Scholarships to study abroad in Belgium, Switzerland, Austria: less competitive destinations

🔄 Last updated: October 8, 2026

Scholarships to study abroad in Belgium, Switzerland and Austria are less mentioned than those in the UK, Germany or France, but because of that, the level of competition for Vietnamese candidates is often lower. All three countries have government scholarships or cooperation networks specifically for developing countries, including Vietnam. This article summarizes the most notable programs and approaches.

Why are Belgium, Switzerland, and Austria less competitive?

These three countries are small in size, rarely promoted in Vietnam and many programs require French, German or Dutch at the bachelor's level. However, at the master's and doctoral levels, there are many programs taught in English, public school tuition is relatively affordable compared to the UK and US, and there are scholarships aimed at candidates from developing countries.

Scholarship to study in Belgium: VLIR-UOS and other sources

VLIR-UOS is a development cooperation program of Flanders (Dutch-speaking) universities such as KU Leuven, Ghent, Antwerp, VUB, Hasselt. ICP Connect scholarships are for international master's programs in sustainable development fields such as agriculture, environment, water, public health, and development economics. According to notices posted by Vietnamese schools for the 2026–2027 school year, Vietnam is on the list of eligible countries, candidates must hold nationality and reside in Vietnam.

• Benefits: tuition, living expenses, insurance and international air tickets during the course.
• How to apply: apply directly to a master's program in Belgium and mark the scholarship request when submitting the admission application.
• Deadline: usually around the end of February (depending on the program).
• Priority: candidates with the orientation to contribute to sustainable development in Vietnam.

The French-speaking community has ARES scholarships for a number of priority partner countries (list changes from time to time), and many Belgian schools have their own scholarships for international students. Belgium is also home to many shows Erasmus Mundus.

Scholarship to study in Switzerland: Swiss Government Excellence

The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship (ESKAS) is for young researchers from many countries, including Vietnam, with the following categories: research, doctoral and post-doctoral scholarships at public universities, federal institutes of technology (ETH Zurich, EPFL) and some schools of applied sciences. According to recent announcements, the scholarship includes a monthly allowance (the level for researchers and graduate students is lower than the post-doctoral level), mandatory health insurance, initial accommodation support and airfare.

Common conditions

• Have a master's degree (with a doctoral, research stream) or a doctorate (with a post-doctoral stream) within the specified time frame.
• Age limit for PhD and research studies (usually no more than 35 years old).
• Letter of acceptance from the supervisor in Switzerland and detailed research proposal.
• Have not previously received this scholarship and have not lived in Switzerland for more than the specified time.

Applications submitted through the Swiss Embassy are usually due at the end of the year for the school year starting in September of the following year. See more How to write a research proposal for a doctoral scholarship.

Scholarship to study abroad in Austria: Ernst Mach ASEA-UNINET

ASEA-UNINET is a university cooperation network between Europe and Southeast Asia, of which Vietnam has many member schools. Ernst Mach – ASEA-UNINET Scholarship sponsored by the Austrian Ministry of Education, managed by OeAD, includes:

• Full PhD: full-time doctoral study at a member university in Austria; According to the 2026 announcement, the subsidy is about 1,300 euros/month plus transportation support.
• Postdoc: requires candidates to belong to an ASEA-UNINET member institution.
• Short-term research: submitted continuously, several months before the research period.

The deadline for submitting a Full PhD is usually around March. In addition, public university tuition in Austria for non-EU students is moderate (several hundred euros per semester according to recent regulations), so even self-funded study abroad is an option worth considering.

Application strategy

1. Determining the level of study: Belgium is strong in the development master's degree; Switzerland and Austria are suitable for PhD students.
2. Prepare English and if possible, learn basic German or French.
3. Network connection: check if the school you are studying is part of ASEA-UNINET or cooperates with a Belgian school.
4. Comparison with other countries: see Compare scholarships from other countries and DAAD German study abroad scholarship.

Once you have a scholarship, if the program only supports one-way tickets or a fixed travel allowance, you need to proactively book tickets to Brussels, Zurich, Geneva or Vienna. VeDuHoc with more than 30 multi-company ticket hunting Bookers will check transit visa requirements, optimize checked baggage, support VAT invoice issuance when needing to settle with the program, and if a better price is found after you have paid, HVSC will refund the difference. See air tickets to study abroad.

Frequently asked questions

Does the VLIR-UOS scholarship require work experience?

Depends on the master's program. Many programs prioritize candidates with development-related experience, but specific conditions are determined by each program.

Does Swiss Government Excellence offer master's degrees?

For Vietnamese candidates, scholarships are mainly for research, PhD and post-doctoral studies, not for masters.

Does the Ernst Mach Scholarship require knowledge of German?

It is not required if the PhD program or research group works in English, but German makes life in Austria more convenient.

Is the cost of living in Switzerland high?

Very high compared to European level. The scholarship allowance is calculated to be enough to live on at the student level, but you should budget more for the first few months.

Scholarships to study abroad in Belgium, Switzerland and Austria are smart choices for candidates who want to avoid scholarships with too many applicants. Please follow the official announcement, prepare early, and contact VeDuHoc via hotline/Zalo 090.1800.918 when you need flight support.

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