Beca Colombia Scholarship Programme for Foreigners 2025–2026

Omran Aburayya
May 10
3 min read

If you're an international student seeking a fully funded opportunity to pursue a master's degree in Latin America, the Beca Colombia Scholarship Programme for Foreigners 2025–2026 is now accepting applications. This prestigious initiative, coordinated by the Colombian Institute of Educational Credit and Technical Studies Abroad (ICETEX), is part of Colombia’s Reciprocity Programme, designed to promote academic, cultural, and technological exchange. It offers foreign nationals the chance to study at accredited Colombian higher education institutions with comprehensive financial support.

🎓 Beca Colombia Scholarship Summary

Location: Colombia
Host Institution: Public and private accredited Colombian universities
Study Level: Master’s degree (up to 24 months / 4 academic semesters)
Target Group: Foreign citizens (non-Colombian nationals)
Fields of Study: Various disciplines as listed in the 2025-2 Academic Offer Catalogue
Award Value and Coverage: Full tuition, monthly stipend, health insurance, visa fees, and foreign identification card issuance
Award Duration: Up to 24 months (4 academic semesters); programs exceeding this duration are not eligible
Application Deadline: June 13, 2025
Start Date: According to each academic programme’s schedule
Eligible to: Foreign citizens under the age of 50, not residing in Colombia

📘 Beca Colombia Scholarship Overview

The Beca Colombia Scholarship Programme aims to strengthen social ties between international students and Colombian institutions by offering comprehensive support for master's degree studies. Successful candidates will enroll in programs listed in the 2025-2 Academic Offer Catalogue, which includes a wide range of disciplines across various universities. The scholarship covers full tuition, health insurance, a monthly stipend equivalent to three Colombian legal monthly minimum wages, visa fees, and a one-time grant for the issuance of a foreign identification card.

💰 Scholarship Benefits

Tuition Fees: Full coverage for the duration of the academic program
Monthly Stipend: Equivalent to three Colombian legal monthly minimum wages, updated annually
Health Insurance: Medical and hospital assistance in Colombia, including repatriation in case of disability or death
Courtesy Visa: Visa support for the scholarship period (recipient only)
Foreigner Identification Card: One-time payment of COP 250,000 for ID card processing

✅ Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

Be a foreign citizen (non-Colombian) under the age of 50
Not currently reside in Colombia or have resided there within the last six months
Not hold Colombian nationality (including dual nationality)
Not be engaged in a marital or domestic partnership in Colombia
Not have previously received a scholarship through this ICETEX programme
Hold a recognized undergraduate (or higher) qualification in any field
Have a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA equivalent to 4.0 out of 5.0 on the Colombian scale
Be admitted to at least one (and up to three) eligible programmes listed in the 2025-2 Academic Offer Catalogue
Be in good physical and mental health (certified by a general physician)

📝 Application Procedure and Required Documents

Application Process:

Review the 2025-2 Academic Offer Catalogue to select eligible programs.
Obtain admission to at least one (and up to three) of the selected programs.
Prepare the required documents listed below.
Submit your application online via the ICETEX platform available on the official scholarship website before the deadline.

📂 Required Documents:

Letter(s) of admission from Colombian higher education institutions for the selected programs
Undergraduate degree certificate and transcript, including grading scale
Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Motivation letter
Health certificate issued by a general physician
Copy of passport
Two letters of recommendation
Essay explaining the priority order of the selected academic programs

🗓️ Important Dates:

Application Deadline: June 13, 2025
Evaluation and Selection: June 13–20, 2025
Results Notification: June 25, 2025
Scholarship Acceptance by Selected Candidates: June 26–27, 2025
Start of Studies: According to each academic programme’s schedule

📌 Additional Information

The scholarship does not cover costs of inter-semester courses, required language courses, international internships, or other mandatory academic activities not specified.
Scholarship recipients must apply for renewal of the scholarship semiannually, submitting a renewal request letter, updated academic transcript with a GPA of at least 4.0/5.0, experience report signed by the academic tutor or director, and an enrollment certificate from the institution.
Applicants are responsible for ensuring that the qualifications will be recognized in their home country by contacting the relevant professional bodies.

📂 Resources