In Flanders, applications for student scholarships increased by 9% during the 2025–2026 academic year, reaching around 137,100 applications. Whilst more than half of the applications were approved, this trend underlines the role of financial support in access to higher education. For young Africans thinking about pursuing their studies abroad, the issue of funding is also a crucial concern, even if the figures from Flanders alone do not provide a clear picture of their opportunities for mobility.
For many young people, continuing their studies abroad offers the prospect of further training, specialist qualifications and entry into the labour market. But behind this plan there is often a crucial reality: the cost of studying and the financial resources needed to live in the host country.
Figures published by Statistics Flanders, reported on 16 October by VRT NWS and the Belga news agency, highlight the importance of financial support schemes in higher education in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking region of Belgium. For the 2025–2026 academic year, around 137,100 applications for student grants were submitted, representing a 9 per cent increase on the previous year.
Of all the applications, 54% were approved. Nearly 40% were turned down, whilst 7% were still under review at the time the figures were published. The Flemish Government allocated 159 million euros to this funding during the academic year in concerned.
These statistics do not provide insight into international or African students directly. Nevertheless, they raise a key question for understanding student mobility: to what extent do financial resources dictate access to higher education and the ability to pursue an academic career away from one’s country of origin?
Funding: A Condition for Student Mobility
For a student looking to leave Togo or another African country to study in Europe, acceptance into an institution is an important step, but it does not necessarily mean the plan is financially feasible.
Tuition fees, accommodation, food, transport, insurance and other daily costs must be budgeted for. Added to this may also apply international travel costs and the administrative procedures connected with the stay.
A scholarship may then play a decisive role. Depending on its amount and the expenses it covers, it can lower the financial burden borne by the student and their family. It can also enable a low-income applicant to consider a programme that would otherwise have been difficult to access.
Conversely, the inability to secure financial support may lead some students to give up on their plans, look for elsewhere to study, or settle for a programme in their home country. Others may try to raise the necessary funds from their extended family, through employment or via other funding schemes.
These situations serve as a reminder that student mobility does not depend solely on academic achievement, the type of course chosen or the desire to study abroad. It also rests on financial means and the availability of schemes capable of making the project achievable.
In Flanders, Financial Aid Subject to Several Criteria
The Flemish scholarship system is based on criteria which include, in particular, parental income, family circumstances, citizenship, age and the chosen training programme.
For the 2025–2026 academic year, the average amount awarded to recipients was 2,069 euros for higher education colleges, compared with 2,288 euros for universities, according to data reported by VRT NWS. Nearly 70% of grants were awarded to students at higher education colleges.
Statistics Flanders links the increase in the number of approved applications in particular to a reform introduced during the 2019–2020 academic year. This reform broadened the range of higher education programmes eligible for funding, notably by including certain vocational training programmes and teacher training courses. As a result, more students became eligible for grants.
This trend shows that the rules governing access to financial support can have an impact on the number of beneficiaries. It also serves as a reminder that an increase in the number of applications or grants awarded does not automatically mean that students’ financial needs are fully met.
To assess the impact of this financial support, it would be necessary, in particular, to ascertain the expenses that recipients must cover, the proportion of their needs that is actually met, and the hardships faced by applicants whose applications have been rejected.
Planning a Mobility Project as a Togolese Student
For young Togolese people looking to further their studies abroad, the search for funding should begin early enough in the planning process. Opportunities are different depending on the country, the institution, the degree program and the admission requirements.
Applicants should, in particular, carefully check the eligibility criteria for scholarships, application deadlines, the expenses covered and any specific conditions imposed on international students. Funding intended for students already residing in a particular country or meeting specific citizenship criteria will not necessarily be readily available to an applicant living in Togo.
It is also essential to make a distinction between a scholarship and funding that covers all expenses. A grant may cover part of the tuition fees but may not be able to pay for accommodation, food or transport. Assessing the total cost of the stay therefore helps to minimise the risk of having to drop out of studies due to a lack of funds.
Higher education institutions, academic cooperation services and organisations that offer scholarships are all sources to refer to when identifying available opportunities. Applicants should also be wary of agents who promise a secure scholarship in return for payment, without providing valid proof of their mandate.
Studying Abroad – But What About the Future?
Student mobility is not just about moving to a different location. It can change career prospects, the skills acquired and the connections maintained with one’s home country.
Some students choose to return after completing their studies to contribute their skills to their community or country. Others consider pursuing their careers abroad, whilst some maintain professional links across several countries. These paths are not necessarily set in stone: plans may shift as studies progress and employment opportunities unfold.
For African countries, the challenge therefore also lies in creating conditions conducive to the recognition of skills acquired abroad, whilst enabling students who so wish, to be able to continue their professional careers in their home country.
Scholarship policies can make it easier to access education, but their contribution to development depends on many things: the quality of teaching, the recognition of qualifications, employment opportunities and the circumstances surrounding a student’s return or establishment in the labour market.
The Flemish statistics do not reveal how many young Africans go to study in Europe on a scholarship, nor how many end up abandoning their plans due to a lack of funding.
To answer these questions, specific data would be required on international students, their origins, the financial support they receive and their career paths.
Making Education Mobility More Accessible
The rising number of applications for grants in Flanders highlights the importance of financial support schemes in higher education. It serves as a reminder that access to higher education also depends on schemes that enable students to cover, at least in part, the costs of their studies.
For young Africans considering studying abroad, the question remains: how can we ensure that training opportunities are not reserved solely for those who already have the necessary resources?
