Ghent University (UGent): Admission, Fees and English-Taught Master's

Ghent University (UGent) is Belgium's second-ranked university, placing joint 116th in the THE World University Rankings 2027. All of its bachelor's programmes in Belgium are taught in Dutch, so for most international students the realistic route is an English-taught master's. In 2026/27, non-EEA nationals pay $2,610 or $8,040 (€2,297.40 or €7,079.40) a year for these programmes, depending on the faculty. There is no application fee, and applicants who need a visa must submit a complete file before 1 April.

Who Ghent suits

Ghent is excellent value for master's students in the arts, law, criminology, psychology and education: non-EEA tuition is just $2,610 (€2,297.40) a year. Sciences, engineering, medicine, economics, bioscience engineering and political science cost more at $8,040 (€7,079.40), still well below the top rate at KU Leuven.

The second group is school leavers who are ready to learn Dutch. Dutch-taught bachelor's programmes cost international students the same as Belgians, $1,340 (€1,181.40) a year, but you need B2 Dutch to enrol, which usually means a language year first.

There are no English-taught bachelor's programmes in Ghent itself. The Korean campus offers three in English with a UGent degree. If an English-taught bachelor's in Belgium is the goal, look at KU Leuven's English programmes or the two English-taught bachelor's at ULB.

Bachelor's admission and Dutch requirements

UGent keeps a list of foreign secondary qualifications it treats as equivalent to the Flemish diploma under the Lisbon Recognition Convention. Holders of a listed qualification get direct admission: they upload a certified copy, transcripts and language proof, with no need to show prior university study. Examples from the list:

If your qualification is not on the list, the file is assessed individually. Most such diplomas are not considered equivalent, so you will usually need proof of at least one successful university year (60 ECTS credits) or a letter of admission from a university in your home country.

UGent checks three further conditions:

• Dutch. Proof of B2 is required by enrolment at the latest (C1 for Applied Language Studies). You cannot enrol without it.
• Entrance examination. Medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine require passing the Flemish Community's entrance exam with a sufficient ranking.
• Positioning test. Some programmes make a positioning test compulsory before enrolment.

Preparatory Year of Dutch. The university's language centre (UCT) runs a one-year course for future students. Apply for your degree programme and the course before 1 April of the year the language year starts.

English-taught bachelor's in South Korea. Ghent University Global Campus in Incheon offers three four-year bioscience engineering programmes: Molecular Biotechnology, Environmental Technology and Food Technology. Teaching is entirely in English, graduates receive a Ghent University degree, and students spend the first semester of their fourth year in Ghent. Admission rules and fees are published by the Korean campus.

English-taught master's: requirements and documents

An initial master's requires a bachelor's degree of at least three years. If your degree differs substantially from the Flemish equivalent, the faculty may first place you on a preparatory or linking programme of 45–90 credits. The International Admissions team checks your documents, then the faculty makes the academic decision.

English. Most English-taught master's programmes require B2. Accepted proofs include:

Programme-specific requirements appear in the 2026/27 "Specific language requirements" list, and some master's programmes require C1.

GRE and GMAT. They apply to everyone whose degree comes from outside the EEA (the diploma's origin counts, not your nationality):

• GRE for master's programmes in the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture;
• GRE for the Faculty of Sciences master's in Biology, Biochemistry and Biotechnology, and Bioinformatics;
• GMAT or GRE for the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, which awards eight scholarships to applicants with outstanding scores.

Scores must be no more than five years old.

Application documents:

• your degree, verified through Qualification Check, the service UGent uses for degree verification;
• a diploma supplement or the official syllabus with courses, hours and grades;
• sworn translations into Dutch, French, German or English;
• a copy of your passport;
• language proof, which can follow by enrolment;
• optionally, a motivation letter and certificates for relevant courses.

Final-year students add a statement of the expected graduation date and their latest transcript. You cannot enrol until you hold the degree on which admission was granted.

Deadlines and what happens after a decision

A file is complete only if the verified degree is included by the deadline, and incomplete files are not considered. Decisions take about three months on average, so visa applicants should aim to apply between November and January rather than in late March. Applications are for a full academic year; you cannot apply for a single semester.

The admission letter lets you apply for a visa, a scholarship, university housing and the Dutch preparatory year, and enrol as a student.

Tuition fees in 2026/27

Fees combine a fixed amount of $350 (€305.40), a per-credit rate and, for non-EEA students, a higher per-credit supplement set by each faculty. For 60 credits:

Some programmes charge their own all-inclusive fee. The Industrial Engineering and Operations Research — Sustainable Mobility Analytics master's, for example, costs non-EEA students $18,170 (€16,000) a year. The Faculty of Political and Social Sciences waives the supplement in full for nationals of countries on its own list, so check whether yours is included.

Living costs. Study in Flanders puts an average student month at $910–1,140 (€800–1,000) including rent. The visa, however, requires $1,210 (€1,062) per month from 2026/27, or $14,470 (€12,744) for 12 months, so plan around that figure.

The same calculation for a rate A master's gives about $17,080 (€15,041). If you pay from Russia, see our guide to paying for studies abroad from Russia.

Scholarships

• Master Mind. The Flemish Ministry of Education's award for outstanding master's students pays $11,610 (€10,225) a year plus a tuition waiver. All nationalities may apply except Russian nationals. Recent calls required a GPA of 3.5/4 and IELTS 7.0, and the rules may change for 2027/28. Applications go through UGent, which sets an internal deadline.
• Faculty of Economics and Business Administration. Eight scholarships for applicants with outstanding GMAT or GRE scores.
• Erasmus Mundus joint master's. Each consortium publishes its own scholarships and deadlines.

