Belgium is a historic country with many UNESCO World Heritage sites. It is also a multilingual country with three official languages—Dutch, French, and German—and a growing selection of higher education programs taught in English. Belgian cities are also well known as welcoming places for international students and tourists.
Studying in Belgium gives students access to high-quality higher education and the experience of living in a multicultural country at the heart of Europe. In this article, we will look at some of the top universities offering English-taught programs in Belgium.
Top Universities for English-taught Programs in Belgium
1. KU Leuven
KU Leuven, locally known as Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, is Belgium’s largest university and one of Europe’s oldest universities. Founded in 1425, it celebrated its 600th anniversary in 2025 and is recognized as the oldest university in the Low Countries and the oldest extant Catholic university in the world. While KU Leuven has a Catholic heritage, it is a comprehensive research university that welcomes students from different backgrounds.
The university offers academic and research programs across fields such as computer science, engineering, natural sciences, humanities, medicine, law, business, and social sciences. KU Leuven is also highly ranked internationally and is a founding member of the League of European Research Universities.
KU Leuven has a large international community. According to its September 2025 figures, 16,791 of its 64,476 students were international students, representing more than 140 countries. Although the university’s main language of instruction is Dutch, it offers more than 100 English-taught programs across 15 faculties, including bachelor’s, master’s, advanced master’s, and PhD pathways.
What Current Students / Alumni of KU Leuven Say
| Student/Alumnus and Program | English in Practice | Local-Language Insight |
|---|
Dindi Guzon
Master’s in Bio & Pharmaceutical Materials Science; thesis research at KU Leuven | Reports English instruction throughout her joint master’s, which included thesis research in KU Leuven’s Tissue Engineering Lab. She experienced no academic language problems. | — |
Lucas Argandoña
PhD in Engineering Technology; KU Leuven supervision, research hosted in the Netherlands | Reports that doctoral training and research activities are mainly in English, with English options for most courses. | Does not consider Dutch a major academic barrier in his research environment; basic language skills help with administration, housing, daily life, and integration. |
Jiwei Lu
PhD research in Nanomaterials and Wastewater Treatment | Reports widespread English proficiency, particularly in Dutch-speaking Belgium; does not specify the language of individual doctoral activities. | Does not expect students to encounter problems from not knowing Dutch or French. |
Jovan Samardžić
Master’s in Statistics and Data Science | Describes everything in his program as being in English and reports no language difficulties. | — |
Dia
MSc in Public Sector Innovation and eGovernance | Reports that all courses across her joint program were taught in English. | Found English sufficient for food orders and everyday errands in Leuven. She also studied French independently and found it useful in Belgium. |
Grishma Mehta
MSc in Sustainable Food Systems Engineering, Technology and Business | Reports entirely English instruction across her joint program, including her study period in Belgium. | Started learning Dutch to connect with local culture and recommends beginning language learning earlier for better immersion. |
2. Ghent University
Ghent University is a major public research university and a strong option for English-taught study in Belgium. Founded in 1817, it is more than 200 years old and is described by the university as a top-ranking institution.
In 1930, Ghent University became the first institution in Belgium to offer educational programs in Dutch. During its early years, instruction was in Latin; from 1830 to 1930, the university shifted through French and a bilingual system before Dutch became the official language of instruction.
Ghent University is open, pluralistic, and socially engaged. It offers more than 200 programs, including 69 English-taught master’s programs. At the bachelor’s level, most programs are taught in Dutch; the English-taught bachelor’s option is the Bachelor of Social Sciences, for which application and enrollment are handled through VUB. PhD candidates can apply for an open PhD position or contact a Ghent University professor directly.
The university is based in and around Ghent, with additional locations in Courtrai, Bruges, Ostend, and a Global Campus in Songdo, South Korea. Its broad academic offering and international profile make it one of Belgium’s key universities for students seeking English-taught postgraduate options.
