Going abroad after graduation

Whether you want to continue studying or take on an international internship or to conduct research; these opportunities are all there for you to explore and to strengthen your career prospects.

Discover the international opportunities and funding options available. Although the number of candidates often exceeds the available grants, don’t let this stop you from giving it a serious try. Keep a close eye on deadlines and procedures, and prepare your application carefully. No need to wait until graduation!

Beforehand, take time to reflect on your personal career goals (Student Career Hub) to support your choices and applications. This will help you to move forward to the next step in your professional journey. Don’t wait until you’ve graduated to do this.

Questions? Contact us via buitenlandnastudies@ugent.be.

To obtain a degree

Below you find some interesting funding possibilities for further academic study. Although sometimes timelines may be divergent, applications at universities and grant bodies are often run simultaneously. In some cases universities offer scholarships as well. It may be interesting to take a look at embassy websites for further information on scholarships for international students in the country concerned.

In Europe

• Italy: Collegio dei Fiamminghi
• France: "France Excellence Europa" scholarship
• Greece: BAAG - Classical Greece in Athens
• Erasmus+: Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees

Outside Europe

• United States: BAEF (for Belgian nationals) and Fulbright
• Switzerland: Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship

• Mexico: the Mexican government, i.e. the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID) offers students an Excellence Scholarship for studies in Mexico.

• Taiwan: The Taipei Representative Office in the EU and Belgium offers Belgian and Luxembourg students a Taiwan Scholarship for (further) studies, a Mandarin Enrichment Scholarship and an Intensive Mandarin summer course.
  Interested international students are advised to follow the proper selection procedure from their country of origin. For more information, go to ROC Embassies and Missions Abroad (roc-taiwan.org).

• Fayat scholarship (in Dutch): Flemish international scholarship programme for talented Dutch speaking students with a Belgian national number or a BIS number

Traineeship / Work Experience

Gain extra assets such as professional experience, intercultural skills, foreign language knowledge, by an immersion in a different (working) culture, while building your international network, ... Highly recommended!

• Erasmus+ traineeship: grants from the European Erasmus+ Programme for traineeship in Europe (within 6 months after graduation), with support of Flanders Traineeship Platform
• Flanders Traineeship Programme: grants for traineeship at international organizations
• Training programme for EU students in Japan with support of Volcanus via the European Commission and the Japanese METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry)
• Erasmus for young entrepreneurs: practical and financial support for aspiring or new entrepreneurs who have a permanent residence in one of the Participating Countries;
• Work experience for young people legally resident in the EU via volunteering in the EU via:
  • European Solidarity Corps
  • AIESEC
  • IAESTE
• Work experience in Europe: EURES incl. information about working and living in the EU countries

Research: going abroad during or after your PhD

You can start a PhD at Ghent University or consider conducting research abroad with international funding. A combination of both is possible via the so-called Joint PhD. In this structure the doctoral degree is awarded by two or more (international) institutions, who share the responsibilities of supervision, coordination and examination of a researcher’s work.

International mobility during your PhD at Ghent University is also possible.