Do you want to study in Europe but don’t have enough cash to sponsor your studies? Then, you should stick until the end of this article to know how to find financial aid to study in Belgium. When we talk about the best universities in the world and the best destinations for international students to study, Belgium always comes in as one of the top 10 and top 20 best respectively.
Education is not cheap, however, in Belgium, you find free universities as well as low tuition fees universities where you can study at an affordable price for all students and it does not just end with cheap education, the cost of accommodation, and living in Belgium is also very affordable.
The tuition cost to study in Belgium averages around €906 (~US$1,060) per year for EU students; €4,175+ (~US$4,900+) per year for non-EU students, and the cost of living including accommodation, feeding, transportation, and other cost is around €10,200-11,400 (~US$11,940-13,350) per year. This cost may vary depending on which city and university you are in.
Even though the costs listed above are probably not affordable to most people, they still remain one of the cheapest when compared to other countries in Europe. For those who still cannot afford to pay such amounts for education, you can easily find a host of financial aid streams in Belgium to help take care of the costs.
How to Find Financial Aid in Belgium
Financial aid in Belgium is provided by different sources including the Federal Government, Universities, Private organizations, and so many others. These financial aids range from numerous scholarships, grants, and awards, to student loans and jobs.
Finding Scholarships for your Studies
There are numerous scholarships for international and domestic studies studying or intending to study in Belgium. The majority of these scholarships are awarded based on your academic records and performance, while some others are need-based scholarships meaning that you only need to genuinely show that you lack the resources to see yourself through school.
So many universities and higher institutions in Belgium provide an entrance or entry-level scholarship for students who accept an offer of admission to the school. Scholarships are also a smart way to attract more international students to the host institution or school.
Read Also: Financial Aid In Germany for International Students
List of Scholarships Available in Belgium
The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships http://www.iie.org/en/Programs/Gilman-Scholarship-Program
The scholarship is for Undergraduates and the award is provided $5,000 to over 2,300 persons.
The Fulbright-Schuman Program http://www.fulbrightschuman.eu/
This scholarship is financed by the U.S. State Department and the Directorate-General for Education and Culture of the European Commission. The scholarship covers tuition costs and more.
Erasmus Mundus Scholarship for International Students http://ec.europa.eu/education/external-relation-programmes/mundus_en.htm
This scholarship aims to promote higher education in Belgium and this will be achieved by this scholarship and many others.
VLIR-UOS Scholarships for Developing Countries https://www.vliruos.be/en/scholarships/6
Provide for only students from developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Find Student Loans
Student loans are another option for students who are not so lucky to get a scholarship. You don’t luck to get a student loan and the beauty of it all is that you don’t have to worry about repaying your debt until you graduate. Finding a loan is easy, you can either choose a loan plan from the government or you can apply to private firms, either way, you still have to read the terms and conditions to see if it is something you can handle. Most importantly find out when how the repayment plan is and what the interest rate looks like. You can find out more about loans here.
Find Student Jobs
You can find a job in Belgium as a student and earn cool cash working just a few hours every day. The downside to this method is that you must be in Belgium first to stand any chance of getting a good job.
