The Government of Colombia is offering scholarships to South Africans to pursue postgraduate studies in Colombia in higher education institutions that are part of the Reciprocity Programme for Foreigners in Colombia.

This programme is coordinated by the Colombian Institute of Education Credit and Technical Studies Abroad (ICETEX) which grants educational credits as well as scholarships for international cooperation to Colombian university students.

The programme is designed for foreign nationals who want to pursue postgraduate studies in specialization, master’s and doctorate degrees at private or public Colombian higher education institutions as well as foreign nationals from non-Spanish speaking nations who need to improve their Spanish in order to pursue postgraduate studies in Colombia.

More information on the Beca Colombia Scholarship Programme can be found at: https://web.icetex.gov.co/web/portal/becas/beca-colombia-extranjeros

Degree level

Spanish Language up to six months

Specialization up to 18 months (3 academic semesters)

Master’s up to 24 months (4 academic semesters)

PhD up to 48 months (8 academic semesters)

Deadline

09 June 2024

Important dates:

Closing of the 2024-02 Call: 09 June 2024

Evaluation and selection of candidates: From 10th June to 19th June 2024

Email notification to candidates about selection and non-selection: 20 June 2024

Scholarship acceptance process by those selected: From 21st to the 23rd June 2024

Start of studies in Colombia: According to the Academic Programme

The scholarship awards are made annually, scholarship holders who attend academic programmes longer than 12 months are required to request renewal from ICETEX each year, to maintain continuity of their academic programmes.

The renewal will be subject to compliance with the requirements established by ICETEX, including:
a) Renewal request letter;
b) Certificate of grades with accumulated average of the programmes (at least 4.0/5.0);
c) Experience report signed by the tutor or director of the academic programme.

Who can apply?

  • Applicants must be foreign citizens, without dual nationality (Colombian), who do not live in Colombia and have not previously participated in the same programme; 
  • Not have Colombian nationality, or not resided in Columbia the last 6 months prior to applying for the scholarship;
  • Applicants must present the Certificate of Migratory Movements, with a date no greater than 30 days at the time of application;
  • Must not have any marital or de facto relationship in Colombia;
  • Have good physical and mental health, certified by a doctor;
  • Not older than 50 years;
  • Not having been a beneficiary of ICETEX through the Beca Colombia programme;
  • Have an average of 4.0 out of 5.0 in undergraduate studies;
  • Have a professional, undergraduate, or graduate degree in any area of knowledge;
  • Have admission to at least between one to three postgraduate programmes found in the Academic Offer Catalog 2024-2. In case of applying to Spanish courses, the admission of the Institution offering the Spanish course will be suspended.

Fields of study

For a list of programmes offered, visit the Academic Offer Catalogue 2024-02 which has a consolidated list of programmes offered by Colombian universities or educational institutions that are part of the reciprocity programme for foreigners in Colombia.

What the scholarship offers

  • Tuition fees;
  • Health insurance;
  • Monthly stipend;
  • Installation costs (500,000 pesos equivalent to R2400);
  • Courtesy visa fees;
  • Foreign Identification “Cedula de Extranjeria to cover costs related to the issuance of the immigration card;
  • Stipend for books and materials (500,000 pesos equivalent to R2400);
  • Spanish courses

Note: Applicants will need to make provision for the admission costs established by the Colombian higher education institutions to which they wish to apply. In addition, applicants will need to provide for all other costs not covered by the scholarship.

Application process

All applications must be submitted on the ICETEX platform accessed from the following link:
https://internacionalizacion.icetex.gov.co/Colfuturo-Login/login.xhtml?idPatrocinador=15&idPlataforma=R&hash=717a4d786f79686742732f33625544706f736b6c49773d3d 

Contact

For additional information, please contact the ICETEX International Relations Office via email:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Documents and links

 Note

Please note that this opportunity is not offered by the Department of Higher Education and Training. Applicants are required to undertake their own research into programmes and institutions and are responsible for ensuring that the qualifications will be recognised in South Africa by contacting the South African Qualifications Authority and the relevant professional bodies. If there are any discrepancies in the details provided, the information given by the sponsor supersedes the details provided above. No additional financial support will be provided by the Department of Higher Education and Training.

 
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