How to Apply to Universities in Belgium (2027): Step by Step

Belgium's universities charge students from outside the European Economic Area a higher, but still modest, fee: in 2026-27 a year of a master's programme costs from EUR 2,297.40 in Ghent's arts, law and psychology faculties to EUR 9,493.92 for most KU Leuven science and engineering masters, against EUR 1,181.40 for Belgian and EEA students in Flanders. Deadlines fall early, most on 1 March or 1 April for applicants who need a visa, because the Immigration Office takes up to 90 days to decide.

Verified 15 Sep 2026 Sources

Master's programmes taught in English

Choose the programme first and read its own admission page. Belgian universities set English scores, prerequisites and sometimes deadlines per programme, and the programme page overrides the general rule.
Find the deadline that applies to you. Deadlines depend on whether you need a visa. At KU Leuven most non-EEA deadlines are 1 March; at Ghent, before 1 April for applicants who need a visa and before 1 June for those who do not; at the University of Antwerp, 28 February 2027 for 2027-28; at VUB and UCLouvain, 31 March in the 2026-27 cycle. Programmes run jointly with other institutions often use their own procedure.
Apply online directly to the university. There is no national application system. Pay the application fee where there is one: none at Ghent or Antwerp, EUR 90 per application at KU Leuven and VUB, EUR 200 at UCLouvain.
Upload complete documents before the deadline. Ghent states that an incomplete file after the deadline is not considered, and KU Leuven that applications after the deadline are not evaluated. Legalised or certified copies may be required later: Antwerp wants them at the registrar by 31 May 2027.
Apply for scholarships at the same time. University scholarship deadlines come earlier than admission deadlines, for example 15 January at KU Leuven.
Once admitted, apply for the visa D at once. The Immigration Office has 90 days from the receipt of a complete file to decide, and the University of Antwerp warns that a late visa does not extend its enrolment deadline.
Register with the commune within 8 days of arriving. The commune issues an A card, valid for a year and marked for limited labour market access.