How To Follow A Master's Degree Program In Belgium?

Many French students move to study abroad each year. Belgium is one favorite country for the French students, who can study in its universities to obtain a Master's Degree, provided that they hold a Bachelor's Degree delivered by a French university.

Post gradual study options in Belgium:

In Belgium, it is important to make the distinction between two types of Master's degrees: 

1- Post-Bachelor Master's degrees: these are accessible after receiving a Bachelor's degree.

2- Complementary Master's degrees (Advanced Master in English): these require, most of the time, that you have already completed the second year of a Master's degree. (Masters 2)

It is not obvious to find a Master's degree program in French-speaking Belgium. There is actually no search engine, that would help you to to find the ideal program within a university or within a French-speaking high educational school. Thus, it is necessary to check out the website of every University or High School to find the ideal program or course.

The students, who wish to study in Dutch-speaking Belgium, after receiving a Bachelor's Degree, can get help through this website that provides a search engine. 

There are also preparatory years in the Master's degree. These special trainings address the students, who wish to make a Master's degree in a university after having obtained a bachelor degree from a high educational school or a foreign university. This type of program concerns, mainly, the students having done a graduate program, which is not in direct link with the aimed Master's Degree, like, for example, you have a degree in politics and you wish to obtain a Master's degree in Management).

How to get access to a Master's degree in Belgium?

The documents needed to join a Master's degree are different from one eduational establishment to another and even for cources and programs within the same educational establishment. Therefore, it is necessary to check out the website of every university or high educational school to know exactly the necessary documents to register.

If you wish to study in a Flemish university, then taking a test of Dutch language (CNaVT - PTHO) or of English language (TOEFL or IELTS) is to be planned according to the language of learning of the chosen Master's Degree program. Other tests such as the WILL or the GMAT can be required in certain programs of study.

Categories: Belgium

How To Apply For A Study Visa In Belgium

Belgium is a developed European country. It's a member of the Schengen Area. It is called the land of French Fries and chocolate. Belguim is also famous for its prestigious educational establishments and universities. This and many other reasons such as: multicultural and multiligual cities, beautiful countryside, famous cuisine and high quality of life, made Belgium a good destination for international students.

It is better to start preparing for your study in Belgium 9 months before your study program starts. This is so to have enough time and not  miss the deadline to join Belgian universities. The latter cannot welcome more than 30 % of foreign students in programs of medical type, in order to avoid the massive registration of foreign students and not affect the local students.

When the registation process starts in Belgium universities? 

The registration period is from January through March. Every university in Belgium possesses an admissions and registrations office. It is, thus, recommended to contact directly this office through their address and phone number provided on the web site of the university, to know the necessary documents to be supplied in your registration form. Generally, it will be necessary that you send your registration form by mail or by internet if the university allows it with the following documents:

1- A CV.

2- A motivation letter in French.

3- Your university transcripts of higher education.

4- Your transcripts of the last two years of high school if you apply after you got your high school diploma.

5- Your higher education diplomas.

6- Several passport-size photos.

Get a confirmation of admission and take the other steps:

Once you have send your application file to each university of your interest, you will receive a confirmation letter on your admission in the program you chose at the university within 3 weeks to 1 month.

If you are French and you master the French language, then you don't need to take any language tests, and getting a the student visa is not compulsory for the citizens of the European Union. The steps of registration in a Belgium university are, thus, very simple if you do them in your mother tongue. But, if you wish to join a program taught in English, a test of your English language level such as TOEFL or IELTS will be asked by the university, to validate your register.

Registration at the university of your choice:

Once the answers from universities were obtained, you will have to make a choice between the different universities that admitted you in one of their programs or cources. It is possible that some universities will ask you for additional conditions to be admitted, as providing the diploma which you prepare at present, or obtain a certain score in a test of language. Once these requirments are met, you can contact your university to validate your registration. The university you will validate your registraion after you have paid the registration fees. 

Categories: Belgium