Masters in Marketing Strategy

The Masters in Marketing Strategy is an intensive, full-time programme. It runs for 10 months, from early September to the end of June and is worth 60 ECTS credits. Classes typically run from 9am to 5.30pm and attendance is mandatory. 

You’ll be hands on from day one, with action-oriented learning and intense group work taking you all the way from the foundations of marketing strategy through to real-world application. 

Get a detailed overview of all courses 

Foundations: Building strategic marketing judgment (September – February) 

Start by gaining a deep understanding of how marketing creates value. As well as learning how certain approaches work, you’ll learn why – so you can integrate emerging tools and platforms into your strategy. Throughout, you’ll apply your knowledge in real-life business cases, hands-on marketing simulations and company visits where marketing professionals share their experiences and insights. By working in realistic scenarios, you’ll develop the confidence and judgment needed to make effective marketing decisions. 

This phase focuses on: 

• Analysing markets and customer behaviour 
• Turning data into meaningful customer insights 
• Linking insights to strategic decisions 
• Integrating technology, data and creative strategy 

Business integration: Applying your skills in a real organisation (March – June) 

In this phase, you’ll take the concepts you’ve learned and apply them at scale:  

• Digital marketing study tour to Dublin, Ireland 
  Explore technology-driven marketing in a global context. You’ll discover how digital marketing works in the real world with visits to global companies including Google, LinkedIn and Microsoft.  
• Immersive boot camp 
  Customise your learning to an industry or topic you’re passionate about. In small teams, you’ll take on a real company challenge – and present your recommendations to a panel of senior company leaders and industry experts. 
• In-company project (ICP) 
  Put your skills to test in a real organisation. For three months, you’ll be part of a small team of students taking on a marketing challenge. You’ll integrate strategy, data, creativity and stakeholder management – with support from faculty and business leaders. 

Action learning: Gaining hands-on experience 

Action learning runs throughout the programme. You’ll experience ambiguity, trade-offs and decision-making under pressure – conditions that reflect real marketing roles and help you build confidence, fast. 

You’ll take part in: 

• Business simulations – such as the NextGen Ideation Marketing Battle 
• Company challenges - such as a collaboration with Nescafé Dolce Gusto 
• Hands-on experiments with marketing technologies and data tools – such as virtual reality and IOT 
• Company visits and field trips – to organisations like TBWA, Coca-Cola and Barco 

Personal development: from student to professional 

Grow as both a marketer and a leader. This programme demands commitment, energy and teamwork. You’ll work closely with peers from all around the world, take ownership of your learning and push yourself to your limits. In return, you’ll gain the mindset, skills and confidence to shape your career – and the future of marketing.  

Through continuous feedback, coaching and workshops, you’ll develop: 

• Leadership and collaboration skills 
• Communication and presentation skills 
• Self-awareness and your professional identity 
• Diversity and inclusion awareness 

• Prepare for a role in marketing, customer management or sales – with a solid foundation to grow into a leadership position 
• Develop strong strategic thinking, grounded in data and insight 
• Combine analytical skills and technological knowledge with creative marketing approaches 
• Learn to make strategic decisions grounded in real market and customer insights 
• Develop the strategic capabilities needed to thrive in an AI-enabled marketing landscape 
• Be part of a truly diverse, international community where you explore new perspectives and challenge your thinking 
• Test your skills through real business challenges, simulations, company collaborations and your in-company project 
• Take opportunities to shape your career further – join the Vlerick Sales Club or take on an internship 
• Expand your global perspective with an exchange at emLyon (France) or earn a double degree with Darla Moore School of Business (USA) 

Curious to find out what it means to study at Vlerick? Discover what it’s like to study in Belgium – and get practical information on how to organise your stay. 

Impactful career support from day one 

As soon as you start your programme, you start preparing for the career you want. Through: 

• Personalised career coaching 
• Access to recruiters and partner companies 
• Networking events 
• Advice on positioning yourself in the job market 

You gain the contacts, clarity and confidence you need to take your next leap. 

Discover our full career services offer  

Get inspired: Here’s where our graduates have taken their careers 

• Marketing Consultant & Marketing Analyst: Combine strategic thinking and data-driven insights to help organisations understand their market, optimise campaigns, and make informed growth decisions.
• Business Development & Sales: Drive growth by building relationships, identifying new opportunities, and converting prospects into long-term clients.
• Brand Manager & Product Manager: Shape and grow brands and products by aligning customer needs with business strategy, managing the lifecycle from concept to launch and beyond.
• Management Traineeship or Graduate Programme: Launch yourself into leadership by rotating, learning and leading across company departments. Through this type of full-time paid position, you’ll gain practical experience, tailored training and mentoring from day one.

Are you: 

• An aspiring marketer who wants to create real impact?  
• Keen to learn how think critically and act decisively? 
• Looking for hands-on, real-world experience? 

Then this one-year, full-time Masters is perfect for you. It’s a specialist, practice-oriented route to becoming the strategic marketer our fast-changing world needs. 

Our recent cohorts of diverse, ambitious students looked like this: 

Start date: 1 September 2026
Duration: 10 months (from September until June) 
Location: Ghent  
Application deadline non-EU citizens: 30 April 2026

The tuition fee for this Masters programme is €20,950.

