A bachelor's degree at a Belgian university takes three years (180 ECTS), and school leavers from Russia, Kazakhstan and other countries can apply straight after secondary school. The main constraint is language: almost all first-cycle programmes are taught in Dutch or French, and English-taught options are few — KU Leuven, for example, offers seven. That is why many international students plan a preparatory language year. Tuition at a French-speaking institution is $6,100 (€5,369) a year for non-EU students, while a Dutch-taught bachelor's at Ghent University costs $1,340 (€1,181.40) a year even for non-EEA students.
This guide compares the three realistic routes into a Belgian bachelor's, explains what is expected of your school certificate, how much time and money language preparation takes, which subjects are capped and where a Belgian bachelor's leads next. The general application procedure is in applying to Belgian universities, and the list of institutions in universities in Belgium.
Three routes compared
| Route | Years to degree | Tuition for the whole route (2026/27 rates) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| English-taught bachelor's (e.g. Business Administration at KU Leuven in Brussels) | 3 | depending on the programme's KU Leuven rate: $10,540–32,340 (€9,279–28,482) for three years | students who already have B2 English and no time for a new language |
| Preparatory Year of Dutch in Ghent + Dutch-taught UGent bachelor's | 4 | $10,030 (€8,834.20): $6,010 (€5,290) for the language year plus 3 × $1,340 (€1,181.40) | students willing to invest a year in Dutch for low fees and wide programme choice |
| French-taught bachelor's (ULB, UCLouvain, ULiège, UMONS, UNamur) | 3, plus language time if needed | $18,290 (€16,107) | students who know French or learn languages quickly |
A full budget with housing and visa fees is in cost of studying in Belgium.
The price gap is nearly twofold, but language usually decides: three years in a language you know only at school level are harder than one year of preparation.
Academic or professional bachelor's
Belgium has two kinds of first-cycle degree. Universities award academic bachelor's degrees: theoretical programmes designed to lead to a master's. University colleges and hautes écoles award professional bachelor's degrees: practice-based, with placements, preparing graduates for work straight away.
Choose by your end goal. If you want a Flemish university master's in three years' time, a professional bachelor's will require a bridging programme (schakelprogramma), which lengthens the route to a master's degree. If you are aiming at a profession such as nursing, logistics or design and a job in Belgium, a professional bachelor's is the shorter way. Flemish colleges teach mostly in Dutch, and associate degrees only in Dutch.
School certificate requirements
Flemish universities
The university decides whether your certificate is sufficient. It almost always also asks for an access declaration confirming that the certificate lets you enter university in your country; the form comes from the university website and is completed by your school.
KU Leuven lists its minimums country by country: Russian applicants combine the school Attestat with EGE results in three or more subjects, and Kazakh applicants add UNT results to their Attestat. A programme may require specific subjects, so choose your exams once you know the programme. Ghent University also asks applicants to have their documents authenticated by Qualification Check.
French-speaking universities
Equivalence of your school certificate is mandatory. You apply to the Wallonia-Brussels Federation Equivalence Service between 15 November and 15 July; the fee in the 2026/27 cycle was $450 (€400), or $170 (€150) for certificates from some countries. Non-EU certificates often receive a restricted equivalence that opens only some fields. If you have already been admitted to a related university programme at home, a certificate of that can widen the decision. The Community's maturity exam (DAES) removes the restriction entirely.
For a visa to a French-speaking institution, the consulate requires the equivalence decision or proof that your application has been received and is being examined. Institutions can be stricter: UCLouvain accepts non-EU school leavers only with a final decision and an average of at least 13/20, so a current final-year pupil realistically applies there a year after finishing school. Send the equivalence file in November–January rather than in summer.
Language: time and money
English
English-taught bachelor's programmes usually require B2; the Study in Flanders guideline is IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL iBT 72–94, though some programmes ask for more. Take the test before applying so that result dates do not hold you up.
Dutch: the preparatory year in Ghent
Ghent University's language centre (UCT) runs a Preparatory Year of Dutch for students who then want to study in Dutch. No prior Dutch is needed, but you need at least A2 English, which teachers use as a support language. The programme has six modules from A2 to C1; the final test of module five is the interuniversity ITNA exam, which certifies the B2 needed for admission. Expect 9–15 hours of classes a week plus about three hours of self-study a day.
The 2026/27 year started no earlier than 21 September 2026. The fee is $6,010 (€5,290): $680 (€600) application fee and $5,330 (€4,690) for classes, with materials and tests included. In this case you apply to the UGent bachelor's programme, together with the language year, by 1 April of the year in which the language course starts in September.
French
Most French-taught bachelor's programmes do not require a French certificate at admission. Teacher-training programmes (primary, pre-school and lower-secondary teaching) are the exception and require B2 via DELF, DALF, TCF or TEF. In practice, lectures and exams are hard without fluent French, so treat B2 as your minimum. Our DELF, DALF and TCF guide explains which French test to take.
