Students without a national (EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) passport or residence permit who wish to study in Belgium are required to apply for a student visa and can be enrolled for a full-time study program only. Undergraduate students are considered as full-time when attempting 15 or more credits per quarter.

Citizens, as well as their spouses, ascending and descending, from the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, and future EU (European Union) and Schengen countries, are exempt from having to apply for a visa to stay in Belgium.

Once you receive your acceptance letter, you are required to pay a deposit of the program fees. Typically, the amount of the deposit equals 1/3 of the annual full-time fee but may also consist of the total fee for the study program for students from certain countries. Upon receipt of the deposit, the admissions department will prepare the required certificates

We advise you to start the student visa application procedure immediately after you have been accepted into the program to allow ample time for the Embassy or Consulate to process your student visa application, as it may take up to 3 months to receive your student visa. When applying for a student visa, please check with your local Belgian Embassy or Consulate for more information.

In case your student visa application is rejected by the authorities, the original rejection letter and the student’s full bank account details will be needed as proof before a program fee refund can be considered favorably (excluding all incurred administrative, legal and banking charges). Administrative charges amount to 5% or a maximum of EUR 200. Refunds are processed within approximately 1 month.

Students are required to register with the local authorities upon their arrival in order to obtain a valid student residence permit. Registration details will be provided by the school upon arrival.

Required student visa application documents

• Schengen Visa application form
• 4 passport-size photographs with a white background
• Passport with a validity of at least 12 months
• Acceptance documents / Proof of admission (provided by the school)
• Sponsorship documents / Proof of financial means
• Medical certificate / Proof of good health
• Medical insurance with international coverage

Additional documentation and official translations in Dutch or French may be required by the Embassy or Consulate.

Schengen Visa Application Form (English version)

• Find a Belgian Embassy or Consulate near you