Ghent University
Universiteit Gent
A large Flemish research university with Dutch-taught bachelors, low fees for all nationalities and a medicine entrance exam.
- Students
- 50,936
- 25,271 undergraduates
- International
- 15%
- of students
- Tuition
- €1,181
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1817
About UGent
Ghent University opened in 1817 as the Rijksuniversiteit Gent, teaching first in Latin, then French, and in Dutch since 1930. Today it has 50,936 students (October 2025) across eleven faculties, from Medicine and Health Sciences and Engineering and Architecture to Bioscience Engineering, Veterinary Medicine, and Arts and Philosophy. Campuses are spread across Ghent, Kortrijk, Bruges and Ostend, and Ghent University Global Campus in Songdo made it the first European university in South Korea.
For undergraduates, the key fact is language: all bachelor's programmes you can enrol in at UGent are taught in Dutch, and you need Dutch at B2 level (C1 for Applied Language Studies) to enrol. English is used in 69 master's programmes and in the doctoral schools. Fees are low and the same for EEA and non-EEA students on Dutch-taught degrees: 1,181.40 euros for a full 60-credit year in 2026-27.
Medicine and Dentistry require passing the Flemish government's entrance exam; UGent notes that only about 30% of 18-year-olds in their final year of general secondary school pass. The university suits students who already speak Dutch or are willing to learn it, including through a preparatory Dutch year, and who want a broad research university in a historic student city.
Sapere Aude
“Dare to Think (Durf Denken)” — university motto
Why students choose UGent
Tuition for Dutch-taught bachelors is 1,181.40 euros a year (2026-27, 60 credits) for EEA and non-EEA students alike.
Eleven faculties cover almost every field, including Veterinary Medicine, Bioscience Engineering and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Research spending reached 533 million euros in 2024, with 172 main ERC projects and 88 spin-offs between 2014 and 2024.
Ghent is Flanders' biggest university city, and UGent's campuses span Ghent, Kortrijk, Bruges, Ostend and Songdo in South Korea.
Admissions
2027-28 entry
Selectivity
Most bachelor's programmes are open to anyone with a qualifying diploma: a Flemish secondary diploma gives direct access, while most foreign diplomas need an individual application in which the faculty checks equivalence. Medicine and Dentistry are the exception: you must pass the Flemish government's entrance exam and be ranked favourably, and UGent says only about 30% of final-year general secondary students pass.
Typical entry requirements
| Flemish secondary diploma | Direct access to bachelor's programmes (entrance exam also required for Medicine and Dentistry) |
|---|---|
| Foreign secondary diplomas (including IB, A-levels) | Individual application: UGent checks whether your diploma gives the same or equivalent competences as a Flemish diploma with direct access, and verifies it through Qualification Check |
| Dutch language | B2 for most bachelor's programmes (C1 for Applied Language Studies), proven at the latest on enrolment |
Deadlines
- International applicants needing a visa Non-binding Next deadline · In ~6 months1 April 2027
Standing annual rule: UGent's deadlines page gives 'before 1 April' without a year, so for September 2027 entry this means 1 April 2027. The online application can be started from October; the complete file must be submitted before 1 April.
- International applicants not needing a visa Non-binding In ~8 months1 June 2027
Standing annual rule: UGent's deadlines page gives 'before 1 June' without a year, so for September 2027 entry this means 1 June 2027. The online application can be started from October to May.
- Applicants planning a Preparatory Year of Dutch at UCT first Non-binding1 April (of the year the preparatory year starts)
Applies with or without a visa.
UGent's deadlines page states these as standing annual rules with no year attached (applications before 1 April if you need a visa, before 1 June if you do not); the 2027 dates shown are those rules applied to September 2027 entry, not separately published 2027 dates. Programmes with their own procedures follow separate deadlines. The Flemish entrance exam for Medicine and Dentistry is held once a year; check the official exam site for the 2027 registration window and dates.
How to apply
Flemish diploma holders enrol directly. International applicants start the online application (from October), submit a complete file, including a degree verified through Qualification Check and legalised documents, and wait for the Registrar's Office and the faculty to assess it, which takes about three months on average. Proof of Dutch is required at enrolment.
What admissions looks for
- A secondary diploma that gives the same or equivalent competences as a Flemish diploma with direct access, as judged by the faculty.
- Dutch at B2 level (C1 for Applied Language Studies), because every bachelor's programme is taught in Dutch.
- A complete, authenticated application file by the deadline; incomplete files are not considered.
- For Medicine and Dentistry, a pass and a favourable ranking in the Flemish entrance exam.
Tips for applying to UGent
- 1 If you do not yet speak Dutch, plan for UGent's Preparatory Year of Dutch at the University Centre for Languages (UCT) and apply by 1 April before that year.
- 2 Start your Qualification Check verification early: your degree must be verified before the deadline for the file to count as complete.
- 3 Preparing for the Medicine or Dentistry entrance exam? UGent offers free practice tests and workshops on the science section, and former exam questions are available once you register.