Subjects with special entry
| Field | Entry | What international applicants should know |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine, dentistry (Flanders) | entrance exam | taught only in Dutch |
| Medicine, dentistry (French-speaking) | ARES competitive exam | non-residents get at most 15% of places: in 2026, 251 of 1,675 in medicine and 40 of 272 in dentistry |
| Veterinary science, physiotherapy, speech therapy (French-speaking) | non-resident cap | random draw when oversubscribed |
| Civil engineering (ingénieur civil) | university admission exam | each university publishes dates and syllabus |
| Arts | artistic admission test | each school sets its own dates |
If your goal is to become a doctor in Belgium specifically, weigh your chances against the quota and prepare a fallback such as biomedical sciences or another country.
How study works
The academic year has two semesters and 60 ECTS; one credit equals 25–30 hours of work. Exams come at the end of each semester, and resits take place in a second session, usually in August–September. Some Flemish programmes run positioning tests that show whether your background matches the course; they are usually not binding, though participation is compulsory for some programmes.
For an international student, academic progress also affects residence. The A card is renewed every year; in Antwerp, for example, renewal checks that you are enrolled for at least 54 ECTS and looks at last year's results. You may work up to 20 hours a week in term, but the Immigration Office expects study to remain your main activity. The visa and A card procedure is in our Belgium student visa guide.
After the bachelor's
- A master's in Belgium. An academic bachelor's leads directly to a master's in the same field, often without exams. English-taught master's programmes far outnumber bachelor's ones — see our guide to a master's in Belgium.
- A master's elsewhere in the EU. Belgian bachelor's degrees follow the Bologna structure and use ECTS credits, the same system as universities across Europe.
- Work. Graduates can apply for a 12-month orientation year to look for a job or start a business.
Costly mistakes
- Choosing Belgium for the low fee without checking the language. The $1,340 (€1,181.40) Ghent fee applies to Dutch-taught programmes.
- Taking EGE subjects without checking the programme. A missing subject can block admission.
- Not planning a language year. A preparatory year means another 12 months in Belgium and a D visa based on the language course admission.
- Applying for equivalence in July. The decision may not arrive in time for the visa.
- Treating medicine as a regular programme. Non-resident places are capped: in 2026, the French-speaking system admitted 291 of the 2,661 non-resident candidates for medicine and dentistry.
FAQ
Yes. A Russian Attestat with EGE results lets you apply to Flemish universities; KU Leuven asks for at least three EGE subjects. French-speaking institutions require equivalence of your certificate, which for non-EU documents is often restricted to certain fields.
Yes, but only a few: KU Leuven has seven, including Business Administration and Business Engineering on its Brussels campus. At French-speaking universities, nearly every first-cycle programme is taught in French. Most international students choose an English-taught master's or a bachelor's in the local language.
At French-speaking institutions, $6,100 (€5,369) a year for non-EU students, or about $18,290 (€16,107) for three years. In Flanders it depends on the institution and programme: a Dutch-taught UGent bachelor's costs $1,340 (€1,181.40) a year, while KU Leuven charges non-EEA students $1,340–10,780 (€1,181.40–9,493.92) depending on the programme.
Formally, only teacher-training programmes require a certificate. But teaching, reading and exams are in French, so without at least B2 your studies will be very hard. If you do not speak French yet, plan a preparation year before the bachelor's.
A full academic year: in 2026/27 it started no earlier than 21 September 2026 and ends no later than 17 September 2027. You progress from A2 to C1, and the ITNA exam at the end of module five certifies the B2 level needed for admission.
Yes. During semesters the limit is 20 hours a week, holidays have no hours cap, and the only period when work is not allowed is the summer before your very first academic year. A job helps with expenses but will not cover tuition and living costs.
Sources
- Study in Flanders: Flemish higher education, admission requirements, work and study, orientation year — checked 29.09.2026
- KU Leuven: country-specific eligibility, English-taught bachelor's, choose your programme, 2026/27 rates — checked 29.09.2026
- UGent: bachelor's fees 2026/27, deadlines — checked 29.09.2026
- UGent University Language Centre: Preparatory Year of Dutch 2026/27 (PDF) — checked 29.09.2026
- Study in Belgium: bachelor's admission, equivalence, quota studies, registration fees — checked 29.09.2026
- Wallonia-Brussels Federation Equivalence Service, Infor Jeunes: restricted equivalence and DAES, UCLouvain: requirements for non-EU certificates — checked 29.09.2026
- University of Antwerp: residence permit extension and study load — checked 29.09.2026
- L'Avenir, 24.08.2026: medicine and dentistry exam results — checked 29.09.2026
- Conversions use the ECB rate for 29.09.2026, €1 = $1.1355; sums below $100 are rounded to whole dollars and larger ones to the nearest $10.
Route and programme selection and preparation of documents for universities and the Equivalence Service are provided under an agreement with StudyU. Admission is decided by the university, equivalence in French-speaking Belgium by the Equivalence Service, and visas by the Belgian consulate and the Immigration Office.
Next steps
- Master's Degree in Belgium for International Students: English-Taught Programmes, Requirements and Cost
- Applying to Belgian Universities: Steps, Documents and Deadlines for International Students
- Cost of Studying in Belgium in 2026/27: Tuition, Living Costs and a First-Year Budget
- Belgium Student Visa: Documents, Fees and Application Steps
- DELF, DALF and TCF: Which French Test You Need to Study in France and Where to Take It
- Universities in Belgium for International Students: Full List, Languages and 2026/27 Fees
