Destination Belgium: this guide takes you, in order, through what to do to study there on your own. You will find studies and admission, visa and residence permit, health insurance, housing, budget and funds, on arrival and working while you study, and every fact links to its official page.
Choosing a programme and getting admitted
In French-speaking Belgium, education is run by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation (Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles). Higher education takes place in 3 types of institutions: universities, university colleges (hautes écoles, often more practical) and arts colleges (écoles supérieures des arts). According to Study in Belgium, the network has 5 universities, 19 university colleges and 16 arts colleges.
For a bachelor's degree (first cycle), you must apply for an "equivalence" of your secondary school leaving diploma, for example your baccalauréat. An equivalence is an official certificate that recognises your foreign diploma. For the 2027-2028 academic year, the equivalence office accepts applications from 15 November 2026 to 15 July 2027 at the latest.
You apply for admission online, on the website of the institution you choose. Study in Belgium recommends applying from February and before 31 March, but each institution has its own calendar. Some programmes, such as medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, physiotherapy, speech therapy or civil engineering, have a specific selection process.
Tuition fees: from 2026-2027, Study in Belgium states that most students from outside the European Union pay 5,369 EUR per year (enrolment fee plus an "additional contribution" of 4,175 EUR). Exemptions exist, for example for nationals of the least developed countries (UN LDC list) or holders of a Wallonie-Bruxelles International scholarship. The institution gives you the exact amount.
- Choose your programme and institution: university, university college or arts college.
- For a bachelor's degree: apply for the equivalence of your secondary diploma at the Wallonia-Brussels Federation equivalence office.
- Send your online admission application with the documents requested (copy of passport, diploma, motivation letter…).
- Wait for the decision: if it is positive, the institution sends you an authorisation to enrol.
- Good to know: no proof of French level is required for a bachelor's degree, except for 3 teacher-training programmes, which require level B2.
The D study visa
If you are not a citizen of the European Union, you need a permit to stay more than 90 days to study full-time in Belgium. It takes the form of a "D visa", a national long-stay visa. You apply at the Belgian embassy or consulate responsible for the place where you live.
As a rule, you apply in person: your fingerprints are taken and you answer a questionnaire about your study plans. The procedure is explained on the embassy's website and on the website of the provider that receives applications (VFS Global or TLS Contact). Documents written in a language other than German, English, French or Dutch must come with a sworn translation (made by an official translator).
The authorities must decide within 90 days of the acknowledgement of receipt, the receipt confirming that your file is complete. The Immigration Office asks you to apply as early as possible, and at least 90 days before classes start.
An application fee, called the "redevance", must be paid. Since 1 January 2026 it is 251 EUR for studies at a public higher education institution and 242 EUR for a private one. Some scholarship holders are exempt. A draft bill that would change the residence rules for non-EU students is under discussion: always check the current rules on the Immigration Office website before you apply.
- A copy of your valid passport.
- Proof of payment of the fee (redevance), if it applies to you.
- A certificate from your institution, on the official standard form, proving your enrolment, your admission or your registration for an entrance exam.
- If you are under 18: consent from your parents or guardian.
- Proof of sufficient means of subsistence (see the Budget section).
- Proof of health insurance covering all risks in Belgium during your stay.
- A medical certificate showing that you do not have any of the diseases listed in the law.
- If you are over 18: a criminal record extract (document showing you have not been convicted) less than 6 months old.
Where are you from? Do you need a visa?
The rule depends on the country of your passport. Choose it to see the answer that applies to you.
The rules for each group of countries
| Nationalities | Visa | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
These nationalities:Show the 30 countriesAustria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland | No visa | If you are a citizen of the European Union, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland, you do not need a visa: you can enter and stay freely, under certain conditions. To stay more than 3 months, apply for a registration certificate at the municipality where you live before the 3 months end. |
All nationalities except:Show the 31 countriesAustria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland | Visa required | If you are a national of a country outside the European Union (and other than Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland), you must apply for a D study visa (national long-stay visa) at the Belgian embassy or consulate responsible for the place where you live, usually in person. Exception: if you already live legally in Belgium, check with your municipality or the Immigration Office. |
Health insurance
For the visa, you must prove that you have, or will have, health insurance covering all risks in Belgium during your stay. Without this proof, you only get a 4-month residence permit. You must then show your insurance to the municipality at least 15 days before those 4 months end.
