Studying in Belgium · India
Studying in Belgium from India.
From the admission application to lodging the visa, the journey of an Indian student to Belgium follows precise steps and a tight schedule. Here is how to approach it without losing a year.
In short
To study in Belgium from India, you must obtain an admission in a recognised institution (deadline often set at 31 March for universities), have your diploma recognised through an equivalence with the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (fees reduced to EUR 150 for India), then lodge the type D long-stay visa via VFS Global, at the centre matching your consular jurisdiction. As India has been party to the Apostille Convention since 2005, Indian documents are apostilled.
The steps to study in Belgium from India
- 1Obtain an admission in a recognised institution (university, haute école or higher arts school) in Belgium.
- 2Have your secondary school leaving diploma recognised through an equivalence with the Equivalence Service of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles.
- 3Fill in the visa form on VisaOnWeb, then lodge the long-stay visa file (type D, study purpose) via VFS Global, at the centre of your consular jurisdiction.
- 4Have the Indian documents apostilled and prepare the proof of means of subsistence.
Admission and equivalence: the calendar
For a first university enrolment, the Indian student (non-resident, non-EU) lodges their admission application via the universities' common portal, with a deadline set at 31 March 2026 for the 2026-2027 year (form open in mid-February). Quota-limited programmes (medicine, dentistry, physiotherapy, veterinary medicine, psychological sciences) follow a separate procedure, from mid-May to early July. Many Belgian programmes are moreover taught in English.
In parallel, the Indian secondary school leaving diploma is recognised through an equivalence with the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, to be lodged before mid-July. As India is among the countries eligible for development aid, the equivalence fees are brought down to EUR 150 (instead of EUR 400) and are non-refundable.
The student visa from India
In India, the long-stay visa application for Belgium is lodged via VFS Global. Caution: the centre is not free to choose. Filing takes place at the VFS centre matching your consular jurisdiction, determined by your state of residence (the Embassy in New Delhi and the Belgian consulates, including Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata, each cover specific states).
| Visa file item | 2026-2027 reference |
|---|---|
| Filing provider | VFS Global, at the centre of your consular jurisdiction (depending on the state of residence) |
| Means of subsistence (amount indexed each year) | EUR 1,062 net / month, that is EUR 12,744 on a blocked account for 12 months |
| Administrative fee (as of 1 January 2026) | EUR 251 (public higher education) or EUR 242 (other cases) |
| Legal decision deadline | 90 days after acknowledgement of receipt of a complete file |
Legalising your Indian documents: the apostille
India has been party to the Hague Convention (apostille) since 14 July 2005. Indian public documents intended for Belgium (diplomas, transcripts, civil status certificates) receive an apostille issued by the competent Indian authority (Ministry of External Affairs), instead of a consular legalisation, then are produced in Belgium.
The Indian apostille often goes through a prior step of regional authentication before the Ministry of External Affairs. We identify the exact chain applicable to your documents to avoid a returned file.
Why get support
As for the many international students we support, our role is to secure the sequence from end to end: the right visa filing jurisdiction, an equivalence lodged on time, documents apostilled in the right place, a file accepted the first time.
- Institution choice (programmes in French or English) and building of the admission file
- Equivalence of the Indian diploma steered through to the decision
- Identification of your consular jurisdiction and preparation of the VFS Global filing
- Apostille of documents directed to the right contacts
- A single point of contact, in English and French, until your arrival
Official sources
Information verified against official Belgian sources. Procedures, amounts and dates change every year, so always check the date before acting.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the deadline to enrol at a Belgian university from India?
How much does the equivalence of the Indian diploma cost in Belgium?
Where to lodge your student visa application in India?
Do you need to legalise or apostille your Indian documents?
What means-of-subsistence budget must be proven?
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