Procedures for non-EU nationals

This section applies to students who are nationals of a non-EU country and who wish to reside in Belgium in order to pursue their studies.

Obtaining a visa

As soon as you have received your enrolment authorisation notification it is important that you apply for a visa at the Belgian Embassy or Consulate in your home country as soon as possible.

For information about making an application for a visa you can consult the websites of the Belgian Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and the Immigration office.

What to do upon arrival in Belgium

Most of the information you will need can be found on the Living in Belgium website.

A brief summary of what you need to do upon arriving in Belgium is provided below.

In person, visit the Université Saint-Louis - Bruxelles Admissions Office

1. Immediately upon arrival in Belgium and before visiting the City Hall where you are planning to live, you must make an appointment with a staff member of Saint-Louis Admissions Office via email. You shall then visit the Admission Office on the assigned date and time, bringing with you the following documents:

valid personal identification documents;

your temporary visa;

your enrolment authorisation notification.

payment: either by bancontact (a Belgian bank account is needed for this method of payment), or in cash (payment is made in cash to a Post Office bank account).

2. Once you have paid your fees, the Admissions Office will issue you with an admission certificate that you will need when applying for residency in your Commune.

Register at the Commune

In order to register your presence and obtain a residence card for the duration of your studies you must register in person at the Commune where you plan to reside, within 8 days of arriving in Belgium.

You will need to present the following:

your passport and temporary visa;

three passport standard photos;

your confirmation of enrolment notification (admission certificate) issued by the Admissions Office of the Université Saint-Louis - Bruxelles (see above);

an authenticated birth certificate;

a copy of your accommodation rental agreement;

approximately 30.00 Euros to cover administration fees.

These requirements can vary from one Commune to another. Please refer to the website of the Commune where you wish to live for detailed information.

As a guide, the procedures are generally as follows:

after arriving, you need to inform the Commune of your presence,

a local police officer checks that you live at the address you have provided,

once this check has been completed, you will be summoned to the Commune in order to complete the necessary paperwork.

Bank account

You will find it useful to possess a Belgian bank account during your stay.

To be able to open an account, in a bank of your choice, you will need your identification documents, proof of your address in Belgium and your proof of your admission to the Université Saint-Louis - Bruxelles, which is issued by the Saint-Louis Admissions Office (see above).

Health insurance

It is compulsory in Belgium to have personal health care insurance, which is obtained by taking out a health insurance policy with an insurance provider, known as a mutuelle in Belgium (full list).

Upon arriving in Belgium, you will therefore need to select a mutulle, present your health insurance card and provide your Belgian bank account number. If you come from a country from outside the European Economic Area, you need to take out a fully comprehensive insurance policy in your country of origin, or take out a health insurance policy in Belgium.