Higher Education in Belgium

Student life

Study choice

by Student.be

26/05/2026

3 mins

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Higher education in Belgium is offered in two types of institutions: universities and colleges (Hautes écoles).

Colleges are institutions that focus on the practical aspects of learning a profession requiring thorough training. Universities, on the other hand, take a more theoretical approach to knowledge and primarily develop universal skills. However, some universities offer their students, often through internships, the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in their future profession.

1.Universities

In Belgium, university studies offer advanced training in twenty-one fields, including economic and management sciences, information and communication, languages and literature, history, medical sciences, political sciences, psychology, architecture, law, and more.

Organization of Studies

University studies are structured into three cycles, each culminating in a degree:

Bachelor’s Degree (First Cycle): Lasting three years, this cycle consists of 180 ECTS credits and leads to a bachelor's diploma.
Master’s Degree (Second Cycle): Leads to a master’s diploma, either after one year (60 ECTS credits) or two years (120 ECTS credits).
Medical and Veterinary Degrees: Require three additional years (180 ECTS credits).

After obtaining a first master's degree, second-cycle studies can also lead to a complementary master's degree (minimum 60 ECTS credits), providing specialized professional qualifications.

Doctorate (Third Cycle): Achieved after completing a thesis.

Initially, most university programs did not require internships, unlike colleges. However, gaining professional experience before entering the job market is increasingly important. Finding an internship can be challenging, but some universities and colleges offer internship opportunities themselves, or students can directly contact companies or use organizations that provide internships for students.

List of Universities

French-speaking Universities in Belgium:

ULiège, Université de Liège (Liège city center, Liège Sart Tilman, Gembloux, Arlon)
UCL, Université catholique de Louvain (Louvain-la-Neuve, Brussels Woluwe, Mons, Tournai, Charleroi, Brussels Saint-Gilles, Namur)
USL-B, Université Saint-Louis Bruxelles
UNamur, Université de Namur
ULB, Université libre de Bruxelles
UMons, Université de Mons (Mons, Charleroi)

Dutch-speaking Universities in Belgium:

KU Leuven (Leuven, Brussels, Antwerp, Geel, Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Ghent, Kortrijk, Bruges, Diepenbeek)
UAntwerpen, Universiteit Antwerpen (Antwerp region campus)
UGent, Universiteit Gent (Ghent, Kortrijk, Bruges, Ostend, Ghent University Global Campus South Korea)
Universiteit Hasselt (Diepenbeek, Hasselt)
VUB, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Transnational University Limburg (a partnership between Hasselt University and Maastricht University)
Evangelische Theologische Faculteit Leuven

Bilingual Universities:

ERM, Ecole Royale Militaire/KMS, Koninklijke Militaire School
Faculté universitaire de théologie protestante/Universitaire Faculteit voor Protestantse Godgeleerdheid

English-speaking Universities in Belgium:

University of Kent
United Business Institutes

Specialized Institutes after University Studies:

Antwerp Management School (Antwerp)
College of Europe (Bruges)
Institute of Tropical Medicine (Antwerp)
Louvain School of Management (Louvain-la-Neuve)
Solvay Brussels School - Economics & Management (Brussels)
Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School (Leuven and Ghent)
United Business Institutes

2.Colleges (Hautes écoles)

Colleges are non-university higher education institutions that prepare students for specific professional practices.

Organization of Studies

Higher education in colleges is divided into long-type and short-type programs. The long-type education is considered "university-level."

Short-type or Bachelor’s Programs:

Lasting three to four years, these programs include 180 to 240 ECTS credits and lead to a bachelor's degree. They combine both practical and theoretical learning, typically leading directly to a specific profession. Some colleges offer an additional year of specialization.

Long-type or University Programs:
Colleges offering long-type education (two cycles) grant the following degrees:
Bachelor’s Degree: A three-year program with 180 ECTS credits.
Master’s Degree: A program comprising 60 or 120 ECTS credits, which can be completed in one or two years.