KU Leuven, established in 1425, is reputed to be a center of academic excellence for the last six centuries and is a co-founder of the League of European Research Universities (LERU). It is not only Belgium’s oldest university but it is also one of the top-ranked and most famous research universities across Europe.
KU Leuven provides various undergraduate and postgraduate programs that are supplemented by top-notch trans-disciplinary research performed at the university and its hospitals. The main campus is situated in a central location of Europe and offers a dynamic and global experience, premium education, and cutting-edge research. In this article, we will be looking at the KU Leuven scholarships for international students.
International Students
KU Leuven offers an ethnically diverse campus where 20% of the 60,057 enrolled students are foreign students, which makes up a total of 10239 international students, belonging to140 different countries. Also, the university collaborates and partners with several top-notch educational institutes from around the globe, which results in extensive research cooperation.
The main campus comprises libraries, academic departments, the acclaimed hospital UZ Leuven, residence halls, and other facilities are spread over the campus.
A center for cross-cultural activities called Pangaea is situated in the center of the campus for the social and personal growth of the international student community of KU Leuven. A well-equipped University Sports Centre is present on campus that includes a gym. A total of 24 libraries and educational centers are located across the 12 campuses of KU, constituting millions of books and other sources of information to aid the students learning. In addition, an Adequate public transport facility is available within the city in the form of the De Lijn bus network. Leuven is a major hub in Belgium and other nearby networks of train stations.
There are over 20 international student societies present at KU Leuven, along with faculty organizations and LOKO, the main student organization. These student organizations provide ample opportunity for the mental, social and intellectual development of students at KU Leuven.
Check Also:Â Programs in Europe for International Students
Tuition Fee for International Students
The tuition fee for non-EEA international students at KU Leuven varies according to the program and type of degree. The tuition fee for the relevant degree can be accessed here.
International Admissions Guide at KU Leuven
The admission guide for international students at KU Leuven is available here.
Application Fee
For every admission application submitted at KU Leuven, a non-refundable application processing fee of EUR 75 is required.
Admissions Requirements for International Students
All the international students who did not acquire any past degree or education in Australia, English-speaking Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and the United States of America will have to provide evidence for English proficiency. The students applying to KU Leuven for the first time can demonstrate their English language proficiency by achieving a good score in IELTS, TOEFL, or Cambridge English Exam (CAE).
In IELTS, the applicant must have a minimum score of 7 (with subscores equal to or above 6.5). If the applicant chooses to take the TOEFL internet-based test, a minimum score of 94 must be achieved (with no sub-score under 22) to be considered for admission. Lastly, the minimum score required for the Cambridge English Exam (CAE) is185 (with subscores equal to or above 176).
Furthermore, many programs at KU Leuven are taught in Dutch. For such programs, Applicants will have to demonstrate Dutch proficiency.
Students must have level B2 Dutch proficiency which may be demonstrated in multiple ways. An applicant who has completed one academic year of full-time secondary or higher-level education in Dutch will be eligible for admission. If this pre-requisite is not met then the international applicant will have to perform sufficiently in an accredited Dutch proficiency test such as ITNA-test, the STRT-test, etc.
Apart from language requirements, students will submit their secondary school board exam results. If the applicant has not graduated yet, then PDF files of the student’s intermediate official transcripts will be required. Admission requirements are specific for each academic program and some degrees might require other documents such as GRE/GMAT results, reference letters, personal statements, etc.
Similarly, doctoral applicants should have an excellent academic record of master’s education, research ambitions, and relevant language proficiency to be eligible for postgraduate admissions.
Rankings
KU Leuven has maintained a spot in the top 100 world rankings and it is the only non-American university that secured a place in the Reuters list for the world’s top 5 most innovative universities, in 2017. KU Leuven has achieved this rank due to a high output of research publications, citations, industrial collaborations, and patents. QS Global World Rankings for 2021 has ranked it at #84. In the 2021 Times Higher Education(THE) world ranking, KU Leuven is ranked at #45. In addition, it ranks at 66th in THE ranking for business programs.
KU Leuven Acceptance Rate
The approximate acceptance rate at KU Leuven is 73%.
KU Leuven Scholarships for International Students
Undergraduate Scholarships
1. Erasmus+
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: € 850 monthly scholarship and travel allowance
This is a scholarship at KU Leuven provided to international exchange students who are enrolling for courses or thesis research in an undergraduate, Masters, or Ph.D. program. The scholarship duration varies from 3 to 12 months.
Graduate Scholarships
1. Science@Leuven
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: up to 10000 €, insurance, basic health insurance coverage
This KU Leuven scholarship provides funding of up to 10.000 Euros for one academic year. The Board of the Science@Leuven Fund determines the amount of this scholarship for each of the selected students. Â The scholarship for the second year of Master’s year may be continued if the student achieved exceptional results in the first year of masters.
2. Master Minds Scholarship
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: a grant of €8400 and tuition fee waiver per academic year (60 ECTS).
This scholarship at KU Leuven is provided by the Flemish Ministry of Education and Training and is awarded to excellent international students enrolled in a master’s program. The funding provided by this scholarship is provided in installments and pays for the accommodation, insurance, and a major portion of the international student’s cost of living. The departments providing Master’s degrees are called to name students who wish to apply for the scholarship and KU Leuven nominates a maximum of 20 applicants.
For the evaluation of the student’s application for scholarship, a range of factors are of importance, including academic achievement, awards, student commitment, related experience, and leadership qualities. The 20 students nominated by KU Leuven will finish and submit the online Master Mind application form on the Flemish Government website. They will be competing with many nominees from different Flemish universities so the selection will be quite competitive. For this year, the final decision will be announced by a Selection Committee of the Flemish Government in June.
I hope that this article on KU Leuven scholarships for international students was helpful. If you’re interested in studying in Europe, make sure to check out the Available Programs in Europe for International Students!
