The 10 steps to study in Belgium for international students in 2023

On Jun 5, 2023 52

We are going to present to you in this article, the 10 steps to follow to study in Belgium for foreign and international students .

Studying in Belgium is a very important step for a foreign student.

Indeed, university studies in Belgium are among the most popular in Europe.

In addition, Belgium offers many high-level courses with international recognition.

In addition, it offers attractive prices for quality education.

Because it offers quality higher education at a lower cost, international students increasingly favor Belgian higher education courses.

Furthermore, Belgian universities are recognized for their high quality and the excellence of their academic standards.

They always rank among the best internationally.

To study in Belgium, you have the choice, either to study for free in Belgium with a scholarship in Belgium which will allow you to pay your study costs.

Or you study at your own expense.

Thus, to study in Belgium, there is a procedure to follow and steps to follow.

This is why in this article, we will give you the 10 steps to follow to study in Belgium .

So, discover these steps and go study at Belgian universities !

The 10 steps to study in Belgium for international students in 2023

To go and do your university studies in Belgium, you must have an idea of the procedures to follow and the points to respect.

Indeed, in order to facilitate the study procedure in Belgium, we have tried to group together 10 steps that we consider essential to follow.

Here is the process of studying in Belgium in 10 steps:

Choose the type of Belgian university you want.
Choose the faculty where you wish to study.
Contact the university or faculty.
Check the admission requirements of the Belgian university .
Apply for admission in advance.
Pass the entrance examination if necessary.
Respect the registration dates in Belgium .
Prepare and send your registration file
Pay the costs of university studies in Belgium .
Submit your application for a Belgian study visa.

So, discover more details on these points!

1. Choose the type of university you want

Before leaving to study in Belgium, the first thing you should know is that there are 4 types of Belgian universities, namely:

Public universities in Belgium
Private universities in Belgium
High schools.
Higher schools of the arts.

Each type of these universities has its own specifics that you need to know.

Indeed, public universities in Belgium include the majority of students.

They include hundreds of faculties with outlets in all fields.

In addition, the costs of studies in Belgium in public universities are lower than in private universities.

As for universities, private, the conditions of admission are much more flexible.

2. Choose the faculty where you want to study

Choosing the faculty is considered to be the 2ᵉ step to follow.

Indeed, to choose the “right faculty” you must first have an idea of the study specialties you intend to study.

Depending on the specialty of study, you can find dozens of faculties throughout Belgium that meet your search criteria.

Thus, here are some faculties in the most requested specialties in Belgium, namely:

3. Contact the university or faculty

After choosing the university, faculty or Grande Ecole, you must get in touch with the organizations of your choice.

Indeed, you must contact them to get an idea of the availability of the specialty you have chosen.

Check the conditions and prerequisites to register.

Ask for the costs and fees of the studies that you must pay to register.

And, any other information that you consider useful to request!

Moreover, to get in touch with the university, the first thing to check is the university’s website.

You can find answers within the site in the categories corresponding to your search.

Otherwise, in the contact category, you will find the university’s contact details: email, telephone or address.

So you can contact her by the way you prefer!

4. Check the admission requirements of the university

The process of admission to universities in Belgium remains essentially the same for the majority of Belgian universities.

Admissions deadlines in Belgium vary from one type of university to another.

But, in general, the admission process in Belgian universities starts from the month of February until the start of the academic year.

We invite you to see more information on:

Admissions and registrations in public universities in Belgium .
Admissions and registrations in private universities in Belgium .

However, to find out all the specific admission procedures for the higher education establishment of your choice, we strongly advise you to contact its admissions department at the Belgian university.

5. Apply for pre-admission or registration

The steps are to begin almost 6 months before the scheduled departure date, in order to meet the deadlines for enrolling in Belgian universities, and not to run out of time.

Each Belgian institution can only accommodate 30% of non-residents in medical-type training to avoid the massive enrollment of foreign students to the detriment of local students.