Once in Belgium, Study in Belgium explains that you must join a "mutualité" (health insurance fund) as soon as possible. It reimburses all or part of your medical costs and some medicines. You are free to choose your fund. Complementary insurance exists but is not compulsory.
Your higher education institution can give you a certificate to register with a health insurance fund as a student. INAMI, the public health insurance institute, lists a contribution of 78.93 EUR per quarter for the "students" category, from 1 January 2026. Ask your fund whether this amount applies to your situation.
Study in Belgium also states that in most cases international students must prove they have international health insurance. People staying less than three months cannot join the Belgian system.
Finding housing
You have two main options: a room in a university residence, often called a "kot", or private housing (room, studio or flat). In a residence you have your own room but share the kitchen, bathroom and toilets. Places are limited: contact your institution's housing office as soon as you are accepted.
Study in Belgium lists average prices of 465 EUR per month in a university residence and 590 EUR per month in private housing, charges included (amounts shown on the official site on 30 October 2026). Prices vary by city and institution.
Every rental requires a rental contract (lease), usually for one year. When you sign, you pay a "rental guarantee", a deposit of 1 or 2 months' rent. It is returned at the end if the place is left in good condition.
Official links
Budget and proof of means
For the visa, the Immigration Office requires proof of "sufficient means of subsistence": enough money to live without relying on Belgian social assistance. For the 2026-2027 academic year, the minimum is 1,062 EUR net per month.
You can prove these means in several ways, listed below. For a blocked account (an account from which money is released bit by bit), the amount to deposit is 12 times the monthly minimum, i.e. 12 × 1,062 EUR. Study in Belgium reminds you that your financing plan must cover this amount (12,744 EUR) plus your tuition fees.
This minimum is not always enough to live on. Study in Belgium estimates a student's cost of living at 1,000 to 1,300 EUR per month (amount shown on the official site on 30 October 2026). The first month is often more expensive because of temporary housing and the rental deposit.
Also add the visa fee (251 EUR since 1 January 2026 for a public institution) and tuition fees (see the Studies section).
- A blocked account opened in your name by your higher education institution, holding 12 × 1,062 EUR.
- A blocked account opened in your name by a specialised company. Note: the Immigration Office currently only accepts irrevocable transfer certificates (AVI) from Studely and Ready Study Go International.
- A scholarship or loan certificate issued by an international organisation, a public authority or a higher education institution.
- A sponsorship commitment ("engagement de prise en charge", annex 32): a person (the guarantor) commits to cover your costs during your stay.
Your first days in Belgium
With a D visa, you must report to the municipal administration (commune, the equivalent of the town hall) where you live within 8 days of arriving in Belgium. It registers you and you apply there for your residence permit.
The municipality checks that you really live at the address given: this is the "residence check". If it is positive and you submitted a certificate of enrolment and health insurance, you receive an A card marked "Student" and "Labour market: limited". It is valid for one year and can be renewed under certain conditions.
If you came with only an admission letter, a registration for an entrance exam, or without health insurance, you first get a "certificate of immatriculation" valid for 4 months. Bring the missing documents to the municipality at least 15 days before it ends, or you will receive an order to leave the territory.
Study in Belgium advises bringing some cash for the first days, because opening a bank account can take several days.
- Within 8 days: report to the municipality where you live.
- Register with a health insurance fund using the certificate from your institution.
- Open a bank account and keep some cash for the first days.
- If you have a certificate of immatriculation: bring your documents to the municipality at least 15 days before the 4 months end.
Working during and after your studies
Yes, you can work during your studies if you are enrolled at a Wallonia-Brussels Federation institution and your residence permit is valid. Since 2018 you no longer need to apply for a separate work permit. The back of your residence card shows your rights to work.
During the school year, you may not work more than 20 hours per week, and the job must be compatible with your studies. During school holidays there is no limit on hours. The Public Service of Wallonia gives the same rules in a document dated 13 August 2024.
Be careful: if you work more than 20 hours a week during the school year, the Immigration Office may consider that your studies are no longer your main activity. This can cause problems when renewing your residence permit.
After completing your studies successfully, you can apply to stay up to 12 months to look for a job or start a business. After that, to stay and work you need a "single permit" (residence and work authorisation), applied for by an employer.
The other path
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