Admitted! What now?

To enter Belgium, you will need a visa depending if you are a non-EEA student. You will require a Long Stay Visa (Type D). As an EEA-student, you do not require a visa but you have to make sure you bring all the necessary documents with you. 

Find out which procedure applies to you

If you require a visa to come to and study in Belgium you will need to prove that you have sufficient means of subsistence for your study period in Belgium. You can prove this by a study grant, a sponsor, or a blocked account. The blocked account procedure is highly advised by the Immigration Office of Belgium. 

Open a blocked account at Odisee here

Check out the website of the Immigration office for more information 

Start your search for accommodation on time, best before coming to Belgium. Don’t sign a contract yet if you are not in Belgium. Once upon arrival try to visit the accommodation as soon as possible to move in. (Odisee does not offer any student accommodation but you can find more information about student housing on our website.) 

More about housing

Check out the website of Brik 

Once you have arrived in Belgium you will be able to complete your online registration. Please upload all the required documents and confirm your registration. You may have to present your original diploma and/or certificates upon arrival. Please check your admission email to see if the diploma check applies to you. 

Follow the steps to register online here

As an international student in Belgium, you are legally obliged to have Health Care Insurance. For non-EEA students Belgian Health Care insurance is obligated. EEA students can make use of their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). 

More information about Health Care Insurance can be found on our website

When you arrive in Belgium you have 8 days to register at the city hall of your place of residence. Different procedures apply depending on your nationality. As an EEA student, you will also have to present yourself at the commune of your residence. (Please be aware that at some municipalities they will only communicate in French or Dutch. Be prepared for this.) 

First-time registration at the city hall as an  EEA student 

First-time registration at the city hall as a  non-EEA student

The welcome day for new students is mandatory. You will have to confirm your attendance online. On this welcome day, you will get to meet your fellow students and your lecturers. Next to that, you will be given some relevant information about your studies, the programme, and the administration at Odisee. 

From September on it will be possible to confirm your attendance for the Welcome day

If you have a blocked account at Odisee we require your Belgian bank account number to be able to provide you with your monthly installments. Also for students without a blocked account, a Belgian bank account can be useful. You avoid transfer and banking costs with a Belgian bank account. 

As a new student, all the practical information can sometimes be a little bit overwhelming. Therefore we have set up a page so that you will be able to complete all the necessary steps to start your academic career as smoothly as possible. On this page, you can find information on how to activate your account as well as the study material you will need. 

A smooth start at Odisee 

Once fully registered you will receive an account statement for the payment of your tuition fee by email. The first account statement will only be the fixed part of the tuition fee. After approval of your Individual Study Programme you will receive the second account statement. 

Find out more about the tuition fee 

Your Individual Study Programme entails all the courses you will take up this academic year. Every semester you will have to submit your ISP again. If you think you can apply for exemptions don’t forget to contact your study path coach and register them in your ISP. 

How to register your ISP