This includes:  

• Dublin trip (including accommodation, breakfast and the transport to company visits)   
• Company visits 
• Travel between different campuses for mandatory programme events 
• One year of access to the full Adobe Suite such as Photoshop, Premiere Pro, InDesign, Acrobat, etc.
• One year of full online access to the Financial Times and The New York Times

The fee does not include the cost of travelling abroad (f.e. flight and airport transfer) for the Dublin trip, any visa costs or living expenses or the costs for any optional modules abroad you may choose as part of your programme. 

Financing your Masters 

Joining a Vlerick programme can be a significant financial investment. But there are many financing options available to help towards your tuition fees – and we’re here to help you explore what types of support you might be eligible for. We process applications for our Masters programmes on a rolling basis as of October, for the September intake. If you want to be considered for one of our full scholarships, make sure to submit your scholarship application together with your programme application before February.

Academic Excellence Scholarships

Academic Merit Scholarship

• Purpose: Reward students with an excellent academic track record
• Requirements:
  • Belgian degrees: Study results equal to great or greatest distinction at Bachelor’s level.
  • Non-Belgian degrees: Study results within the top 20% of the class at Bachelor’s level.
  • Outstanding GMAT/GMAT Focus (> 700/> 655) or GRE (> 164 quantitative and > 163 verbal) scores (for specialized programs only).
• Scholarship: Up to 50% of the tuition fee.
  

Diversity & Equality Scholarship

Equal Opportunity Scholarship: 

• Purpose: Encourage social diversity and individual commitment.
• Requirements: Represent diversity (e.g., minority group, underprivileged community) or actively promote diversity and inclusion by engaging in long-term initiatives that have a clear social impact.
• Scholarship: Up to 50% of the tuition fee, with a chance to receive one full scholarship sponsored by alumnus Jan Toye. Applicants who fit the criteria will be automatically considered for this full scholarship.

European Talent Scholarship: 

• Purpose: This scholarship specifically aims to promote educational mobility within Europe and to strengthen cultural diversity among our student population.
• Requirements: For students with citizenship in an EEA country (outside of Belgium) or in Switzerland
• Scholarship: This is an automatic scholarship amounting to 4000€ and combinable with other scholarships. To be considered, candidates must tick the consent box in the application form and submit before 30 April 2026

Need-based Scholarship

Financial need scholarship: 

• Purpose: Support students with financial need.
• Requirements:
  • A realistic financial plan.
  • Proof of financial need (e.g. previous scholarships or grants).
  • This scholarship can be combined with any other scholarships
• Scholarship: Amount and allocation decided on a case-by-case basis. Full scholarships sponsored by MGM1973 alumni, and 3d Investors. Applicants who fit the criteria will be automatically considered for this full scholarship.

If you're planning to apply for a scholarship, make sure you apply early and submit your scholarship applications alongside your application file. Please check the application form for full conditions.

Loans 

You may consider getting a loan to cover your programme fees. 

• Regular loans: A loan from your bank could cover your tuition fees – get in touch with them for more information.  
• Boost your Vlerick journey with Lendorse: Lendorse offers German students at Vlerick Business School between €3,000 and €20,000 to cover tuition and/or living costs. In return, you commit to repaying a fixed share of your future income. Learn more
• Lendwise loans: Lendwise provides loans to international students at the world’s top business schools. Lendwise loans cover your living expenses and up to 100% of your tuition fees minus your course deposit (which must be paid by you), less any scholarship you may be awarded. Click here to learn more.

Paying in instalments   

You can choose to pay your tuition fees in four separate instalments in October, November, January and March.

If you want to pay by instalments, you need to sign a contract and pay an admin fee of €250. 

There are four steps to start your Vlerick journey: 

1. Check your eligibility 

What you need: 

• Candidates studying in Belgium need a Masters degree from a recognised institution  
• Candidates from outside Belgium can apply with a Masters degree or a 3 to 4-year Bachelor degree from a recognised institution (there may be additional requirements too)

Our Masters programmes are designed for young graduates, with an average age of 23 and little-to-no professional experience. If you have questions about your eligibility, please contact our admissions team. 

2. Submit your application 

We process applications on a rolling basis from October for the 2026-27 September intake. If you need a visa to study in Belgium, we expect your application by 30 April at the latest for the following September intake.

Complete your personal details and upload all necessary documents to our application tool. If you don’t need a visa to study in Belgium, you have until June to apply. However, we advise early application as we allocate places on a first come, first served basis.

3. Take your admissions test 

There are two elements in your admissions test:  

1. Online test  – we accept our own in-house abstract reasoning test (and numerical reasoning if applicable), GMAT (minimum 555) or GRE (157 verbal and 158 quantitative). 
2. Interview – Faculty will look at your motivation, fit and knowledge of marketing, strategy and analytics. Show us clear goals, curiosity for management, and awareness of business news. This interview also takes place online and lasts about 30 minutes.

Want to prepare for your admissions test? – Discover our tips and tricks.   

4. Register for the programme 

We’ll let you know within a week of your interview whether you’ve been admitted. You can request feedback on your application, whatever the outcome. Once you’ve been admitted, you can go ahead and register.

Discover what it’s like to study in Belgium – as well as practical information on how to organise your stay.