Of all the EU nations foreign students find it a little confusing to determine which university to choose when they explore Belgium. At the same time, Belgium attracts its share of foreigners who study there.
In a lay person’s terms Belgium is loosely formed state being since it is has a federal system and is quite diverse in terms of people as well, mainly two communities, the Dutch speaking Flemish and the French speaking Wallons. Being a federal state each of the areas decide which of the diplomas will be issued by which institute.
Higher education is supposed to be free, however, many of the institutions charge some nominal fees and this again would have to be determined by visiting the website of the universities or by writing to them.
In terms of part time employment for those who wish to earn and learn the minimum monthly wages on a 38 hour/week basis is 1593 Euros. Belgium does not have a minimum hourly wage. Foreign students are allowed to work 20 hours a week. This would mean you would have to negotiate your hourly rate with the employer. Thankfully, part time jobs are available aplenty in Brussels.
This being the backdrop it is well worth noting that Brussels is quite a cosmopolitan city populated by not just the Flemish and the French but with people from many nations. Not only is it the capital of Belgium, Brussels is also considered to be the capital of the EU. Foreign students therefore find it quite easy to make acquaintances and many forms of entertainment.
The historic town square of the city is always bubbling with life. Here you find some of the best restaurants and cafes with hordes of tourists, locals and of course foreign students some of them out for a full meal and others who are out just for the pleasure of having a drink and drinking in the atmosphere. A short walk away is the famous Manneken Pis. Additionally, you have the museums and beautiful narrow streets where just a walk is a pleasure..
For those who can afford it, Paris and Amsterdam are not far away and a weekend spent there is entirely worth it.
List of Universities
Here are the websites of the university colleges in Brussels:
Ecole Nationale Superieure des Arts Visuels de la Cambre
Official website
Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes Commerciales
Official website
The Royal Conservatory of Brussels
Official website
Haute Ecole Bruxelles – Brabant
Official website
Haute Ecole Libre de Bruxelles Ilya Prigogine
Official website
Haute Ecole Lucia de Brouckere
Official website
Haute Ecole Francisco Ferrer
Official website
Cost Of Living
Brussels by itself is not inexpensive and you must budget for around 1300 Euros towards your monthly expenses, inclusive of a shared accommodation and a little bit towards activities outside of your studies.
Photos: Shutterstock
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