How to apply

Procedure | requirements | Deadlines & dates | Student categories | Appeal

Below you may find info on how to apply, the admission requirements, deadlines and more. Read through this info carefully to prepare your application file!

Still have a questions? Check out the FAQ page first!
For info on scholarships and tuitions; visit the Finances page.

NOTE: Finding out whether you are eligible to join the IMFSE programme can only be done by submitting a file via the application form. We do not offer feedback on eligibility via email.

The procedure in 5 steps

1. Check if you meet the admission requirements.

2. Have all the necessary documents ready to complete your application.

3. Fill out and submit the application form prior to the set deadlines. Applications open each year in October.

4. Your file will be evaluated by the selection committee. You will notified on whether you are eligible to be admitted or to be granted a scholarship. If you are not eligible, you will be notified of this and your application ends here.

5. If you are deemed eligible to be admitted as either a scholarship or self funded student, you will be invited for an online interview, which is the last phase in the application procedure:

   Scholarship applicants: interviews in February
   Self-sponsored applicants: interviews after file reviews and when suitable for both parties

Admission Requirements

1/ Academic Requirements

A prerequisite for admission is that applicants have a Bachelor (or Master) degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution (minimum 3 years full-time study or 180 ECTS credits) in civil / structural / mechanical / electrical / chemical / industrial engineering, material sciences, chemistry, physics, applied physics, architecture, urbanism and spatial planning or a related discipline.

Note: Students in their last year of such a study programme at the time of application will also be considered for admission. It is the applicant's responsibility that the required degree is obtained prior to the start of the IMFSE programme.

2/ English Language Requirements

The English language requirements are updated regularly. Please always check the last version of the requirements on the website of The University of Edinburgh. There you may also find information on who can be exempt from submitting an English language certificate:

English requirements

! Last updated in August 2026, check the link above for the most recent conditions !

• IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.

• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition) before 21 January 2026: total 92 with at least 20 in each component We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.

• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition) from 21 January 2026: total 4.5 with at least 4.0 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.

• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 169 in each component.

• Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.

• Oxford ELLT: total 7 with at least 6 in each component. We do not accept Oxford ELLT Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.

• Oxford Test of English Advanced: total 145 with at least 135 in each component.

• How old your English language tests can be:

  The following English language tests must be no more than two years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality:

  IELTS Academic

  TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition)

  Trinity ISE

  Oxford ELLT

  Oxford Test of English Advanced

Special Note on exemptions

Exemptions always need to be requested and approved by the IMFSE Selection Committee. It is not possible to be exempt just because you have studied a Bachelor degree in English. You need to check the accepted English language qualifications as listed on the website of The University of Edinburgh.

3/ Degree Verification

As of October 2025, Ghent University will be using a global verification service (Qualification Check), to authenticate academic degrees and documents!

Click on the button below and read the info and instructions carefully!

Previously, applicants were required to have their documents legalized in order to ascertain the authenticity of your diploma. If for some reason the Qualification Check does not work or you are having issues, visit the website mentioned above to find the appropriate info and contacts.

Checklist of documents

You will need to submit (online, possibly also in hard copies) the following documents, so start well in advance to collect this documentation:

• Passport photo

• Copy of your passport (or other official identification proof for EEA students)

• (Europass) CV

• Personal Statement

• Your Higher Education (Bachelor/Master) degree and Transcript of Records. If they are not available in English, Dutch, French or German, a sworn translation of these will be required!

• English language certificate*

• 2 reference letters

• Other documentation you deem relevant

The documents need to be submitted before the deadline (see below).

*Note: It is possible to send us your English language certificate after the submission deadline, but definitely before the start of the programme. Possible admission will remain conditional until the file is complete. Also note that without a valid language certificate your application is incomplete and you might have lower chances of receiving a scholarship.

Student Categories

There is no nationality restriction. All applicants from all nationalities are welcome in the programme.

Programme Countries

= EEA*

These are thus students originating from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.

*EEA = European Economic Area

Partner Countries

= any other country not mentioned under Programme Countries (above)

Note: Students originating from the following countries are thus also considered to be Partner Country students: Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Switzerland, United Kingdom.

Appeal Procedure

The IMFSE secretariat will be responsible on behalf of the IMFSE Selection Committee to inform the applicants about the outcome of the selection phase, by the end of March for scholarship applicants, and by the end of June for self-sponsored applicants.

At the end of the selection procedure, applicants have the possibility to file an appeal. An appeal can only relate to the correct completion of the selection procedure, not to the outcome thereof. The appeal must be received within 15 working days from the notification date of the selection results. The notification date is the date on which the IMFSE secretariat sends the notification email.

In case of an appeal, the IMFSE appeal form needs to be filled out, signed, dated and send by email to imfse@ugent.be. The sender will receive an acknowledgement of receipt by email. The appeal will then be investigated by the IMFSE Management Board. The appealer will receive the outcome of the appeal within 20 working days after the date on which the appealer sent their appeal form by e-mail to imfse@ugent.be.