- 4 Consider English-taught options at master's level: UGent runs 69 English-taught master's programmes if Dutch at bachelor's level is not realistic.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Students on the Flemish study allowance (Studietoelage Vlaamse overheid) pay a reduced fee of 139.40 euros. UGent says only a limited number of scholarships are available, mostly at master's level (such as Master Mind scholarships from the Flemish Ministry of Education and VLIR-UOS programmes), and international students must show enough funds for the whole period of study.
- 139.40 euros per year (2026-27)
- Fee for Flemish study-grant holders
Academics
Medicine (Geneeskunde)
UGent's largest faculty is Medicine and Health Sciences (10,389 students); entry requires passing the Flemish entrance exam.
Veterinary Medicine (Diergeneeskunde)
Taught in UGent's own Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, which has 1,859 students.
Bioscience Engineering (Bio-ingenieurswetenschappen)
A dedicated faculty of 2,816 students linking biology, chemistry and engineering.
Engineering and Architecture (Ingenieurswetenschappen)
One of the largest faculties, with 5,759 students.
Economics and Business Administration
A faculty of 6,401 students, one of UGent's largest.
Research
- Research expenditure of 533 million euros in 2024, 172 main ERC projects and 150 ERC grantees.
- 88 spin-offs and 1,609 patents between 2014 and 2024.
- Nobel laureate Corneille Heymans (Physiology or Medicine, 1938) worked at Ghent University.
- Ghent University Global Campus in Songdo, opened in 2014, was the first European university campus in South Korea.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Arts and Philosophy
- Faculty of Law and Criminology
- Faculty of Sciences
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
- Faculty of Engineering and Architecture
- Faculty of Economics and Business Administration
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences
- Faculty of Bioscience Engineering
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Faculty of Political and Social Sciences
Student life
Ghent is Flanders' biggest university city, and UGent's buildings sit throughout it, crowned by the Book Tower university library. The city has about 274,000 inhabitants and, according to the city, 87,638 students across its higher-education institutions, so students are a large part of city life. UGent has 19 campuses in the Ghent region plus sites in Kortrijk, Bruges and Ostend. Around 7,600 international students study at UGent, and 2,320 UGent students are abroad. The university offers a limited number of single rooms for degree students, with priority for Erasmus Mundus and VLIR-funded students.
- The Book Tower (Boekentoren), the university library and a Ghent landmark.
- Around 7,600 international students at UGent.
- 19 campuses in the Ghent region, plus Kortrijk, Bruges, Ostend and Songdo.
- A pluralist credo, Dare to Think: the university says it is open to everyone irrespective of ideological, political, cultural or social background.
Housing. UGent has a limited number of single rooms for degree students, with priority for Erasmus Mundus and VLIR-subsidised students; most students rent privately in Ghent.
Location
Ghent is Belgium's third-largest city and describes itself as a 'pocket-sized metropolis' with a 1,000-year history, a strong cultural scene and a large student population. It sits in the heart of Europe, about 300 km from Paris and 350 km from London and Amsterdam, according to the university. The city counts 162 nationalities among its residents.
Nearest airport: Brussels Airport (BRU)
Notable alumni
- MM Maurice MaeterlinckPlaywright and poet, 1911 Nobel Prize in Literature; studied at the University of Ghent
- LB Leo BaekelandChemist and inventor of Bakelite; educated at the University of Ghent
- CH Corneille HeymansPhysiologist, 1938 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine; worked at Ghent University
- PP Peter PiotEbola and AIDS researcher, appointed executive director of UNAIDS in 1994; studied physics and medicine at Ghent University
- DF Dirk FrimoutFirst Belgian in space; electrical engineering degree and physics doctorate from Ghent
- AQ Adolphe QueteletPioneer of statistics in the social sciences; featured in UGent's own alumni and Nobel laureates list
Frequently asked questions
Can I study a bachelor's in English at Ghent University?
Not at UGent itself: all bachelor's programmes you can enrol in are taught in Dutch, with the Bachelor of Social Sciences handled through Vrije Universiteit Brussel. UGent offers 69 English-taught master's programmes.
How much does Ghent University cost for international students?
For Dutch-taught bachelor's programmes, EEA and non-EEA students pay the same fee: 1,181.40 euros for 60 credits in 2026-27 (305.40 euros fixed plus 14.60 euros per credit).
What level of Dutch do I need for Ghent University?
B2 for most bachelor's programmes and C1 for Applied Language Studies, proven at the latest on enrolment. UGent offers a Preparatory Year of Dutch at its language centre.
What is the application deadline for international students at UGent?
UGent applies a standing rule each year: a complete application must be in before 1 April if you need a visa, or before 1 June if you do not (so 1 April or 1 June 2027 for September 2027 entry). Allow about three months for a decision.
Is there an entrance exam for Medicine at Ghent University?
Yes. Medicine and Dentistry in Flanders require passing the Flemish government's entrance exam; UGent notes that only about 30% of final-year general secondary students pass.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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