Cheapest University in Belgium
In comparison to student magnets such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, Belgium is a wild card entry into the field. Students from all around the world may focus on receiving the finest of Abroad Education with the Most Affordable Universities in Belgium for International Students 2022.
Belgium has a cosmopolitan atmosphere, a bilingual population, castles, and a rich culture, not to mention waffles!
Let’s look at the Most Affordable Universities in Belgium for 2022 now that we’ve talked about how fantastic Belgium is.
List of Low Tuition Universities and Colleges in Belgium
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Université Libre de Bruxelles: https://www.kuleuven.be/english/
In other words, KU has origins dating back to 1425, making it one of the Low Countries’ oldest universities and a learning center for nearly six centuries—so it surely has the experience!
The institution offers a variety of foreign study programs in English for international and Belgian students. Theology and philosophy are the only subjects in which entire bachelor’s degree programs are offered in English.
KU now has about 31,000 students, with over 12% of them being international students from more than 120 countries, creating a vibrant international environment. The semester tuition charge would be € 64.9 plus € 8.9 per study point.
In a nutshell, ULB lies in the center of Europe, with major European capitals not over an hour away. With its many cultural attractions, Brussels provides a fantastic mix of study and relaxation.
ULB is a cosmopolitan melting pot, attracting approximately 24000 students each year, 30% of whom are international students. ULB represents 100 nationalities from around the world, making it a cosmopolitan melting pot.
To maintain their adaptability, ULB participates in a variety of exchange programs to expose its students to different cultures. Annually, a student would have to pay 11.552 euros for an undergraduate degree, according to the calculations.
Ghent University:
Ghent University https://www.ugent.be/en became the first Dutch-speaking university in Belgium in 1930, and it obtained independence from the Decree of 1991, which gave the university a large deal of authority.
Gent now boasts more than 120 faculty departments spread throughout 11 faculties, each offering high-quality courses in their respective scientific fields.
Bachelor’s programs in Ghent are taught in Dutch, and only master’s programs are taught in English, hence excellent English skills are required.
Undergraduates will pay €750, while full-time Diploma Contract students would pay €596.30.
Hasselt University:
It was founded in 1971, and as the number of faculties grew, it was able to issue doctoral degrees. The Faculty of Medicine-Dentistry and the Faculty of Sciences are among its faculties (with study programs in Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science, Chemistry, and Biology).
The fee range for overseas students per year is €750-€1800 for undergraduates and €1800-€3700 for postgraduates.
Studying in Belgium on a budget — what the fees above actually mean
Tuition is only one line in the budget, and on its own it is a poor guide to whether you can afford to study in Belgium. A country with low tuition and high living costs can end up more expensive than one with higher tuition and cheap accommodation. Work out the total annual cost before you compare anywhere.
How to check a tuition figure before you rely on it
Fee figures on any website — including this one — go out of date. Universities revise tuition annually, and governments change policy. Before you rely on a number:
- Open the university’s own website and find the fees page for international or non-national students. That is the only figure that counts.
- Check the academic year the figure applies to. A 2023 fee table tells you very little about what you will pay in 2026/2027.
- Confirm whether the price is per year, per semester or per credit. Per-credit pricing is common and makes cheap-looking programmes expensive.
- Check whether international students pay a different rate. In many systems local and EU students pay far less than everyone else.
- Email the admissions office and keep the reply. A written quote protects you.
A live example of why this matters: Norway’s public universities were free for everyone until 2023, when parliament introduced cost-covering fees for non-EU/EEA students — and non-European enrolment fell by roughly 80% within two years. In June 2025 the government proposed letting institutions set their own fees again, including at zero, from August 2026. Anyone relying on a five-year-old “tuition-free” article would have got it badly wrong in both directions.
Entry route: Belgium is in the Schengen area, so you will apply for a national long-stay student visa (type D) at the embassy or an accredited visa centre in Abuja or Lagos, not a short-stay Schengen visa. Expect to show an admission letter, proof of funds in a blocked or verifiable account, health insurance and accommodation. A major advantage: once you hold a residence permit you can travel across the Schengen area.
Language of instruction: most degree programmes in Belgium are taught in the local language, with a smaller selection available in English — usually at postgraduate level. Check the language of instruction for your specific programme before anything else, because this single detail rules out more applicants than tuition cost does. Where an English-taught programme exists, ask whether an IELTS or TOEFL waiver applies to Nigerian degree holders.
Build a realistic total-cost budget
Before applying to any institution in Belgium, price all of the following. Applicants routinely underestimate the second half of this list:
- Tuition for international students, for the correct academic year
- Application and acceptance fees, which are usually non-refundable
- Accommodation — on-campus versus private rent can differ enormously
- Living costs — food, transport, data, utilities
- Health insurance, which is compulsory in most study destinations
- Visa or permit fees, plus biometrics and courier charges
- Flights, and a return flight if the visa requires proof of one
- Proof of funds — money you must show you hold, on top of what you actually spend
- Document costs — transcripts, notarisation, apostille, translation, courier
- The naira exchange rate, and how a further depreciation would affect year two
How to bring the cost down honestly
- Apply for scholarships in parallel, not afterwards. Most funding deadlines fall before or alongside admission deadlines, not after.
- Look at government scholarships from Belgium itself. Many countries fund international students directly, and these are often less competitive than the famous named awards.
- Ask about assistantships and tuition waivers at postgraduate level. Teaching or research assistantships can cut or eliminate tuition.
- Ask about fee instalments. Many institutions allow termly payment, which matters when you are converting naira.
- Check student work rights on your visa — how many hours, and whether you may work at all. Never plan a budget that depends on illegal work.
- Compare smaller cities. Rent outside the capital is often the single biggest saving available.
A warning about agents
No agent can guarantee you admission or a visa. If someone promises either in exchange for money, walk away. Legitimate agents are paid by institutions, publish their registration details, and will never ask you to send money to a personal account. Apply directly to the university wherever you can — almost every institution accepts direct applications, and it is free or cheaper.
Frequently asked questions
Can Nigerians study in Belgium?
Yes. Nigerian students are admitted to institutions in Belgium subject to meeting the academic entry requirements, the language requirement and the immigration rules set out above.
Is the cheapest university the best choice?
Not automatically. Check that the institution is recognised by the national regulator in Belgium and, if you plan to return home or move on, that its degrees are accepted where you intend to work. A cheap degree from an unrecognised institution costs you everything.
Do I need IELTS to study in Belgium?
It depends on the programme and the institution. Where teaching is in English, many institutions waive the test for applicants whose previous degree was taught in English — which covers most Nigerian graduates. Always confirm in writing before paying for a test.
How much money do I need to show?
That is set by the immigration authorities, not the university, and it changes. Check the official government source for Belgium shortly before you apply, because the figure is usually updated annually.
Can I work while studying?
Some countries permit limited part-time work on a student visa and some do not. Confirm the rule for your specific visa type, and treat any earnings as a supplement rather than the basis of your budget.
Related guides
- Full list of universities in Belgium
- International scholarships for Nigerians
- Best scholarships for Nigerians and Africans
- More study-abroad and scholarship guides
Tuition fees, visa rules and proof-of-funds thresholds change every year. Always confirm the current figures on the official university and government websites for Belgium before you apply or pay anything.