In addition, each institution in Belgium has an admissions and registration department.

It is therefore advisable to contact this service directly after finding their contact details on the establishment’s website, in order to know exactly which documents to provide in your registration file.

Once the different answers have been obtained, you must make a choice between the establishments that have admitted you to one of their courses.

In addition, some Belgian universities surely ask you for additional conditions to be admitted.

In this context, please see:

Admissions conditions in Belgium .
Registration formalities in Belgian universities .

6. Pass the entrance examination if necessary

For some students, sending an application is not enough.

This will depend on the faculty and the chosen study specialty.

Each Belgian institution can only accommodate 30% of non-residents in medical-type training to avoid the massive enrollment of foreign students to the detriment of local students.

The 30% taken from foreign students must succeed in passing an entrance examination.

The number of places and the main criteria for being accepted.

Please contact the university of your choice to check if a competition is mandatory.

7. Respect the registration dates

To register at a university in Belgium , you must take into account that the dates vary according to the cycle of study and the university.

Indeed, you must contact the university of your choice to have the key dates in detail.

Enrollment in Belgian universities mainly depends on the university or school in question.

Thus, to have an overall idea of the dates of registrations in Belgian universities , here are the main data:

Application for admission: from February of year N (2023).
Final registration date: between July 1 and September 30 of each year N (2023).

8. Prepare and send your registration file

Generally, Belgian universities have their own university registration file documents.

Indeed, depending on the university, the faculty and the specialty of study, the university registration file documents may differ.

It is advisable to start the process almost 6 months before the scheduled start date, in order to ensure optimal conditions.

Here are the main documents of a registration file that you must prepare:

A registration form withdrawn from the relevant faculty website
A copy of the bachelor’s, bachelor’s or master’s degree and transcripts
A favorable response to the pre-registration request
A birth certificate extract.
Copy of your passport
ID photo
For higher arts schools, the document attesting to the success of the admission test.
For civil engineering studies, the certificate of success of the special admission exam.
A document attesting to your sufficient command of the French language.
A well-detailed CV
A cover letter
Proof of payment of registration fees or proof of obtaining a scholarship in Belgium
Letters of recommendation from professors or former managers (optional)

9. Pay university fees

University fees in Belgium vary significantly depending on the nationality of the student.

Whether Belgian student, European student or foreign student outside Europe, registration fees vary considerably.

Indeed, the new circulars differentiate the registration fees according to the nationality of the student and the type of university.

In this context, please see:

Costs of university studies in Belgium .
The prices of Belgian public universities .
And, the prices of Belgian private universities .

For information, here is an idea of the registration fees for foreign students by level of study:

For Belgians:

License Fees Minerval: €835.
Master’s fees Minerval: €835.
Specialized Master Minerval fees: €835.
Doctorate: €835.

And, for foreigners :

License Fee Plus: 4175 €.
Master Fees Plus: €4175.
Specialized Master’s Fee Plus: €4175.
Doctorate: €835.

Besides, you can study for free in Belgium via Belgian scholarships .

10. Apply for a Visa for studies in Belgium

To stay as a foreign student in Belgium, you need a national long-stay visa (Visa type D).

Indeed, this visa allows you not only to stay and study in Belgium, but also to be able to move freely in all the countries of the Schengen territory.

To obtain a study visa for Belgium, you must contact the Belgian embassy in your country for more information on the formalities and the necessary documents.

Conclusion

Thus, to conclude our article on studying in Belgium, we have presented for you 10 steps to follow to study in Belgium for foreign students.

Indeed, we have tried to clarify the most important points to know before leaving to study in Belgium.

All the points mentioned in this article are very important to know.

You can consider these steps as a Checklist to follow to advance in your admission and study procedure in Belgian universities.

We always advise you to contact the universities of your choice for more information on registration and admissions procedures.

So don’t hesitate to follow these steps, and ask the questions that come to mind to the universities of your choice, and good luck with your further studies.