Tuition fee reform

The full tuition fee will be €1,194 for the 2026-27 academic year (compared to €835 currently).

Good to know : 

•  - This amount will be indexed annually in line with consumer price index changes.

• - Eligibility for a reduced tuition fee or tuition fee exemption will remain possible, subject to criteria established by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, based on household income and nationality. These criteria are explained in question 2 below.

• - The Wallonia-Brussels Federation provides an online calculator which gives a good indication of what your tuition fee will be in 2026-27.

If I am a non-EU student, will I have to pay additional fees?

In accordance with ARES Circular No. 2026-001 dated February 12, 2026, all students who are not nationals of a European Union member state, except those meeting one of the criteria listed below, are required to pay an additional fee of €4,175, on top of the full tuition fee.

The following students are exempt from paying the additional fee:

•    - Those with Belgian student status (supporting evidence must be provided);
•    - Nationals of a country listed in Annexes 1 through 3 of Circular No. 2026-001;
•    - Holders of a certificate of upper secondary education issued by a full-time secondary school or adult education institution organized or subsidized by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, provided they completed at least two years of study in such an institution;;
•    - PhD students; 
•    - Students enrolled in a Wallonia-Brussels Federation AESS teacher-training programme or any master's course in education that may replace it;
•    - Recipients of a scholarship awarded by Wallonie-Bruxelles International.

Yes, several new reduced rates have been set by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation and will be available subject to specific eligibility criteria and financial thresholds linked to nationality and household income.

The reduced rates for 2026–27 :  

• - 0 € : grant-holder rate => full tuition fee exemption

•  - 374 € : new modest income rate

• - 835 € : new statutory intermediate rate 

These reduced rates and the associated income thresholds will also be indexed annually in line with changes in the consumer price index. Any increase in the modest-income and intermediate rates will be capped at 3% per year.

Income thresholds for 2025–26 (2026–2027 thresholds available early July) 

The first step is to consult the Wallonia-Brussels Federation website and, from early July, apply for a study grant using the online form. Applications may also be submitted by registered post, but we strongly recommend using the online form. Online applications are processed as a priority and allow you to track your application’s progress.

Good to know : 

• - The online form opens early July on the FWB website and closes on October 31. We recommend applying as soon as possible, as applications are processed in the order in which they are received.

• - You may apply even if you have not yet enrolled or re-enrolled at the university, and before you have obtained all the required supporting documents.
   

• - As soon as you apply, you are automatically exempt from paying the €50 enrolment deposit until you receive a decision from the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.

All applications must be submitted by 31 October of the relevant academic year.

What changes: before the reform, students eligible for a reduced tuition fee could apply for the statutory intermediate rate via a university social worker after 31 October. This is no longer possible. All applications must now be submitted directly to the Wallonia-Brussels Federation Directorate for Study Grants by 31 October. This is the principle of the single point of contact.

The Directorate for Study Grants has indicated that applications will normally be processed within two months of submission. However, delays may occur due to the increased number of applications resulting from the reform. Until you receive a decision from the Directorate for Study Grants, you are not required to make any payment and the €50 deposit requirement remains suspended.

• - October 31: payment of the €50 deposit for your enrolment to be processed – unless you have applied to the Wallonia-Brussels Federation Directorate for Study Grants for a study grant or reduced tuition fee and have not yet received a decision. In that case, no payment is required and the €50 deposit remains suspended. If you have been granted a tuition fee exemption (grant-holder rate), no payment is required.

• -  February 1: the full amount due for enrolment must be paid. If you have applied for a special status through the Wallonia-Brussels Federation and have not yet received a decision from the Directorate for Study Grants, this deadline does not apply to you. If you have been granted a tuition fee exemption (grant-holder rate), no payment is required.

• - Within 30 days of the decision of the Directorate for Study Grants (if the decision is issued after 1 February): the full amount due for your enrolment must be paid.

If your application is denied or you are ineligible for Wallonia-Brussels Federation assistance, you may apply for the UCLouvain social rate through the UCLouvain Student Support Service. Applications are assessed individually based on social circumstances.

Who can apply for the UCLouvain social rate ?

The following students may be eligible :
 

• → Belgian or EU national students whose family has an employment link in Belgium (student jobs are not considered), in accordance with the criteria set out in European legislation (Directive 2004/38/EC on the right of residence), and who are ineligible for Wallonia-Brussels Federation support.
   

➜ In this case, the application must be accompanied by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation notification denying the modest-income or intermediate-rate reduction.
 

• →  Belgian or EU nationals, whose family has an employement link in Belgium (student jobs not considered) , enrolled in a specialized master’s program or a second degree at the same level, and who are ineligible for Wallonia-Brussels Federation support.

The income tresholds used to determine whether you are eligible for the “social rate” at UCLouvain are exactly the same as the ones used by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation for the “modest income rate.” The income tresholds for 2026-27 will be available in early July on the “Conditions and Amounts” page of the Office of Student Financial Aid (DAE). 

Go to the UCLouvain application form for the social rate >

Specific information for the student community at Saint-Louis Brussels >
 

UCLouvain is committed to helping you pursue your studies in the best possible environment. Whether or not you receive a grant from the Wallonia-Brussels Federation or benefit from a tuition fee reduction, UCLouvain allocates a social support budget to provide students in need with assistance tailored to their circumstances. This may include food assistance; support for the purchase of course materials; rent reductions; assistance with the purchase of a computer; support for students who work substantial hours to finance their studies.

• To find out what support may be available in your situation and receive guidance on the relevant procedures, please first consult the  the website of your campus’s student support office. Detailed and useful information is available. 
• If necessary, you may also arrange  an appointment with a social worker on your campus to discuss your situation. Do not hesitate !