Colombia Foreign Postgraduate Scholarships—Fully Funded 2024/2025

This program is aimed at foreigners who wish to pursue their postgraduate studies in Colombia, as well as for foreigners from non-Spanish-speaking countries who need to strengthen the Spanish language to carry out postgraduate studies in Colombia.

ICETEX, as an Institution of the Colombian State that promotes Higher Education through Granting educational credits and international cooperation scholarships to the population with Lower economic possibilities and good academic performance, oversees granting economic aid to foreign citizens within the framework of the Strategy of Reciprocity for foreigners and its Program, Beca Colombia.

Study Programme: Master’s Degree

Eligible Countries: International Students

Country Host: Colombia

Scholarship Reward: Fully-funded tuition, monthly stipend

Eligibility Criteria for the Scholarship

• Be a foreign citizen
• Not have Colombian nationality.
• Not be residing, nor have resided the last 6 months before applying for the scholarship in Colombian territory or have started studies in Colombia at the time of application to the Corresponding call.
• In case of being selected, scholars can be asked by ICETEX to provide the Certificate of Migratory Movements, with a date no greater than 30 days at the time of entering the Colombian Territory.
• Must not have any marital or de facto relationship in Colombia.
• Not having been a beneficiary of ICETEX through the Beca Colombia program.
• Not be older than 50 years.
• Have a cumulative general average of 4.0 out of 5.0 in undergraduate to apply for the call.
• According to the grading scale of each country, the note must be equivalent to a minimum of 4.0 for the Colombian scale. *It is not valid to present a postgraduate average.
• Have a professional, undergraduate, or graduate degree in any area of knowledge.
• Have admission to at least between one and three postgraduate programs found in the Academic Offer Catalog 2024-2 annexed to this announcement. In case of applying to Spanish Courses, the admission of the Institution offering the Spanish course will be suspended.
• Have good physical and mental health, certified by a doctor

Benefits of the Scholarship

• Enrollment: The coverage of the entire tuition will be granted by the Colombian higher education institution (only for the academic programs that are within the catalogue of academic offers, published in the 2024-2 call).
• Health Policy/Medical Insurance: Medical and hospital assistance in Colombia that includes repatriation in case of disability or death. This assistance is only covered during the study period in Colombia and only to the scholarship recipient, it is not extended to family members. Scholars must bear the cost of prescription drugs and a moderate fee for medical examinations.
• Courtesy visa: ICETEX will send each fellow a letter for the online application of the courtesy visa type “V” visa, which will be granted by the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the study period. This visa is only for the fellow. If you require a visa for family members, they must apply for a visa on their behalf.
• Living Expenses/monthly support: ICETEX will support each foreign scholarship holder with monthly support (living expenses) amounting to three current legal monthly minimum wages. In 2025, the adjustment will be made according to the increase in the minimum wage decreed by the Colombian Ministry of Labor. This Item will be granted only to those who are in Colombian territory carrying out in-person studies.
• Installation expenses: ICETEX will support each scholarship holder with an amount for installation expenses in Colombia, for the only time in the study period. This item will be granted only to those who are in Colombian territory carrying out in-person studies.
• Expenses of books and materials: For each year of study, ICETEX will support each scholarship holder with a value for books and materials, specialization scholarship holders will receive single support, master’s scholarship holders will receive up to two supports and doctorate scholarship holders between three and four according to the time of their study doctorate.
• Foreign Identification “Cedula de Extranjeria: This is a financial support equivalent to 250,000 COP, which will be paid only once during the entire study program to cover costs related to the issuance of the Foreign Identification id “Cedula D eExtranjeria”. This item will be granted in the first stipend received by the scholarship recipient once the foreign identification and bank certificate have been issued and sent to ICETEX.

Selection Criteria

1. Academic excellence (30%)
2. Coherence between the academic and professional career and the studies to be carried out (30%)
3. Professional experience (20%)
4. Geographical location of the Colombian teaching center (10%)
5. Reciprocity of cooperation of the country of origin (10%)

Note: The beneficiary must present two letters of acceptance; A letter of acceptance to the Spanish course and a letter of acceptance to a specialization, master’s or doctoral program offered in the “ACADEMIC OFFER CATALOG 2024-2”. Once the Spanish course has been completed, the beneficiary must begin the postgraduate program to which he or she was admitted in 2025-1.

Application Process

Foreign candidates may submit their application online at the following link: https://portal.icetex.gov.co/Portal/Home/HomeEstudiante/becas/programa-de-reciprocidad-paraextranjeros-en-colombia/becas-colombia-extranjeros

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Application Status: Closed