Belgium tightens rules for foreign students

Belgium has introduced stricter rules for non-European students who want to study in the country or extend their student residence permit, the government announced. The measures are aimed at preventing abuse of the system.

Under the new rules, foreign students must prove more quickly that they are making progress in their studies. Students in graduate and bachelor programmes will now need to earn at least 60 credits within two academic years, followed by at least 40 additional credits each year after that.

Clearer limits will also apply to the maximum study period for master’s degrees, advanced master’s courses, certificates and doctoral programmes.

The government also wants to stop students from extending their stay by repeatedly changing courses. A student who starts a third study programme within the first three years after failing two previous courses may be refused an extension of their residence permit. Students moving from higher-level studies to lower-level courses after failing will also face stricter checks.

Visa rules for students attending non-recognised institutions are also being tightened. These include schools that are not officially approved or supervised for quality, such as some music or ballet schools, as well as certain private business schools offering courses similar to recognised higher education programmes.

Migration minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt said there are concerns about the quality and value of qualifications from some of these institutions.

Nearly 14,000 non-EU students applied for a first study visa in Belgium in 2025. Around 82 per cent of applications for recognised institutions were approved, compared with only 51 per cent for non-recognised institutions.

^{© BELGA PHOTO BRUNO FAHY}