Life in Belgium as a VLIR-UOS Scholar

The Belgian University Cities

Each programme is hosted at a specific institution in a specific city, and the city shapes your budget and daily life.

The Visa Process

The steps from award letter to arrival, in order.

1. 1
   By mid-May

   Receive your award letter

   Your award letter, university admission letter and the scholarship documents from your host institution form the basis of your visa application. VLIR-UOS’s scholarship framework says scholars must follow the DGD (Belgian development cooperation) short-track visa procedure; your host institution will tell you how.

2. 2
   Contact the Belgian embassy for your country

   Find the nearest Belgian diplomatic post at diplomatie.belgium.be. Some countries have no Belgian embassy, so you may need to travel to a neighbouring country or apply at another EU post; in that case extra travel and overnight costs can be reimbursed by the scholarship.

3. 3
   Gather the documents

   • Valid passport (check the validity your embassy requires)
   • Completed long-stay (type D) visa application form
   • VLIR-UOS scholarship award letter
   • University admission confirmation
   • Scholarship certificate or proof of funding from your host institution
   • Medical certificate (its cost is counted as part of your allowance)
   • Police clearance certificate, if your embassy asks for one
   • Two recent passport photographs
   • Proof of insurance (arranged through your host institution and paid from the allowance)
4. 4
   Submit your visa application

   Apply as soon as possible after your award letter arrives. Processing often takes several weeks (our estimate: 4–8) and can take longer.

5. 5
   Arrive and register at your commune

   Within 8 working days of arrival, register at your local commune (municipal office, gemeentehuis) with your passport, visa, proof of enrolment and scholarship documents. You will receive your residence card (A-card for students).

Finding Accommodation

Start as early as you can. Belgium has plenty of student housing, but it fills fast before the academic year. VLIR-UOS asks host institutions to help scholars find affordable housing, such as university residences.

University housing services

Most Belgian universities have international student housing offices, and KU Leuven, UGent and VUB all have university-managed residences. Contact your host university's housing service as soon as you accept the scholarship — places go quickly.

Kotnet and Kotweb

Belgian student housing platforms where private landlords list rooms. Common and reliable.

Facebook groups

“[City name] student rooms” groups exist for Ghent, Leuven, Antwerp and Brussels. Private rooms are posted often and go quickly.

Arrival timing and deposit

Arriving in August or early September gives you better choice; arriving late September, once the year has started, is harder. Deposits are typically one to two months' rent. Budget for it from your allowance and your own savings — the allowance does not cover all set-up costs. If a scholarship ends early, early-termination costs on a rental contract are your responsibility unless VLIR-UOS approves otherwise in a personal crisis.

Getting Around

Belgium has one of Europe's densest rail networks, so travel between cities is fast and frequent.

Monthly local transport passes cost about €37.50–49. Student rail discounts may apply — ask your university whether VLIR-UOS scholars qualify. In Brussels, the STIB/MIVB metro, tram and bus network has a monthly pass of about €49.

Bicycles are everywhere in Flanders, and most university cities have excellent cycling infrastructure. A second-hand bike (€50–150 on Facebook Marketplace or at local shops) is a very practical, money-saving buy. Note that travel between campuses in different cities is reimbursed only for official multi-institution programmes (Food Technology, Water Resources Engineering, Marine and Lacustrine Science, Sustainable Land Management) and only for required on-campus activities.

Dutch: How Much Do You Actually Need?

Zero Dutch is required to complete your programme.

All ICP Connect programmes are taught entirely in English, and VLIR-UOS itself says daily life in Belgium is very manageable in English. Flemish universities have large international communities, and English is widely spoken in shops, restaurants and services in every university city.

Useful Dutch for daily life

• Goedemorgen — Good morning
• Dank u / dank u wel — Thank you
• Alsjeblieft — Please / here you are
• Excuseer — Excuse me
• Spreekt u Engels? — Do you speak English?

Shop signs, municipal documents and messages from landlords are in Dutch, so basic reading helps but is not essential. Many communes now handle student registrations in English because of the number of international students. In Brussels, French is as common as Dutch, or more so. Language classes, if you take them, are paid from your allowance.

First Month: What to Prepare

Some steps depend on others, so follow the order.

1. 01
   Bank account

   Belgian banks such as KBC, BNP Paribas Fortis and ING offer student accounts. Bring your residence card, passport and proof of enrolment. Some banks need you registered at the commune first — plan the sequence.

2. 02
   Phone SIM

   Proximus, Base (Telenet) and Orange Belgium all sell SIMs; Base has affordable prepaid options. You need a Belgian number for local contacts and banking.

3. 03
   Supermarkets

   Lidl and Aldi for budget shopping, Colruyt for mid-range, Carrefour and Delhaize for convenience. On a scholarship budget, Lidl and Aldi will be your main stops.

4. 04
   Health insurance

   Arranged through your host institution and paid from your allowance. On arrival, confirm your registration with the insurer named in your scholarship documents.