Studying in Belgium · DR Congo

Studying in Belgium from the DR Congo.

From the admission application to lodging the visa in Kinshasa, the journey of a Congolese student to French-speaking Belgium follows precise steps and a tight schedule. Here is how to approach it without losing a year.

In short

To study in French-speaking Belgium from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 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 the DRC), then lodge the type D long-stay visa at the European Visa Centre in Kinshasa. As the DRC is not party to the Apostille Convention, Congolese documents follow the classic legalisation.

The steps to study in Belgium from the DR Congo

1Obtain an admission in a recognised institution (university, haute école or higher arts school) in French-speaking Belgium.
2Have your secondary school leaving diploma (diplôme d'État) 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) at the European Visa Centre in Kinshasa.
4Have the Congolese documents legalised and prepare the proof of means of subsistence.

Admission and equivalence: the calendar

For a first university enrolment, the Congolese 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.

In parallel, the Congolese diplôme d'État is recognised through an equivalence with the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, to be lodged before mid-July. As the DRC is among the countries eligible for development aid, the equivalence fees are EUR 150 (instead of EUR 400) and are non-refundable.

The student visa from the DR Congo

In the DRC, the visa application for Belgium is prepared on VisaOnWeb, then lodged at the European Visa Centre (EVC) in Kinshasa, in connection with the Belgian Embassy (it is neither TLScontact nor VFS Global). Residents of Grand Katanga may come under the Belgian Consulate General in Lubumbashi. Filing takes place by appointment.

Visa file item	2026-2027 reference
Filing location	European Visa Centre (EVC), Kinshasa (Lubumbashi for Grand Katanga)
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 Congolese documents

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is not party to the Hague Apostille Convention. Congolese public documents intended for Belgium (diplôme d'État, transcripts, civil status certificates) therefore follow the legalisation chain through successive steps with the competent Congolese authorities, then the legalisation required to be recognised in Belgium.

Congolese legalisation has several levels and is prepared early: a document legalised in the wrong order means a blocked equivalence or visa file. We identify the exact sequence applicable to your file.

Why get support

As for the many international students we support, our role is to secure the sequence from end to end: an admission calendar met, an equivalence lodged on time, documents legalised in the right order, a visa file accepted the first time in Kinshasa.

Institution choice and building of the admission file on time
Equivalence of the Congolese diplôme d'État steered through to the decision
Preparation of the visa file and the appointment at the European Visa Centre
Document legalisation chain directed to the right contacts
A single point of contact, in 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 the DR Congo?

For a first university enrolment, the admission application of non-residents from outside the EU must in principle be lodged by 31 March of the year before the start of the year at the latest (form open in mid-February). Quota-limited programmes such as medicine follow a separate calendar, from mid-May to early July.

How much does the equivalence of the Congolese diplôme d'État cost in Belgium?

The official administrative fees are EUR 150 for a diploma obtained in the DR Congo (reduced rate applicable to countries eligible for development aid), instead of EUR 400. These fees are non-refundable.

Where to lodge your student visa application in the DR Congo?

The application is prepared on VisaOnWeb then lodged at the European Visa Centre (EVC) in Kinshasa, in connection with the Belgian Embassy (it is neither TLScontact nor VFS Global). Residents of Grand Katanga may come under the Consulate in Lubumbashi.

Do you need to legalise or apostille your Congolese documents?

As the DRC is not party to the Apostille Convention, Congolese documents intended for Belgium follow the classic legalisation chain, through successive steps. We identify the exact sequence applicable to your file.

What means-of-subsistence budget must be proven?

For the 2026-2027 academic year, the student must justify EUR 1,062 net per month, that is EUR 12,744 on a blocked account for twelve months, or a commitment to take charge by a guarantor. This amount is indexed each year.

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