What Current Students / Alumni of Ghent University Say
| Student/Alumnus and Program | English in Practice | Local-Language Insight |
|---|
Tuo Sern
Master’s in Textile Engineering | Reports that all classes were conducted in English and that master’s theses were written and defended in English. | — |
Gizelle Jamero
Master’s in Fire Safety Engineering | Reports that classes in her joint master’s were conducted in English. | — |
Faisal Muneer
Master’s in Environmental Technology and Engineering | Reports that English was sufficient to get by during student life across his study destinations; does not specify the classroom language. | Recommends learning the language of the country where students intend to pursue a career. |
Paula Vallarta
Joint Master’s in Textile Engineering | Describes instruction across her joint program as primarily in English. | Is learning Dutch. Reports that English generally sufficed for communication, but language skills mattered for deeper integration and employment across her destinations. |
Ralph Carlo Evidente
Joint MSc in Sustainable and Innovative Natural Resource Management | Reports that all classes were in English, alongside assignments, laboratory work, research discussions, and academic materials. | Reports no significant academic barrier from not knowing the languages of his study destinations. |
Ivena Nathania Victor
MSc and MA in Clinical Linguistics | Reports that the instructional language remained English across her joint program and that everything was in English. | Experienced little language difficulty because the people she encountered spoke English. |
Marta Yabar
PhD in Bioprocess Engineering | Reports English as the working language at Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant. All doctoral courses, training activities, and doctoral-network events were also in English. | — |
Smarika Kafle
Joint Master’s in Sustainable Drug Discovery | Reports English instruction throughout the program and no major academic language barriers. | Found English communication easy in Belgium and began learning Dutch to understand everyday conversations. |
Afiya
MSc in Soils and Global Change | Reports that all courses during her first two semesters were entirely in English, with no classroom language barriers. | Did not learn Flemish Dutch; found English sufficient for shopping and other everyday interactions. |
Nemer
MSc in Fire Safety Engineering | Reports entirely English-taught classes across his joint program. | Did not consider knowledge of the countries’ native languages academically necessary because instruction was in English. |
Hareem Fatima
Joint Master’s in Economics of Globalization and European Integration | Does not specify the teaching language at Ghent. | Across her study destinations, recommends basic language learning for everyday life and employment. Her specific example concerns French in France, rather than Dutch in Ghent. |
Yalnaz Aamna Alam
European Master’s in Clinical Linguistics | Reports no substantial language barriers because people around her spoke English; does not explicitly specify classroom instruction. | — |
Prajna Sinha
European Master’s in Clinical Linguistics | Does not specify the teaching language at Ghent. | Learned enough Dutch while living in Dutch-speaking Belgium to manage groceries and basic daily needs. |
Abdul Moeed
MSc in Advanced Textile Engineering | Reports that English worked for academic study during his joint master’s, which included smart textile manufacturing at Ghent. | — |
Iqra Ali Mirza
European Master’s in Clinical Linguistics | Reports no language barriers during her studies so far in the Netherlands and Belgium; does not explicitly identify the classroom language. | — |
Kennedy Agyei-Manu
MSc in Rural Development | Reports that his program remained entirely in English across Belgium and France. | Found communication easy in Ghent because students, shopkeepers, and others he encountered generally spoke fluent English, despite Dutch being the main local language. |
Anagha Anilkumar
Master’s in Health Management in Aquaculture | Reports no academic language difficulties across her partner universities, including Ghent; does not quantify how many classes used English. | — |
3. Catholic University of Louvain
The Catholic University of Louvain, known today as UCLouvain or the University of Louvain, is one of Belgium’s leading comprehensive academic institutions offering English-taught programs. It is Belgium’s leading and largest French-speaking university and one of Europe’s oldest universities.
UCLouvain traces its heritage to the University of Louvain, created on December 9, 1425, by Pope Martin V. In 2025, the university celebrated 600 years of history. After the 1968 split of the Catholic University of Leuven, the French-speaking Université catholique de Louvain developed separately from the Dutch-speaking KU Leuven.
The university offers academic and research programs in fields such as law, criminology, management, architecture, engineering, sciences, humanities, social sciences, and health. It has a dynamic and culturally diverse learning community that welcomes students from around the world.
Although UCLouvain is primarily French-speaking, it offers English-taught master’s programs, bilingual French-English master’s programs, and many courses in English or “English Friendly” formats. At the bachelor’s level, English is generally available through selected bilingual programs rather than fully English-taught undergraduate degrees. With rare exceptions, PhD studies at UCLouvain can be pursued in French or English.
4. Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Vrije Universiteit Brussel is a Dutch- and English-speaking university in Brussels. It grew out of the multilingual Free University of Brussels tradition associated with Université Libre de Bruxelles, founded in 1834, and VUB has operated as a separate Dutch-speaking university for more than 50 years.
VUB’s education and research are based on academic freedom, critical thinking, free inquiry, and humanism. The university currently reports more than 24,000 students from 145 countries, more than 150 programs, and more than 4,000 staff members.
The university offers bachelor’s and master’s programs in both Dutch and English, including English-taught bachelor’s options and a broad range of English-taught master’s programs. Students interested in doctoral study can also apply for PhD opportunities through VUB’s doctoral system.
VUB’s academic offering covers fields such as natural sciences, life sciences, social sciences, humanities, business, engineering, and health-related fields. Its location in Brussels gives students access to an international and multilingual environment in the heart of Europe.
What Current Students / Alumni of Vrije Universiteit Brussel Say
| Student/Alumnus and Program | English in Practice | Local-Language Insight |
|---|
Barbara Lazarotto
PhD in Law | Describes all higher-education interactions in her VUB experience as taking place in English. | Does not consider knowledge of Belgium’s native languages an academic obstacle in that setting. |
5. University of Antwerp
The University of Antwerp is a public, research-oriented Belgian university and a recognized institution for English-taught study options. Its current form was established in 2003 after the merger of three university institutions, with roots dating back to 1852.
UAntwerp offers a broad range of academic programs through nine faculties. Its latest facts and figures list 154 programs, including 35 English-language programs: two bachelor’s programs, 22 master’s programs, six advanced master’s programs, and five postgraduate programs. Doctoral study is also available across the university’s research areas.
The university is known for its international outlook, student-centered approach, and strong position among young universities. In the Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 2024, UAntwerp placed 12th. In the 2026 global university rankings, it is listed at 170th by Times Higher Education and 280th by QS.
