Hey future scholars! 👋 Ready to take your PhD journey to the next level with an incredible international opportunity? Bursaries Room is super excited to tell you about the Ghent University Global South Doctoral Bursary 2026! If you’re from the Global South and dreaming of a PhD that combines world-class research in Belgium with strengthening academic ties in your home country, then this “sandwich” bursary is calling your name!
This fantastic bursary, offered by Ghent University in Belgium through its Special Research Fund (BOF), is designed for bright minds like yours who want to pursue a Doctoral (PhD) degree. It’s unique because it’s a “sandwich” program – meaning you’ll split your research time between Ghent University in Belgium (24 months) and a partner university in your home country or another Global South institution (the other 24 months). Ghent University covers the costs for your time in Belgium, and you’ll need to secure funding for the time you spend at your Southern institution. It’s all about building academic bridges and boosting research capacity in the Global South!
Who Can Apply?
To grab this amazing opportunity, here’s what you need to tick off the checklist:
- You must be a citizen of one of the eligible Global South countries (Ghent University lists them, so check that out!).
- You’ll need to team up with a supervisor from Ghent University and a co-supervisor from your institution in the Global South to submit a joint research proposal.
- Your goal should be to earn a joint or full PhD degree from Ghent University – unfortunately, exchange or non-degree students aren’t eligible.
- You should be at the early stages of your doctoral studies. By the time the bursary starts on October 1, 2026, you must still have at least 36 months of PhD research left to complete.
- Your research proposal needs to show clear relevance within a North-South or South-North context, aligning with global development goals and your Global South partner’s priorities.
Ghent University is all about fairness and encourages gender balance in research, so each Ghent supervisor can support up to two candidates per call, provided they are of different genders.
Heads up: this program requires co-funding! Your partner university or research center in the Global South must guarantee a few things:
- They’ll appoint a local PhD supervisor to guide your research.
- They’ll provide a formal statement confirming you’ll receive a full-time local PhD bursary or salary for the 24 months you’re based at their institution.
- They’ll assure you’ll be mostly free from teaching or admin duties, dedicating at least 90% of your time to research.
What Does It Cover?
This bursary is pretty sweet for the 24 months you spend in Ghent! It takes care of:
- Your living and research costs.
- Full access to Ghent University’s awesome facilities, top-notch supervision, and academic resources.
- The chance to become part of a lively research community, where you can exchange ideas and excel academically.
Remember, the entire PhD journey will span about four years, perfectly split between Ghent University and your partner institution back home.
There are absolutely no restrictions on your research discipline! However, proposals that clearly tackle North-South relevant challenges like sustainability, health, governance, digitalization, or climate adaptation will get extra love.
How to Apply?
Ready to jump in? Here’s the deal:
- Your application needs to be a team effort, prepared and submitted jointly by you and *both* your Ghent University supervisor and your South-based co-supervisor.
- You’ll find all the juicy details – the full application package, detailed guidelines, and the list of eligible countries – on the official Ghent University Africa Platform website and their BOF funding page.
- Make sure all your ducks are in a row! Double-check that all required documents, including institutional support letters, co-funding confirmations, and your brilliant research proposal, are complete before hitting that submit button.
This is a truly exceptional chance for emerging scholars to contribute to globally important research while building awesome academic connections between the North and the South. By combining resources and diverse perspectives, this program aims to train future research leaders who will drive sustainable development in their home regions!
If this sounds like the perfect bursary to fuel your academic dreams, don’t wait — apply now and explore more amazing bursaries right here on Bursaries Room!
