Belgium may be a small country, but it’s packed with many educational offers for local and international students alike. Many of its universities are top-ranked, with some offering English-taught courses.
It’s one of the more affordable European countries to live in too, compared to Switzerland, Iceland, and Norway. As such, if you want to study for free, then Belgium should be one of your top considerations.
How to Study in Belgium for Free
1. Get Good Grades and Submit Letters of Recommendation
It’s important to file your application early as there are many documents to complete, which include certifications that may need to be evaluated in your home country. You may also have to submit your qualifications and a letter detailing your interest in studying in Belgium.
In Belgium, enrollments close by April. Because of this, international students are advised to send their applications by February or March since the processing can take several weeks.
Should you decide to enroll in a quota course, you will need to undergo an entrance exam or interview as well.
2. Apply for Scholarships
Many Belgian universities offer scholarships to international students, and they are able to study in Belgium for free by getting these scholarships. Such bursaries are usually funded by organizations such as the European Research Council, the Marie Curie Foundation, and Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie, to name a few.
3. Apply to Affordable Universities in Belgium
Belgium is a cheap place to study in, as its international student tuition only costs about €4,500 a year. However, you may even pay a lower price by applying to affordable universities. A good example is the University of Namur, which will only cost you about €835 annually.
Tuition-free Options for Bachelor’s Studies in Belgium
Get free undergraduate education in Belgium through these scholarship programs:
| SCHOLARSHIP NAME |
HOST INSTITUTION |
SCHOLARSHIP VALUE |
SCHOLARSHIP PAGE |
| Financial Aid |
Royal Conservatory of Brussels |
partial living costs |
Scholarship Page |
| Haute École en Hainaut Scholarship |
Haute École en Hainaut |
partial to full tuition |
Scholarship Page |
| VLIR-UOS Scholarships |
any Flemish institutions |
tuition, travel, insurance, living expenses |
Scholarship Page |
Tuition-free Options for Master’s Studies in Belgium
At these Belgian universities, you can complete your master’s course free of charge in Belgium.
| SCHOLARSHIP NAME |
HOST INSTITUTION |
SCHOLARSHIP VALUE |
SCHOLARSHIP PAGE |
| Romain De Cock Scholarship |
Institute of Tropical Medicine |
100% tuition, travel costs, stipend |
Scholarship Page |
| Journalism and Media Scholarships |
College of Europe |
up to full funding |
Scholarship Page |
Tuition-free Options for Ph.D. Studies in Belgium
You can become a Ph.D. student for free in Belgium at any of these Belgian universities:
| SCHOLARSHIP NAME |
HOST INSTITUTION |
SCHOLARSHIP VALUE |
SCHOLARSHIP PAGE |
| Research Council Studentships |
UC Louvain |
full tuition, living costs |
Scholarship Page |
| Assistantships |
Free University of Brussels |
varied funding |
Scholarship Page |
| PhD Scholarships for Researchers from the South |
KU Leuven |
tuition, bench fee, reimbursement of travel costs |
Scholarship Page |
FAQs: Studying in Belgium as an International Student
How Much Is the Cost to Study in Belgium?
When it comes to annual costs, the money needed to study in Belgium for the entire year is around €11,000 ~ €15,000. However, this cost range is an estimated amount which means that it might be significantly lower or higher based on your standard of living.
Can You Study in English at Belgium Universities?
The answer is yes since numerous programs for international students are taught in English. Since the official languages of Belgium are three languages (Dutch, German, French), please keep in mind that you might be missing out on a wide array of high-quality courses due to your lack of language proficiency.
If you want to study a particular course taught by Belgium universities, check out the available programs offered by institutions in Belgium, and check to see if your favorite program is offered in English. If not, you can always try to learn the language beforehand, and if you don’t have time or the motivation to study the language, try to look for other programs related to your field of interest.
As you might have already noticed, there are many well-known scholarships in Belgium, which means that many international students will be applying for these scholarships, which will make your chances of selection pretty low.
That being said, make sure to apply to scholarship programs that are not as well-known. While doing this, avoid scams that want money upfront, and also scholarship businesses that will guarantee you a scholarship if you pay a membership fee. Many scholarship programs are offered by the Flemish government and Belgian universities, so take time to choose what’s best for your needs!
We hope that this article on how to study in Belgium for free was helpful. Make sure to also check out the Study in Belgium and Available Programs in Europe for more valuable tips and scholarship opportunities!
