Compared to student magnets such as USA, Canada and the UK- the new contender in the field Belgium is a wild card entry into the arena. Belgium offers a cosmopolitan setting, multilingual community, castles, and rich culture, of course not to mention waffles! Belgium’s three official languages are Dutch, French and German and the much needed English is spoken fluently throughout the region. Internationals student need not worry about being accepted in Belgium as the natives are known to welcome the world and having the EU and NATO headquarters there this statement can be taken quite literally.
The principle language of teaching is French but students are informed ahead to make informed choices but specialized university programs in English are also on offer. Belgium follows the Bologna system which allows easier comparison of degrees and credit transfers among the 29 countries signed in the bologna declaration.
Furthermore, students wanting to pursue a career in political science and international relations would find Brussels the capital of Belgium to be the hub of opportunities as with over 20,000 people working in the EU offices, increasing the probability of meeting the right people to hook you up with that ideal job.
Having talked about how great Belgium is- let’s examine some of the universities it has on offer:
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven:
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Or in short KU has roots dating back to 1425 making it one of the oldest universities in the Low Countries and a learning center for almost six centuries- so it definitely has the experience! The university has numerous international study programs set up for international and Belgian students which are taught in English. Although a full bachelor’s degree programs in English are only available in the fields of theology and philosophy. At present, KU serves to more than 31,000 students, and around 12% of whom are international students from more than 120 nations giving a birth to a healthy international environment. A semester tuition fees would be € 64.9 the fixed amount plus € 8.9 per study point.
Université Libre de Bruxelles:
or ULB in short is located in the heart of Europe with major European capital just a little more than an hour away. The city of Brussels offers a great blend between study and leisure with its many cultural attractions. Attracting approximately 24000 students each year of which 30% are foreign students- ULB represents 100 nationalities from across the globe making it a cosmopolitan melting pot. To sustain their versatility ULB also engages in many exchange programs to provide international exposure to their students. In terms of cost annually 11.552 euro is the estimate calculated that a student would have to bear for an undergraduate degree.
Ghent University:
In 1930 Ghent University grew into the first Dutch-speaking University in Belgium and gained its independence from the Decree of 1991 assigning great autonomy to the university. Today Gent has over 120 faculty departments, divided over 11 faculties each offering high quality courses in their scientific disciplines. Ghent bachelor programs are taught in Dutch and only master programs are taught in English, making good English proficiency absolutely necessary. The costs add up for undergraduates as €750 and for full time Diploma Contract €596.30.
Hasselt University:
It was established in 1971 and gradually the number of faculties increased and now it awards doctoral degrees even. Its faculties include the Faculty of Medicine-Dentistry and the Faculty of Sciences (with study programs in Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science, Chemistry and Biology). The fee Range for internationals/year for undergraduates is €750-€1800 and for Post Graduate is €1800-€3700.
Vrije universiteit brussel:
the university is divided into two green campuses which offer high end technology and high quality research programs along with research. It offers certificates & diplomas, bachelors, masters and doctorate degree programs in the field of humanities, business, language and more. Fee Range for internationals/year: for undergraduates its €750-€1800 and for Post Graduate its €750-€1800.