Planning to study in Belgium? This guide explains who needs a Belgian student visa, the documents and financial evidence required, how to apply and the residence formalities after arrival.
Who needs a Belgian student visa or residence permit
If you want to study at a university in Belgium, the good news is that not all international students require a student visa. Keep on reading to find out if you need a visa and how you can get it.
To study in Belgium, international students might need a visa and a residence permit. But how do you know if you need a visa or not? It depends on your nationality and the length of your studies:
- Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland do NOT need a student visa or a non-EU student residence permit, but must register with their municipality for stays exceeding three months.
- For non-EU/EEA, non-Swiss students, a short-stay Schengen visa may be required for study visits of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, depending on nationality. For longer studies, the normal route is a D visa followed by municipal registration for a residence permit.
The Belgian Immigration Office’s study guidance distinguishes recognised higher education from private institutions, which can have different procedures.
Apply to a Belgian university and get your acceptance letter
If you’re still not sure where you want to study in Belgium, you will have to decide before you can start your student visa application process. After being accepted at a university in Belgium, you’ll get an acceptance letter required for the visa application.
Find a programme that matches your interests and take the next step towards studying abroad:
Check recognition and the relevant Belgian Community
Belgium has three language-based Communities, which are distinct from its three geographical Regions, as Belgium.be explains:
- the Flemish Community, where Dutch is the main language
- the French Community, covering French-language education in Wallonia and Brussels
- the German-speaking Community, which has German as the main language
Each Community has its own education and qualification-recognition responsibilities. Check your university’s admission rules and the relevant recognition service:
- Flemish Community and National Academic Recognition Information Centres in the European Union
- French Community
- For German qualifications, the Anabin database is a German resource; it is not the recognition authority of Belgium’s German-speaking Community.
Students from China with Chinese qualifications may need an APS certificate for their Belgian study visa. Exemptions apply, and the certificate is not universally required at the initial university-application stage. Check your university’s instructions; KU Leuven’s APS guidance explains its procedure and exemptions.
Documents required for a Belgian student visa
Use the checklist of your Belgian consulate. Requirements depend on the institution and route and normally include:
- Passport meeting the validity and blank-page requirements of your consulate
- Completed visa application form and photographs in the number and format required
- Acceptance letter from a Belgian university in the format required by your consulate
- Copies of educational certificates
- Cover or motivational letter, if requested
- A medical certificate
- A recent criminal-record certificate or equivalent if you are 18 or older, as specified by your consulate
- Also provide the required health-insurance evidence. Foreign documents may need legalisation and translation.
- Additional documents may be requested by the embassy or consulate.
Language requirements for studying in Belgium
You will have to provide evidence that you have a sufficient knowledge of the language in which your academic course is taught. If you are a native speaker, or if you finished your previous studies in the same language, ask whether your university grants an exemption.
Examples of language qualifications to check with your university include:
- English: IELTS and TOEFL, or PTE Academic and Duolingo English Test where accepted
- Dutch: Dutch NT2-II diploma
- French: DELF or DALF
- German: DSH or TestDaF
Belgian student visa fees and proof of funds
Proof of sufficient financial means: the reference amount is €1,062 per month for the 2026–2027 academic year. Tuition fees are additional. Study in Flanders’ visa guidance explains accepted evidence, such as a blocked account, scholarship or guarantor.
- The standard D-visa handling fee is €180.
- A separate Immigration Office contribution fee normally applies: €251 in 2026 for studies at a recognised higher-education institution, unless exempt.
- The standard short-stay fee is €90, with applicable exemptions; application-centre charges may be additional.
When and where to apply for your Belgian student visa
Apply for a visa at the Belgian embassy or consulate responsible for your place of legal residence.
For a long-stay study visa, apply well before your course starts. For recognised higher education, the Immigration Office normally has up to 90 days to decide after acknowledging a complete application; appointment and document-preparation time are additional.
For a short-stay visa, applications can normally be submitted up to six months before travel and should be lodged at least 15 days before departure. Allow longer where possible.
Here is a list of Belgian embassies and consulates worldwide
- Check the opening hours for handing in a visa application.
- Follow the consulate’s appointment and document-upload procedure. Appointment systems and response times vary; there is no universal two-working-day confirmation rule.
- Inform the embassy in case you want to cancel or change your appointment.
- The processing of your visa application can take anywhere from a few weeks to longer, depending on the route, completeness of your file and required checks. The sooner you start your application, the better.
Residence registration after arrival in Belgium
Non-EU students admitted for a long stay should report to the local municipal administration or town hall (maison communale/gemeentehuis) within eight working days of arrival to arrange their residence registration. Follow the municipality’s instructions for the address check and residence card.
Your university’s international office may help you with the application, but the municipality issues the residence card. EU/EEA and Swiss students staying more than three months follow the European registration procedure.
Find other information about visas and permits in Belgium on the official Immigration Office website.
Working while studying in Belgium
The former student work permit C is no longer the standard procedure. Eligible non-EU students can work under the labour-market conditions shown on their residence document, without a separate student work permit.
Eligible non-EU students with limited work rights can work up to 20 hours a week outside official school holidays as long as working hours don’t overlap with their classes. During holidays, they can work more than 20 hours.
You will need to get a written student employment contract from your employer. EU/EEA and Swiss students have the same access to student work as Belgian students.
The official Student at Work guidance for foreign students explains the distinction between unlimited and limited labour-market access.
Learn more about Belgian work permits for non-EU/EEA citizens.
Universities to consider in Belgium
As a multilingual country with different regions speaking French, Dutch and German, English is also widely spoken in the great cities of Belgium. Here are some universities to consider in Belgium:
