Several Flemish universities will significantly increase tuition fees for non-European students from the next academic year, as reported by De Morgen.
At the University of Antwerp, master's tuition for non-EU students will rise from €5,800 to €7,800, while bachelor's fees will increase from €3,100 to €4,300.
KU Leuven is introducing a similar rise, with tuition fees across all categories increasing by around 20%. Meanwhile, at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), most non-EU students will pay between €400 and more than €1,000 extra, depending on the programme.
The universities say the increases are a response to spending cuts introduced by Flemish Education Minister Zuhal Demir (N-VA). Under the new funding rules, the Flemish Government will only subsidise up to 2% of non-EU students at each university. Institutions with higher shares of international students must cover the remaining costs themselves.
Education economist Kristof De Witte criticised the policy, calling it "short-sighted". He said Belgium needs highly skilled graduates and that many international students stay to work in Flanders after completing their studies. Higher tuition fees, he warned, could discourage talented students from choosing Belgian universities over competitors in the UK or the US.
The fee increases follow other recent measures affecting non-EU students in Belgium, including stricter visa rules, higher financial requirements for study permits, and tougher academic progress rules aimed at preventing abuse of the student visa system.
