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Welcome to Odisee: a practical guide

Are you a soon-to-be student at Odisee University of Applied Sciences?

Welcome and thank you for choosing us! On this webpage, we wish to provide an answer to some of your questions regarding your studies, practical aspects of studying at Odisee and life in Brussels.

Sociaal Werk coverfoto

Are you coming to Belgium by plane? There are two airports near Brussels: Brussels Airport Zaventem and Brussels South Charleroi Airport.

Here’s how you can get from both airports to the city centre of Brussels:

From Brussels Airport Zaventem:

  • By train (recommended): you can find the train station directly under the airport (on Level -1). Trains to the city centre usually pass through every 10 to 15 minutes. Get off at Brussels-Central to arrive directly in the heart of Brussels. This will take around 20 minutes. You can buy tickets at the machines in the train station itself or online.
  • By bus (Lines 12 or 21): the bus station is located on Level 0 of the airport. Every 20 minutes or so, the buses will take you to the European Quarter (Schuman/Luxembourg). You can purchase a ticket via the STIB app or on board.

From Brussels South Charleroi Airport:

  • By Flibco Shuttle Bus (recommended): directly outside the terminal, you will find Flibco shuttle buses. They leave every 20 to 30 minutes and will take you to the Brussels-South train station. From there, you can take a 5-minute train or a short Metro ride to the city centre (Brussels-Central station). Bear in mind: this airport is quite far from the city, so the journey will take about an hour. You can book online in advance or last-minute at the kiosk.
  • By TEC bus and train: you can take a TEC bus (Line A) from the airport to Charleroi-Central train station and from there, you can take any train to Brussels-Central (this will take around 50 minutes). You can buy a combined Bus+Train ticket for this. This option is best if the shuttle buses are fully booked or if you want to avoid highway traffic.

Are you coming to Belgium by train? If you hop off at the stop Brussels-Central, you will find yourself right in Brussels’ lively centre, about five minutes from Odisee’s Campus Brussels. 

More information on how to reach campus Brussels

 

Once your registration at Odisee is completed, you will receive the necessary information to activate your student account. When your account is activated, you will be able to log into your student platform via www.odisee.be/dashboard.

This platform is fully tailored to your needs. You’ll find news updates, information about your programme, your campus’s weekly menu 


What’s more, you can directly access your Odisee email inbox, your timetable, Toledo (our digital learning environment) and an overview of your tuition fees and print credit.

Under the ‘Studying@Odisee’ tab, you’ll find plenty of information about the start of your programme, student life, moving into student accommodation, support


Thus, the student platform is the digital starting point of your day!

Every student is unique. At Odisee, we do everything we can to meet your individual needs.

Special status 

Studying as a top-level athlete, artist, student representative or entrepreneurial student? It’s not always easy! Odisee is happy to support you in balancing these commitments. To do so, you need to apply for special status. This entitles you to facilities that make your studies easier (e.g. spreading out exams). 

Find out more about getting special status 

Studying with support: the O-status

Do you have additional educational needs and have you received extra support in the past? Do you have a specific diagnosis? We will work with you to identify where you are experiencing difficulties and what adjustments might be possible. 

You can apply for O-status, where the ‘O’ stands for ‘Ondersteuning’, meaning support in Dutch. Students with an O-status are entitled to a number of additional facilities. These support measures are provided in consultation with you and the programme.

You should apply for an O-status with your campus’s support coordinator by 15 October for the first semester and by 25 February for the second semester. However, our advice is: the sooner, the better! The sooner you submit your application, the sooner you can benefit from the extra facilities.

Get all the information on the procedure to apply for O-status

Need someone to talk to?

Are you finding your studies more difficult than you expected and are you looking for tips to improve your study methods? Do you suffer from fear of failure or procrastination? Or are you struggling with other personal issues? Please know that our staff are always here to help. 

Find someone to talk to on your campus

Are you secretly already wondering when you will have breaks? We don’t blame you! Below, we will provide some general information. 

Teaching weeks: Odisee operates on a flexible teaching week system. Teaching weeks involving theory are therefore interspersed with work placement and/or project weeks, company visits, and sometimes even a trip abroad. Attendance is compulsory for most practical subjects, as you are continuously assessed.