VLIR-UOS scholarships target nationals of developing countries on that programme's list, so check whether your country qualifies before preparing an application.

University housing

UGent lets furnished rooms, studios and flats in its own halls of residence. You apply for housing in OASIS after completing your digital pre-enrolment; applications for 2026/27 opened on 15 May 2026. Demand exceeds supply, so priority rules decide who gets a place.

Not every building is open to international degree students: some homes are reserved for local students or PhD candidates, so work from the options OASIS offers to your category.

Rent covers electricity, water and internet, and no deposit is charged. From January 2027 the city of Ghent adds a student accommodation tax of $6 (€5.50) a month for a standard room and $13 (€11.80) for a room plus, comfort room, studio or flat. The university warns that student housing in the city is scarce, so start looking as soon as you are admitted.

Visa and work rights

Stays longer than three months require a national D visa. In Russia, Belgian visa applications go through the VFS Global visa centre, and the VFS checklist adds an in-person student questionnaire at the Belgian Embassy in Moscow after you lodge the file (the same day before 16:00 if you file in Moscow). UGent issues the admission letter; the visa itself is a matter for the Belgian Immigration Office.

• Funds. Proof can be a scholarship, money in a blocked account, or an Annex 32 commitment signed by a sponsor; the 2026/27 minimum is $1,210 (€1,062) a month.
• Fees. The consular fee for a study D visa is $280 (€250), and the Immigration Office adds an administrative fee of $290 (€251) at the 2026 rate for students at recognised institutions.
• Part-time work. Students with a residence permit can take jobs of up to 20 hours a week during term, with longer hours allowed in official holidays.
• After graduation. Graduates can apply for a one-year permit to job-hunt or launch a company.

Documents and steps are covered in our Belgium student visa guide.

Ghent, Leuven or ULB?

Our Belgium country guide covers study and life in the country. For the wider picture, see universities in Belgium and master's degrees in Belgium.

Common mistakes

• Leaving degree verification until late March. Qualification Check verification is part of a complete file, and incomplete files are not considered after the deadline.
• Skipping the GRE for an engineering master's. For degrees from outside the EEA it is mandatory.
• Using the wrong deadline. Applicants who need a visa must meet 1 April, not 1 June.
• Expecting an English-taught bachelor's in Ghent. It does not exist; only the Korean campus offers one.
• Budgeting at $910–1,140 (€800–1,000) a month. The visa still requires at least $1,210 (€1,062) a month.
• Looking for housing after arrival. University rooms are booked in advance through OASIS, and the private market is overstretched.

Ranking

How StudyU can help

Master's shortlisting, admission and language checks, preparing your document file and help with submission are provided under an agreement with StudyU. The relevant Ghent University faculty makes the admission decision; the visa is a matter for the Belgian Immigration Office.

FAQ

Can I study at Ghent University straight after secondary school?

Yes, if your school qualification is on UGent's direct-admission list or is accepted after individual assessment. Bachelor's teaching in Ghent is entirely in Dutch, so you also need a B2 Dutch certificate by enrolment.

Does Ghent University teach in English?

Yes, many master's programmes and doctoral training are in English. English-taught bachelor's degrees with a UGent diploma exist only at Ghent University Global Campus in South Korea, which offers three bioscience engineering programmes.

How much is a master's at Ghent for non-EEA students?

In 2026/27 it is $2,610 (€2,297.40) in arts, law and psychology and $8,040 (€7,079.40) in sciences, engineering, medicine, economics and political science. A few programmes charge their own higher fees.

What IELTS score does UGent require?

Most English-taught master's programmes require B2, which means IELTS Academic 6.0. Some require C1, equal to IELTS 7.0; the programme list is published in the specific language requirements document for each academic year.

Is there an application fee at UGent?

No. Ghent University does not charge an application fee, but you will pay third parties for degree verification, language tests, GRE or GMAT and sworn translations.

When should visa applicants apply?

You can start the online application in October, and the complete file with a verified degree must arrive before 1 April. Decisions take about three months, so applying by February leaves more time for the visa.

Sources

• Ghent University: about the university
• Ghent University: application deadlines
• Ghent University: how to apply
• Ghent University: admission requirements for degree students
• Ghent University: bachelor's admission
• Ghent University: direct-admission list of foreign qualifications
• Ghent University: master's admission
• Ghent University: language requirements
• Ghent University: accepted language proofs
• Ghent University: master's tuition fees 2026/27
• Ghent University: bachelor's tuition fees 2026/27
• Ghent University: funding your studies
• Ghent University: housing
• Ghent University: housing rental fees
• Ghent University Global Campus: programmes
• Study in Flanders: cost of living
• Study in Flanders: work and study
• Study in Flanders: orientation year
• Study in Flanders: Master Mind Scholarship
• EMN Belgium: minimum means for non-EU students from 2026/27
• Embassy of Belgium in Russia: visas
• Times Higher Education: World University Rankings 2027
• Study in Flanders: Master Mind eligibility
• Belgian Foreign Affairs: visa handling fees
• Embassy of Belgium: administrative visa fee 2026

All sources checked on 30 September 2026. Dollar figures are converted at the ECB reference rate for 29 September 2026 (€1 = $1.1355); amounts under $100 are rounded to the dollar, larger ones to the nearest $10.

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