KU Leuven Inspiring the Outstanding Scholarship 2027: €13,200 a Year + Tuition Waiver

The KU Leuven Inspiring the Outstanding Scholarship 2027–2028 is open for master’s study in Belgium, offering a tuition waiver and €13,200 per academic year. If your next degree could help you develop a serious research interest, professional specialisation or social contribution, this is substantial support worth investigating.

The useful question is how to turn an ordinary admission application into a scholarship candidacy. KU Leuven requires an additional annexe and a separate registration, while English-test timing and programme eligibility need attention before submission.

What does KU Leuven’s funding actually cover?

The award removes tuition charges except an annual administration fee of approximately €140. The allowance runs for one academic year on a 60-ECTS programme or two on a 120-ECTS programme.

My recommendation is to build a personal budget around the allowance rather than assume every expense is reimbursed separately. Housing, travel and settling-in choices still affect how far the funding stretches.

KU Leuven lists one Inspiring the Outstanding Scholarship for this call. The shared application process also considers eligible applicants for linked scholarships, but admission to a master’s programme does not guarantee an award.

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Could your academic background qualify?

You need strong academic results and admission suitability for a programme on KU Leuven’s scholarship list. Options span humanities, social sciences, science, engineering and other disciplines; the degree title alone does not replace its individual entry requirements.

Previous degrees must come from outside Flanders. A credit-mobility exchange in Flanders is permitted. Students already enrolled at a Flemish institution are otherwise excluded, except international students taking a preparatory programme in spring 2027 to begin their master’s in September 2027. Another full award from KU Leuven, Belgian governments or the European Commission cannot be combined with this scholarship.

Examples on the current list include Artificial Intelligence, Statistics and Data Science, Mechanical Engineering, Economics, International Politics, Philosophy and Bioethics. Start with a degree that matches your previous coursework, then develop your scholarship case around that fit.

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What should you prepare before applying?

Prepare a coherent admission file, then make your scholarship interest explicit. A useful targeted CV connects your strongest work to the chosen degree; Europass is an optional format here, not a scholarship requirement.

English evidence follows the university’s accepted-test rules and any higher programme threshold. The general baseline is IELTS Academic 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 79; Cambridge and ITACE routes also exist. Duolingo is not accepted. Specified English-taught qualifications completed in Australia, English-speaking Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK or the US qualify for exemption.

Use the programme’s higher score or subscore requirement where one applies. For this scholarship, take the required language test before the scholarship deadline; KU Leuven allows the result to be submitted afterwards. This flexibility concerns the result, not permission to sit the test late.

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Which mistake could invalidate your candidacy?

Do not stop after submitting admission documents. The scholarship registration requires your exact 12-digit application number, including leading zeros; an invalid number makes the candidacy form ineligible. I would copy it directly from the application rather than type it from memory.

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How to submit your KU Leuven scholarship application

Complete the admission application and scholarship registration within the scholarship window. A later general admission deadline does not extend this funding deadline.

1. Choose a degree from the eligible programme list and use its academic requirements alongside the English-test rules.
2. Prepare your admission file using KU Leuven’s application procedure. Budget for the €120 non-refundable application fee per application unless an exemption applies.
3. Before submitting that file, complete the KU Leuven Scholarships & Master Mind Candidacy Form and upload it as “Annexe”. Submit the master’s application with all required materials, using the scholarship’s stated flexibility for language-test results where needed.
4. Complete the separate scholarship candidacy registration using your exact 12-digit application number. Keep confirmation of both submissions.
5. If nominated, respond to the invitation for the one-minute motivational video. Follow the official scholarship selection timetable; an admission offer alone does not confirm funding.

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KU Leuven scholarship questions, answered

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KU Leuven Inspiring the Outstanding deadline

Both the admission file with annexe and the scholarship registration must be completed in time. Nominees are informed by 10 March 2027 and submit their video by 16 March 2027. Selection results are expected at the end of March.

Choose your degree, secure the slowest document and complete both submissions before the cutoff. If you need an English test, make its test date part of that plan now.

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