Study and exam periods: you probably don’t want to think about it just yet
 but it is important to be prepared when it comes to exams. If your programme follows a semester system, you’ll have two semesters of 13 teaching weeks, followed by exams in January and May/June. If you don’t pass, you’ll get a resit during the resit period in August.  Modular programmes divide the year into four modules of seven teaching weeks, followed by exams. This spreads the course material out. Your exams may take place on campus or online.

Breaks: as a student, you have the autumn break, the Christmas holidays, a week off during the semester, the spring break, the Easter holidays and the summer holidays. That’s a lot of holidays! But those weeks off are often the ideal opportunity to complete assignments or prepare for exams. For some programmes, your holiday periods may vary. Be sure to check your programme’s calendar to avoid any misunderstandings.

Check the precise academic calendar for your programme

How will you get to campus every day for your classes? Odisee’s campuses are easily accessible by public transport, providing an easy way for students to get to class:

By train: Are you under 26 years old? Then NMBS (the national Belgian train company) offers the possibility to travel by train at a discounted rate. If you come to campus by train (almost) daily, the Student Season Ticket will be most interesting for you. Will you only take the train a few times a week? Then the Student Multi is your best option. 

Find out more about your options to travel by train

By bus or tram: Are you planning on taking the bus or tram frequently? Then a Buzzy Pazz (- 24 years old) or Omnipas (+ 24 years old) will be the most interesting formula for you. You can choose yourself whether you prefer a travel pass for 1 month, 3 months or 12 months. 

Check out the De Lijn website

MIVB/STIB in Brussels: MIVB/STIB is the public transportation company in Brussels. Are you younger than 25 years old and will you travel by metro, bus or tram frequently? Then you can go for a school travel pass from the MIVB/STIB. 

Get more info

 

Reduced costs?

Additional information on public transport and possible reduced costs 

Do you want to study someplace other than your student accommodation or on campus? You can! In Brussels, there are plenty of spaces where students can go to study together and be productive:

Book-a-place

BRIK

StudySpaces Brussels

Any Brussels library

KBR national library

StudentenCel OCMW

If you are interested in having a student job in addition to your studies at Odisee, there are some good places to start looking. If you are searching for an English-speaking student job, we recommend beginning your search here (use filters to show only the English-speaking positions):

Another tip: for a student job in the service industry (e.g. in a restaurant or café), you can also simply ask around in one of the many establishments near campus. The city centre of Brussels is filled with places to eat and drink and these are often looking for help. Most of the time, speaking English is more than enough.

Belgium is a multilingual country where the inhabitants speak both Dutch and French (and, in lesser numbers, even German as well). The capital of Brussels is officially bilingual too, with both Dutch and French as official languages. Do you wish to learn Dutch or French during your studies, outside the Odisee classroom? That is possible! 

Free resources

Paid resources (from most to least affordable)

As a student, you will have to spend a lot of time buried in your books. But don’t worry, there is also still plenty of time for relaxation, sports and cultural activities! Because after all, student life is about more than just studying. 

Festive kick-off of the academic year: On every Odisee campus, there is a true community waiting to welcome you with open arms. This community is beautifully diverse, so everyone can truly be themselves. And in this community, there is also space for a good party from time to time.

To start the academic year off on a good note, every campus kicks things off in true student style with concerts, snacks and drinks, a fun information fair or a big kick-off event. This is a great way to get to know the social scene in your new student town. You can find details and the line-up on the student platform.

Sport: Exercise isn’t just good for your physique; it’s also the perfect way to work off exam stress and make new friends. Every campus offers a wide range of sports activities: from go-karting to taking part in the 20 km of Brussels. Throughout the year, STUVO (the student services department) also organises a number of sports-related activities. 

More information about STUVO

Culture: Did you know that, as a student, you can get discounts on lots of socio-cultural activities in your student town? What’s more, STUVO regularly organises great cultural activities on campus and is happy to support you if you want to organise an event yourself.

To get a sense of the cultural activities available in Brussels that are interesting for you as a student, definitely check out this BRIK webpage.

Food and drinks: A healthy, balanced diet is essential for getting through each day of classes with plenty of energy. Especially if you’ve had a short night’s sleep. That’s why every campus offers a varied selection of hot meals and sandwiches, for both meat-eaters and vegetarians. The various vending machines scattered across the campus also ensure you can always find something to eat or drink. Always at a student-friendly price. Do keep your bank card on hand, though, as everything is cashless.

Contact us

Need help or do you have any questions?