UAntwerp’s research activity spans many institutes and centers, including areas such as health, infectious diseases, neuroscience, sustainability, materials, imaging, urban studies, transport, and social policy. It reports more than 25,000 students and over 2,500 PhD students.
What Current Students / Alumni of University of Antwerp Say
| Student/Alumnus and Program | English in Practice | Local-Language Insight |
|---|
Faiza Waseem Khan
Master’s in Economic Policy | Does not specify the language of instruction in her program. | Reports language barriers affecting friendships and cultural integration. Regrets not learning the language and recommends language classes, particularly for students hoping to stay or work in Belgium. |
Cecilia María Hernández Castro
Joint Master’s in Applied Ecohydrology | Reports that classes at all four partner universities, including Antwerp, were conducted in English. | — |
Rhishika
LL.M. | Reports that her LL.M. was conducted entirely in English. | Did not consider Dutch necessary academically for her program, but recommends basic Dutch for daily life. |
Sharif Mutasim Billah
Joint Master’s in Applied Ecohydrology | Reports that English remained the instructional language across all countries in his joint program. | — |
6. University of Liège
The University of Liège, officially Université de Liège, is a public university based in French-speaking Belgium. Its academic offerings span engineering, natural sciences, health, business, and the humanities. English-taught graduate programs provide opportunities to study technical and social subjects within this predominantly French-speaking institution.
No fully English-taught bachelor’s degree was verified in the reviewed official sources. Undergraduate engineering and computer science integrate English progressively through language instruction, technical reading, and selected subject courses. These English components should not be interpreted as a complete undergraduate pathway that can be followed without French.
Verified graduate options include the fully English-taught, 120-credit MSc in Aerospace Engineering, which combines aeronautical and space technologies with practical projects and an internship linked to the master’s thesis. The two-year Master in Sociology with a focus on Migration and Ethnic Studies is also entirely in English and offers exchange and double-degree opportunities through the EuMIGS network. At doctoral level, the university’s repository documents English-language dissertations in fields such as Architecture and Urban Planning, although this does not establish that the complete doctoral training is available in English.
What Current Students / Alumni of University of Liège Say
| Student/Alumnus and Program | English in Practice | Local-Language Insight |
|---|
Tutul Kumar Saha
Joint Master’s in Marine Environment and Resources | Reports that English was widely used among students and generally sufficient for academic communication throughout his joint master’s. | Studied French and earned an A1 certificate as part of his language learning across the program’s destinations. |
Heloise Gilbert
Joint Master’s in Marine Environment and Resources | Describes instruction across her joint program, including study at Liège, as mostly in English; does not provide a separate breakdown for Liège. | — |
Ahmed Salah Abdelmawla Elsayed Mohamed
MSc in Marine Environment and Resources | Reports English instruction at every partner institution, including his third semester at Liège. He could follow lectures and participate in academic discussions despite differences in accents. | — |
Oluwakemi Dada
Master’s in Marine Environment Resources | Reports that her program, which included study at Liège, was taught in English. | — |
Sandra Babu
Master’s in Biological and Chemical Engineering for a Sustainable Bioeconomy; Gembloux Agro-BioTech | Reports English-medium study without academic language barriers across her program, including her semester in Belgium. | French classes were optional. Found English sufficient for daily interactions, but recommends learning French to make everyday life and local connections easier. |
7. University of Mons
The University of Mons, officially Université de Mons or UMONS, is located in Belgium’s Hainaut province near the French border. Established in 2009 through the merger of the University of Mons-Hainaut and the Faculty of Engineering of Mons, it combines a longstanding engineering tradition with broader teaching and research.
No fully English-taught bachelor’s degree was verified in the official offerings reviewed. Undergraduate programs can include English language development without providing an English-only degree route. For example, Human and Social Sciences incorporates foreign-language skills, while Translation and Interpretation requires French alongside the study of foreign languages. These options therefore differ from fully English-taught undergraduate programs.
The Faculty of Engineering explicitly identifies fully English-taught master’s options in Electrical Engineering and Energy Engineering, each carrying 120 ECTS credits. Energy Engineering offers separate specialist focuses in Energy Production and Usage in Industry and Energy Usage in Cities and Communities, allowing students to select an industrial or urban energy emphasis. At doctoral level, the university lists its Doctorate in Public Health as an English-language program in Mons. This is a research doctorate, distinct from a professional medical qualification.
What Current Students / Alumni of University of Mons Say
| Student/Alumnus and Program | English in Practice | Local-Language Insight |
|---|
Nadim Ahmed
Joint Master’s in Smart Cities and Communities | Reports that instruction remained in English throughout his joint program, including his second semester in Mons. | Had access to free French courses in Belgium. Found everyday communication easier because many people he encountered spoke English. |
If you plan to study in Belgium as an international student, you will find several universities with English-taught programs, especially at the master’s and doctoral levels. At the bachelor’s level, availability varies by institution, so always check the official program page before applying.
We hope this article on the best English-taught universities in Belgium was helpful. If you are interested, explore Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees for International Students!
