Belgium runs two systems: Flemish universities in Dutch and English, and the French Community universities in French. Each has its own scholarship agency, VLIR-UOS in Flanders and ARES in the French Community, both aimed at candidates from partner countries.
Public tuition for non-EU students is moderate by Western European standards, and Brussels and Leuven host a dense concentration of international research institutes.
At a glance
| Language | English for many master's in Flanders; French in the south |
|---|---|
| Tuition | Roughly €1,000–€6,000 a year for non-EU students at public universities |
| Living costs for the visa | About €850–€900 a month evidenced |
| Main intake | September, with non-EU deadlines from February to April |
| Where you apply | Directly to the university |
| After graduation | Search year, 12 months |
What they require
- Bachelor's in a related field, with a credential check
- IELTS 6.5 or equivalent for English-taught programmes; French B2 in the south
- Motivation letter and CV
- Legalised transcripts
How admission actually works
University committees assess equivalence and subject match, with earlier deadlines for non-EU applicants because of the visa. Scholarship applications through VLIR-UOS and ARES run on separate, earlier calendars.
How much does a supervisor matter?
Not needed for master's. Essential for doctorate.
Doctoral candidates are usually employed on a project or hold an FWO or FNRS fellowship, both of which start with a promoter who agrees to host you.
When applications open and close
The pattern below is what these systems normally do. Every programme sets its own dates, so treat this as the planning shape and confirm on the official portal linked at the end.
Funding that genuinely exists here
Flemish development cooperation awards for master's programmes, with deadlines usually in January–February.
French Community equivalent for specific master's and training programmes.
Research funding for doctoral and postdoctoral work.
Documents this country asks for
- Legalised degree and transcripts
- Motivation letter
- Language certificate
- Proof of funds for the visa, often through an annex 32 commitment
Visa and permit
The student visa (type D) needs the admission letter, proof of means and often a sponsor's commitment document. Municipal registration follows arrival.
After you graduate
Search year, 12 months
A twelve-month search-year permit allows job hunting or starting a business after graduating from a Belgian institution.
What they favour
- Development or research relevance for the scholarship routes
- Clear subject continuity
- Applicants who target the right community, Flemish or French
Where applications fail
- Applying to the wrong community's scholarship agency
- Missing non-EU deadlines that fall months before EU ones
- Underestimating French requirements in the south
Official sources
Rules and dates change, sometimes mid-cycle. These are the pages that carry the authoritative version; if anything here disagrees with them, they are right. Reviewed September 2026.