Higher education in Belgium for international students

Higher education in Belgium is subsidized by two ethnic communities: Flemish and French. A third community, the German community, finances secondary education . Natives of the German community study at universities of the French community or enter German-speaking universities in Germany and Austria. Teaching here is conducted in 4 main languages: Dutch, French, German, English. The people of Belgium speak one or two of the 3 local languages and almost all know English, because the Belgian capital Brussels is home to the most important international organizations of the European Union. Brussels is the capital of European politics, finance, and high-level management.

Higher education in Belgium for foreign students is carried out in local and international educational institutions:

• Local institutions of higher education are community-run and are taught in one of the local languages. French-speaking universities have specialties with courses in German .
• International higher education institutions, as a rule, are affiliates of universities that study under international programs and are located in several countries at the same time. In addition to them, international programs are offered by institutions with state support.

Higher education institutions in Belgium:

Universities are also engaged in scientific, research activities, only they can award a doctorate. University colleges have a more practical focus, they only prepare bachelors and masters, but the college can prepare for a doctorate, but further education must be completed at the university.

College and university students have many advantages for students and schoolchildren from abroad. Since higher education is aimed at the practical development of disciplines, their programs often change with changing professional conditions, new specialties are constantly appearing, changes are being introduced. A graduate of a Belgian college will easily find work in European or international organizations.

Sam Jones

Recruitment Director for Partnership with INTO Universities (Europe and Central Asia)

What firstly should be considered when choosing a university?

It depends on the student - everyone determines the most important criteria for himself. I would advise you to take several rankings and compare them with each other, plus take into account the cost of the course, the location of the university and its scale, the percentage of graduates' employment. See where graduates continue their studies or where they go to work.

Higher education in Belgium attracts a lot of schoolchildren, students to Brussels and other Belgian cities - more than 20% of foreign students get higher education here. To enter a Belgian university, you first need to decide on the choice of specialty, and then a higher educational institution. Each educational institution puts forward its requirements for applicants from abroad, so they need to be carefully studied. General requirements for all:

• Filing an application in English

• Providing a document of complete secondary education.

International and Belgian (CESS) matriculation certificates are accepted. As for the certificates of other countries, its compliance with the Belgian document is being clarified at the national center for academic recognition of the selected community. The choice of the institution of one of the communities automatically leads to the choice of the community that finances it. The university, where education is provided according to international programs, accepts diplomas of an international standard.

Attitudes toward language exams at educational institutions are also different. Usually, the results of an international language exam are required, with each university setting its own level. But there are some specialties where a language exam is not required: for this reason, the flow of applicants to Belgium, for example, from Asian countries, is increasing.

Admission to the university and college usually takes place after providing the necessary documents, but admission to certain prestigious specialties requires entrance examinations:

• First of all, it concerns the departments of art: they offer to go through a creative competition and an interview.
• Special requirements are also imposed on the one who chose the medical faculty (therapy, dentistry, pharmaceuticals) - an exam in the natural sciences, an IQ test, an interview with a psychologist.
• Anyone who enters the engineering specialties of the faculties of French-speaking colleges will also have to take an exam - in mathematics.

Higher education in Belgium for international students requires excellent forieign language proficiency, serious academic preparation. Prestigious Belgian universities and language schools in Belgium offer good programs for students with different levels of language proficiency. Courses last from 1 week to a year, during vacation time, as well as during working hours + for the busiest students there are online courses and tests. The best tutors in all 4 main languages work at the services of future students of Belgian universities.

In addition to language, there are many programs that increase the academic level. Of particular relevance are courses for applicants for master's, postgraduate studies, for studying in Master of Business Administration (MBA): these are Pre-MBAs, Pre-Low, Pre-Medicine and others that will prepare for entrance examinations and for studying the chosen specialty.

Higher education in Belgium for international students involves different prices for studying young people from Belgium, the European Union and other countries. For Belgians, studying in a higher education institution costs about 900 euros per year. Tuition fees can be reduced or even canceled depending on the well-being of the student's family. For foreign students, the cost is much higher, but when entering a local university and studying in one of the local languages, the fee usually does not exceed 5,000 euros. Tuition fees in English programs, according to the international system, are much higher.

There is also a registration fee, which varies depending on the educational institution and amounts to 500-600 euros. To the prices for training you need to add the cost of living (dormitory - 200-400 euros per month, an apartment - from 500), travel, meals. Prices in Belgium are average across Europe, and the cost of studying is much lower than in elite universities in Germany, England, France, so for international students there is reason to carefully consider the option of obtaining higher education in Belgium.

Higher education in Belgium is received by students at universities in 10 cities, but the majority of universities are in Brussels and Antwerp. Several Belgian universities are regularly included inTOP-200 universities in the world. Here is a list of prestigious local universities in Belgium:

1. TOP Flemish universities:

• The Catholic University of Leuven is located near Brussels, founded in the XV century. Programs in Dutch and English. Directions: humanities, biology, medicine (including veterinary medicine).
• University of Antwerp. Championship in the areas of: political science, socio-economic policy, pharmaceuticals, logistics.
• Ghent University. Programs of engineering, technology.
• Vrije Universiteit Brussel, University of Brussels. 4 campuses, humanitarian, technological research.
• Vlerick Business School, International Graduate School of Business, Executive Training. Master, MBA.

2. TOP French Universities:

• The Free University of Brussels is located near the headquarters of the European Union and works in partnership with the prestigious Oxford and Cambridge universities, has its own clinics and industrial sites for research.
• Liège University. Mobility issues, global community endorsement.
• University of Namur. Catholic University.
• The Catholic University of Louvain, located in Louvain-la-Neuve, built for the university, has branches in 5 cities.

To choose a university, you need to determine the language of instruction, choose a specialty, find out the cost of study, the ranking of a higher educational institution, the city where it is located. SMAPSE managers will help to take into account all the nuances, answer any question, explain what documents are needed for admission.