Belgium is a small country in western Europe. It is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany and Luxembourg to the east, and France to the south and west. It also has a coast to the northwest.
Belgium is one of the most important countries on the continent because its capital city, Brussels, is, together with Luxembourg City and Strasbourg, one of the three official seats of the European institutions. Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French, and German.
English is not an official language in Belgium, but it is frequently spoken. Belgian universities offer programs in English. In Flanders, English-taught bachelor’s programs are available, and English-taught master’s and Ph.D. programs are more extensive. Applicants need to demonstrate the required level of English proficiency for their chosen program.
Minimum IELTS Band Requirements for Belgian Universities
| INSTITUTION NAME | MIN. SCORE (UNDERGRADUATE) | MIN. SCORE (GRADUATE) |
|---|
| KU Leuven | 6.5* | 6.5* |
| Ghent University | N/A — bachelor’s programs are taught in Dutch | 6.0 for B2-level English* |
| University of Antwerp | 6.5 overall; minimum 6.0 per component* | 6.5 overall; minimum 6.0 per component* |
| Vrije Universiteit Brussel | 6.5 overall; minimum 6.0 per component* | 6.5 overall; minimum 6.0 per component* |
| University of Liège | If required: B2-equivalent IELTS range of 5.5–6.5* | If required: B2-equivalent IELTS range of 5.5–6.5* |
1. KU Leuven
KU Leuven is a comprehensive research university whose main campus is in Leuven. The university of Leuven’s Dutch- and French-speaking branches became separate universities, KU Leuven and UCLouvain, in 1968.
Today, KU Leuven has 15 faculties and 64,476 students. Its general minimum IELTS Academic score is 6.5, but applicants should check the admission requirements for their specific program.
2. Ghent University
Ghent University was established in 1817 by William I, King of the Netherlands. It became a Dutch-speaking institution in 1930 and has 11 faculties.
All bachelor’s programs for which students can enroll at Ghent University are taught in Dutch. Some master’s programs are taught in English. For most English-taught master’s programs, English at the B2 level is required; the accepted IELTS Academic proof for B2-level English is an overall score of at least 6.0. Certain programs have specific requirements.
3. University of Antwerp
At the University of Antwerp, most bachelor’s programs are taught in Dutch. Two bachelor’s programs are exceptions: the Bachelor of Social-Economic Sciences and the YUFE Bachelor of Urban Sustainability Studies. For English-taught bachelor’s and master’s programs, the general IELTS Academic minimum is 6.5 overall, with a minimum score of 6.0 in each component.
The University of Antwerp has 25,390 students and nine faculties. In Biomedical Sciences, the university offers two English-taught master’s programs: Infectious and Tropical Diseases and Neurosciences.
4. Vrije Universiteit Brussel
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) are sister universities. VUB officially became a separate institution in 1970.
VUB has nearly 25,000 students and nine faculties. It offers English-taught bachelor’s programs including Social Sciences, Linguistics and Literary Studies, and Business Economics. Its general IELTS Academic requirement for English-taught programs is an overall score of at least 6.5, with a minimum score of 6.0 in each component. Individual faculties may require a higher level for specific programs.
5. University of Liège
The University of Liège was officially established in 1817. It has 28,000 students across four campuses, 10 faculties, and one school of management. The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science is a daytime, 180-credit program taught in French and English.
For applicants covered by the linked non-EU admissions pages, the University of Liège states that proof of B2 proficiency in the language of instruction may be required. If the relevant jury requires a standardized English test, those pages list an IELTS range of 5.5–6.5 as corresponding to the B2 level. Faculties may impose stricter or more specific criteria, so applicants should check the requirements for their chosen program.
IELTS requirements vary by university and program. The scores listed above are general university requirements or published equivalence ranges, not guaranteed requirements for every English-taught program. KU Leuven publishes a general IELTS Academic minimum of 6.5 overall. Ghent University accepts an IELTS Academic overall score of at least 6.0 as proof of B2-level English for most English-taught master’s programs. The University of Antwerp and VUB publish a minimum overall IELTS Academic score of 6.5, with a minimum score of 6.0 in each component. The University of Liège publishes a B2-equivalent IELTS range of 5.5–6.5 when standardized proof is required. Always confirm the program-specific admission requirements before applying.
We hope this article on IELTS band requirements at universities in Belgium was helpful. If you are interested in studying in Europe, make sure to check out our Study in Belgium and Available Programs for International Students pages for more informative articles.
