Admission Criteria

The International MSc in Rural Development offers admission to applicants who appear to have the highest potential for graduate study and who, with the benefit of a graduate education, are the most likely to contribute substantially to their academic or professional fields through teaching, research, or professional practice.

The minimum graduate admission requirements are:
(1) A Bachelor's degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution (minimum 3 years study)
(2) Sufficient undergraduate training to do graduate work in the chosen field
(3) A satisfactory scholastic average

The IMRD is open to all students who have a Bachelor's degree or a recognized equivalent academic degree of minimum 3 years study in

  • bioscience engineering
  • agricultural sciences
  • environmental sciences
  • forestry
  • veterinary sciences
  • geography
  • economics
  • sociology
  • rural development studies.

Applicants with another degree but with experience or knowledge in one of these fields can be admitted on decision by the IMRD Managing Board on the basis of CV and other evidence.

Admission decisions are based on a combination of factors, including academic degrees and records, the statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, test scores, language skills and relevant work experience, if any. We also consider the appropriateness of your goals to the IMRD programme. In addition, consideration may be given to how your background and life experience would contribute significantly to an educationally beneficial mix of students.

New procedure for Chinese students:
From the academic year 2007-2008 onwards all students from the P.R. China will have to obtain a certificate of academic screening issued by the Academic Evaluation Centre (APS) of the German Embassy in Beijing before being allowed to enrol at any higher education institution, language course or other preparatory course in Flanders. The APS certificate is also required for obtaining a student visa to Belgium.

Students planning to study in Flanders in 2007-2008 are advised to
contact the Academic Evaluation Centre in Beijing, e-mail :
info@aps.org.cn as soon as possible in order to make the necessary appointments and this before applying for a visa.

The APS application form and more information can be found on the
website www.aps.org.cn