay special attention to:

• For ‘Study and financing information’ select “IRO scholarship”. Applications received without this information will not be considered for the 2014-2015 IRO call.
  
• Please follow the instructions about uploading PDF documents and sending the certified copies of diplomas and transcripts of records in hard copy.
  

Please note that the system only accepts one application form per faculty. Even though your research topic may be different and your prospective promoter may be different within the same faculty, you still can submit only one application for the first research topic and promoter, and you will have to contact the case administrator to inform her that you want to apply for a second topic and with a different promoter within the same faculty.
2. Documents to upload and submit:

• The form of your Research Proposal signed by the appropriate professors. If you have chosen a research topic proposed by one of the KU Leuven Doctoral Schools, the promoter of that Research Topic does not need to sign your elaboration form. (Applicants who are already enrolled in a doctoral programme at KU Leuven will only need to prepare the detailed progress report as defined in their Doctoral School. The report must be signed by the promoter and the members of the examination committee of the doctoral student.)
  

• Your personal motivation and the development relevance of your research proposal making use of this form. No other format will be admitted. Herein the applicant must explain how the research proposal can be approached and treated in a manner relevant to development cooperation.
  

• CV of the local co-promoter.
  

• Two[url=http://www.kuleuven.be/iro/forms/PhD Recommendation.docx] letters of recommendation[/url] by persons other than your (prospective) promoter and local co-promoter, who are qualified to assess your academic capabilities. The two letters of recommendation should be submitted in sealed envelopes and sent directly by the referees to: IRO committee. International Admissions and Mobility, KU Leuven, Atrecht College, Naamsestraat 63 - bus 5410, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. We should receive the letters on the 10th of November 2014, at the latest.
  
• Certificate of English proficiency, for instance a TOEFL score or an IELTS score or results of an equivalent test (only for new students who have not yet been enrolled at KU Leuven). The TOEFL or IELTS score should be sent to International Admissions and Mobility by ETS or by The British Council, respectively, before November 10th 2014.
  
• Only for applicants for the doctoral programme in economics or applied economics: a GMAT or GRE score (for a GMAT score, please contact GMAC [code JQH7X51] and arrange for an original score card to be sent directly to International Admissions and Mobility by ETS or GMAC, respectively, before November 10th 2014.
  
• Copies of applications for other scholarships, if any.
  

http://www.kuleuven.be/iro/index.html