Ghent University Doctoral Scholarships for Candidates from the Global South 2026
Organization: Ghent University (Special Research Fund - BOF)
Host country: Belgium
Degree level: Doctoral
Funding: Research Scholarship
Deadline: February 17, 2026
Eligible countries: Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, DR Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Lao PDR, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Fields of study: All fields of research (preference for topics relevant to the North-South context)
The Doctoral Scholarships for Candidates from the Global South are provided by Ghent University's Special Research Fund (BOF). The scholarship takes the form of a 'sandwich' grant, meaning the candidate obtains a scholarship for 24 months to work at Ghent University, while the remaining 24 months of research must be funded by and carried out at a partner institution in the Global South. The goal is to obtain a PhD degree from Ghent University (often a joint degree).
Benefits
Monthly allowance of approx. €2,550 for the 24 months spent at Ghent University.
Bench fee of €310/month for the Ghent supervisor to cover operational costs.
Travel budget of €8,000 for the student and supervisors.
Full tuition fee waiver at Ghent University.
Eligibility
Must be a national of and resident in one of the eligible Global South countries.
Must submit a joint proposal with a supervisor at Ghent University and a supervisor at the partner university in the South.
Must intend to obtain a PhD degree at Ghent University (exchange students are not eligible).
Must be at the start of the PhD trajectory (at least 36 months of research must remain by the start date).
Must demonstrate that full-time funding is available for the 24 months of research to be carried out in the South (co-funding).
Requirements
Find a supervisor at Ghent University willing to support the application.
Find a supervisor at a partner university in the Global South.
Prepare a doctoral research proposal (using the official template).
Provide a written statement from the partner university guaranteeing co-funding for the local research period.
Provide an ethical and biosafety advice document (signed by the supervisor).
Required Documents
Application Form (Word/PDF)
Advice on the Candidate (from Ghent supervisor)
Advice on Ethical and Biosafety Context (from Ghent supervisor)
Records of Study Results (Transcripts)
Co-funding Statement (from partner institution)
Programs of Study
Open to all PhD research topics
Application Process
1. Identify a supervisor at Ghent University and a supervisor in the South.
2. Co-write the research proposal with both supervisors.
3. The Ghent University supervisor must submit the application form and advice documents via email to BOFapplication@ugent.be.
4. Legal documents regarding co-funding must be attached.
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted by the Ghent University supervisor via email. Candidates cannot apply directly without a supervisor's support. Contact a professor at Ghent University in your field of interest well in advance of the deadline.
Selection Process
Quality of the candidate.
Quality of the research proposal.
relevance to the North-South context.
Evaluation by the Research Council of Ghent University.