Belgium is a fantastically charming country that simply conquers your heart, whether you’re just a visitor or an international student. With nice landscapes, breath-taking architecture and a high multicultural environment, in Belgium, you can truly feel at home. As a student here, you can benefit from excellent higher education, and overall, the cost of living and tuition fees are quite affordable.
University tuition fees in Belgium
Universities in Belgium charge different tuition fees, depending on each of the three main regions of Belgium, most of them not exceeding 835 EUR/year. Foreign students from outside the EU pay specific tuition fees, set by ARES (Academy of Research and Higher Education) but they are usually not allowed to exceed five times the amount of the ordinary tuition fees (a total of 4,175 EUR/year).
Living costs in Belgium
Living costs in Belgium are variable, depending on the city you live in, with Brussels, the capital, as the most expensive city in the country. The highest amounts of your budget would be spent on accommodation and if you decide to eat mostly at the restaurant, you should be aware that some of them have expensive prices.
Accommodation in Belgium
Prices for accommodation are in line with the international average (200 – 400 EUR/month) only when it comes to student halls of residence. For the rest of the housing options, especially when it comes to renting an apartment, prices are usually higher than 400 EUR/month.
Food costs in Belgium
Buying from the supermarket and cooking at home is the cheapest option when it comes to food costs. On average, you would spend around 150 EUR/month for your groceries and you should check the cheapest supermarkets: Lidl, Aldi, Red Market and Colruyt.
Transportation in Belgium
The easiest and also cheapest ways to travel while living in a Belgian city are trains and buses. A monthly pass for students on public transportation usually costs around 20 EUR/month.
Scholarships in Belgium
Scholarships for international students in Belgium are offered by some universities, the government, Academy of Research and Higher Education and other Belgian agencies or organisations.
Top Universities :
Belgium has some of the best-ranked universities in the world. Seeing how the name of your institution may count on your CV, we recommend one of them. A short list of the best of them are
- UC Leuven-Limburg
- University of Namur
- Vrije University Brussel (VUB)
- University of Liège
- KU Leuven
- Ghent University
- Universite Catolique du Louvain
- University of Antwerp