Enrolling at ULB from abroad.

How much does enrolment at ULB cost for a non-EU student?

The enrolment cost of a non-assimilated non-EU student is made up of two elements: the ordinary tuition fee (the registration fee a Belgian student also pays) and an additional contribution specific to non-assimilated non-EU nationals. This contribution is a single flat amount: it varies neither by cycle (bachelor or master), nor by programme.

Who pays the 4 175 € contribution and who is exempt from it?

The additional contribution targets non-EU students known as non-assimilated. An assimilated student pays like a resident (the ordinary tuition fee, without the contribution). One is notably assimilated when in one of these situations:

• Scholarship holder of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation or of a recognised programme.
• Long-term resident in Belgium (five years of legal stay).
• Recognised refugee, stateless person or beneficiary of subsidiary protection.
• Modest household income (below the official thresholds).
• Spouse, child or dependant of a person themselves falling within one of these categories.

Furthermore, nationals of certain countries are exempt from the additional contribution under the annexes of the ARES circular: least developed countries, countries with a low human development index and an additional list. They nevertheless remain liable for the ordinary tuition fee. Senegal, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire and Lebanon appear in these annexes; Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria do not appear there and therefore remain liable for the contribution, unless they qualify for individual assimilation.

What is the deadline and how does admission work?

For a non-resident non-EU applicant who will need a visa, the admission application to ULB is prepared between mid-February and 31 March of the year of entry (that is, 31 March 2026 for 2026-2027). It is a firm deadline: a file ready in advance avoids limited places and missing documents.

1. 1Obtain the equivalence of the secondary school leaving diploma from the Wallonia-Brussels Federation (separate procedure and fees).
2. 2Build the admission application online and gather the documents (diploma, transcripts, proof of level of French, passport).
3. 3Pay the 200 € application fee, a condition for the application to be examined.
4. 4Follow up on the admission decision, then move on to the student visa application and the actual enrolment.

What level of French is required at ULB?

For a programme taught in French, ULB requires a B2 level (Common European Framework of Reference). Proof is provided through a recognised certification (TCF, DELF, DALF), and passing the university's special admission examination exempts the candidate from the French proficiency test. Some masters and some programmes taught in English have their own requirements.

Medicine, dentistry, physiotherapy: the capped programmes

Several programmes limit the number of non-resident students. Medicine and dental sciences go through an entrance examination organised at the level of the French Community, with a quota of 15 % of non-resident successful candidates: it is the ranking that decides, not a draw. Physiotherapy, speech therapy and audiology apply a quota of 30 %, veterinary medicine 20 %, with a draw under bailiff supervision if applications exceed the places. These applications go through the Mesetudes platform, over a short window (generally late August).

How Studacy supports you at ULB

We support many international students toward ULB. Concretely, we calculate your real cost based on your nationality and your status, we prepare and check your equivalence and admission file, we build your timeline working back from 31 March, and we guide you toward the programmes suited to your profile, including in the capped programmes. You move forward with a single point of contact, from the first conversation to your arrival in Brussels.