Belgian universities attract students from Eastern Europe more than other Western European universities. What conditions are created in Belgium for foreigners? What is the peculiarity of education in this country?
Features of training
Belgian education is considered one of the best in the world - 7 public universities are among the 300 best universities in the world, of which 5 are included in the top universities according to the THE ranking.
Higher educational institutions of the country are popular with foreigners due to their multiculturalism - educational programs are conducted in the most common European languages:
- Dutch;
- French;
- Deutsch;
- English.
Studying in Belgium is inexpensive relative to the average European prices - a year of study costs 1036-4863 US dollars per year. The common currency is the euro.
The main advantage that the universities of Belgium have is the mark of the international PISA rating, thanks to which the state educational program is ranked 19th in the world.
Higher education
The advantage of Belgian universities over European ones is that the program of study in higher educational institutions is comfortable for graduates from Eastern European countries.
The academic year here consists of 2 semesters, as in the CIS countries:
- September-January;
- February-June.
Admission to universities is possible from the age of 17-18.
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Education programs
Education after school in the country is possible in the following educational institutions:
- Universities;
- University colleges;
- Art universities (art history, architecture) and the military academy.
In Belgium, higher education is carried out according to the Bologna system, according to which you can get bachelor's, master's or doctoral degrees.
Bachelor's and master's degrees are presented in all educational institutions - 3-4 years are given for the first degree, the second - 12-24 months. A doctor's degree can be obtained in 3-4 years only in higher educational institutions (classical, technical, medical universities).
The bachelor's degree is divided into categories:
- Professional - involves the development of professional skills at a level sufficient to work in the chosen profession;
- Academic - makes a bias towards theoretical and scientific knowledge. After this category, admission to the master's program is possible.
A feature of the Bologna system is also in the assessment of students' knowledge. The highest score - 100 (equivalent to Russian 5) - is earned by accumulating points for assignments during the semester, as well as answering the exam.
Conditions for admission
The peculiarities of admission directly depend on the level of knowledge of the applicant, whether he has certain documents, specialty and the university that he has chosen.
For admission you need:
- Present a high school diploma that meets the requirements of the Belgian Ministry of Education;
- Assess the level of knowledge of a foreign language and decide in which language the training will take place;
- Pass a profile exam, if required (mainly for technical, medical and artistic specialties);
- Receive documents confirming enrollment;
- Apply for a student visa.
You can enter Belgian educational institutions both after the 9th grade (college, art school) and after the 11th grade (university, academy).
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List of required documents
A Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian applicant upon admission to a Belgian higher educational institution is obliged to present the following documents:
- Universal international certificate of education;
- Confirmation of no criminal record;
- Medical report on the state of health;
- Assurance of financial solvency;
- Passport (citizen of your country).
Depending on the specialty, gender and skills of the applicant, the package of documents may vary.
Study visa
To obtain a study visa, you must contact the Belgian embassy in your country (Russia, Ukraine, etc.). the minimum period for submission of documents is 7 days, the optimal one is a month.
The main criterion for obtaining a visa is a documented basis for visiting the state.
After obtaining a visa and a residence permit, in the absence of violations by the student and permanent residence in the country for 5-10 years, it is possible to obtain Belgian citizenship.
Cost of education
Due to the relatively low cost of education, Belgian education is more affordable for applicants from Eastern Europe.
An example of prices for a year of study in the best universities in the country:
| University name | Cost of a year of bachelor's degree, in euros | Master's year price, in euros |
| Leuven Catholic University | 515 | 1300 |
| University of Ghent | 932 | 1120 |
| Louvain Catholic University | 3910 | 3910 |
Tuition fees may increase. The final price depends on factors such as study quotas for foreigners - the number of Belgian students at their home universities must equal or exceed 98%.
If residents of other countries did not fall into the established 2%, they can pay at least half of the established amount for a year of study and get into the number of students. To get to a place within the quota, you must submit documents no later than 10 months before the start of the school year.
Is it possible to get education for free
The average cost per student per year is 4-5.5 thousand dollars... Since students pay less for admission, the rest of the amount is received by the universities of Belgium from various sponsors, programs, grants.
There is no possibility of admission to free education in the country. However, you can try to win a place in a grant program or a scholarship - this money will be enough to partially or fully cover the cost of education.
Scholarships and grants for foreigners
You can study at state universities for free - for this you need to get into one of the international scholarship programs.
The list of organizations that provide the opportunity for free training:
- UN;
- NATO;
- UNESCO;
- EU;
- Communities (Flemish or French) in Belgium.
Detailed information can be found on the official websites of the organizations.
Usually grant programs are designed for 3-10 months. There are scholarships for both bachelor's and master's degrees.
There are high requirements for candidates for a scholarship:
- Education for the 4th-5th year at the university of the native state;
- Proficiency in English or one of the state languages at the level of basic spoken language.
Each applicant is obliged to prepare a diploma project worthy of studying for a bachelor's or master's degree.
Features for internship and exchange programs
Some educational institutions in the post-Soviet space cooperate with Belgian universities, especially in the following areas:
- The medicine;
- Agriculture;
- Natural Sciences.
Thanks to international cooperation, there are exchange study projects for foreign students. To inquire about the possibility of an exchange study or internship in Belgium, you can contact the administrative department of the educational institution at your place of residence or the Belgian embassy in the state.
Accommodation and meals for students
The minimum amount you can count on while living in Belgium is 600 euros.
Accommodation options for students:
- Student campus dorm room - 150-450 euros per month;
- Rental apartment - 500-600 euros per month.
On average, food will cost at 150-200 euros per month.
Top universities in the country
Below is information about the 5 best universities in the country, which are included in the international TOP-300 ranking.
| Name | International name | Place in TOP-300 | Location (city) | Short description | Official site |
| Leuven Catholic University | Katholieke Universiteit Leuven | 78 | Leuven | A classical university with the possibility of studying in various specialties. The main bias is the humanities, art, philosophy. | kuleuven.be/ |
| University of Ghent | Universiteit Gent | 96 | Ghent | Study program in Dutch. Main directions: medicine, veterinary science, biology. | www.ugent.be/ |
| Louvain Catholic University | Université catholique de Louvain | 145 | Louvain-la-Neuve | French-language program in two areas: social sciences, humanities and mathematics. | www.uclouvain.be/ |
| Free University of Brussels | Free University of Brussels (VUB) | 199 | Brussels | Dutch language of instruction. Programs offered: Humanities, Social Sciences, Arts, Engineering, Medicine. | www.vub.ac.be/ |
| University of Liege | Université de Liège | 232 | Liège | University with a French curriculum in the following areas: natural sciences, medicine, engineering specialties. | www.ulg.ac.be/ |
Reviews about studies
Students from Eastern Europe who have already studied at Belgian universities share their experience.
Evgeniy:I got to study in Belgium thanks to the experience of international internships that I already had. They told me where to look for grant programs - with their help I went to the University of Brussels. It is difficult to study during the semester - a busy schedule with many laboratory workshops. Exams usually consist of an oral and a written part.
Julia:Studying at a Belgian university is an order of magnitude more difficult than at any Russian one. But all comfortable conditions have been created for students - people with disabilities study in many groups. Excellent students are encouraged by internships in other foreign educational institutions, excursions, trips.
Entering a university in Belgium is not that difficult. And thanks to international grant programs, students even with a low financial situation can study in this country.
