Hasselt University
Universiteit Hasselt
A young Flemish university whose bachelor's degrees are taught in Dutch and whose main seat is a converted prison.
- Students
- 8,195
- International
- 15%
- of students
- Tuition
- €1,181
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1971
About UHasselt
Hasselt University was established by law in May 1971 as the Limburgs Universitair Centrum (LUC), opened in 1973 with about 320 students in six programmes, and took its current name in 2005. It has 8,195 students (October 2025), 740 doctoral candidates and 1,855 staff on two campuses: a green campus in Diepenbeek and a city-centre campus in Hasselt, whose Old Prison is the university's main seat and where new students register.
The university is organised into seven faculties and three schools, from Medicine and Life Sciences, Sciences and Business Economics to Architecture and Arts, Law, Rehabilitation Sciences and Engineering Technology, plus Schools of Transportation Sciences, Social Sciences and Educational Studies. Some programmes, including Law, Computer Science, Biomedical Sciences and Statistics, are run with Maastricht University through the Transnational University Limburg (tUL).
All 18 bachelor's programmes are taught in Dutch; English is used only at master's level, in six programmes such as Statistics and Data Science, Biomedical Sciences and Transportation Sciences. International students can take a bachelor's here if they pass a Dutch language test at B2 level, and fees for EEA students are about 1,181 euros a year. UHasselt suits students who want a small, personal Flemish university, or who plan to come for an English-taught master's.
Knowledge in Action
University motto
Why students choose UHasselt
Tuition is low: 1,181.40 euros for a 60-credit year for Belgian and EEA students, and 3,900 euros for non-EEA students in the English master's in Management, Interior Architecture or Transportation Sciences.
The Transnational University Limburg partnership with Maastricht University runs cross-border programmes in Law, Computer Science, Biomedical Sciences and Statistics.
The Master of Statistics and Data Science, with Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, Epidemiology and Data Science tracks, can be studied on campus or by distance learning.
The School of Transportation Sciences teaches an English master's in Transportation Sciences with Traffic Safety and Transport Policy and Planning tracks, plus a distance-learning version.
Admissions
Academic year 2027-28 (bachelor's in Dutch; master's in English)
Selectivity
Flemish bachelor's programmes are open-entry: a recognised secondary diploma (plus Dutch at B2 for international diplomas) is enough for most. Medicine requires passing the Flemish government's competitive medical entrance exam, and several science programmes require a compulsory, non-selective placement test (starttoets/ijkingstoets). No acceptance rate is published.
Typical entry requirements
| Flemish secondary diploma or Dutch VWO | Direct admission to bachelor's programmes (a Dutch VWO diploma or Dutch-language propaedeutic year also gives direct access; HAVO and MBO do not). |
|---|---|
| Other secondary diplomas (including other EU and non-EU) | Submit an admission request (toelatingsaanvraag) with your diploma; the university checks equivalence before you can enrol. |
| Dutch language | Dutch at B2 level for Dutch-taught programmes, shown through the AUHL language test (105 euros for B2), ITNA B2, CNaVT STRT or NT2 II, or exempt if you completed at least one year of Dutch-language secondary school. |
| English language | Bachelor's programmes are taught in Dutch, so the language requirement is Dutch at B2, not English. English proficiency certificates are required only for the English-taught master's programmes, with levels set per programme. |
Deadlines
- Starttoets registration, July sitting (2026 cycle, past) Non-binding Passed15 June 2026
For the 1 July 2026 test; the August sitting (22 August 2026) closed on 15 August 2026.
- Flemish medical entrance exam registration Non-binding Next deadline · In ~7 months17 May 2027
Registration runs 1 March to 17 May 2027 at toelatingsexamensvlaanderen.be for the exam (arts) on Friday 2 July 2027.
- English master's, non-EEA applicants (earliest programme deadline) Non-binding1 March (Biomedical Sciences); 15 March to 1 June for other programmes
Applications open 15 October. EEA applicants have later deadlines, typically 1 July to 15 August. Master Mind Scholarship: 15 March.
The medical entrance exam dates are for 2027. The starttoets dates shown are from the 2026 cycle; 2027 dates are published in spring 2027. English master's deadlines are recurring annual dates listed on the application page.
How to apply
Students with a Flemish diploma or Dutch VWO enrol directly online. Holders of other diplomas first submit an admission request, prove Dutch at B2, and register for any required starttoets or, for Medicine, the Flemish medical entrance exam via toelatingsexamensvlaanderen.be. English-taught master's applications open on 15 October each year through UHasselt's application portal, with a CV, motivation letter, verified higher education diplomas and English certificate.
What admissions looks for
- A secondary school diploma recognised as equivalent to a Flemish one.
- Enough Dutch (B2) to follow a Dutch-taught bachelor's programme.
- For Medicine, a pass in the Flemish medical entrance exam, which tests science knowledge and generic competences.
- For science and engineering programmes, participation in the compulsory starttoets, which is meant to show you how well prepared you are rather than to select you.
Tips for applying to UHasselt
- 1 If you don't speak Dutch, look at UHasselt's English master's programmes rather than its bachelor's degrees.
- 2 Book the AUHL Dutch test early: it runs twice a year and you can only sit it once between May and September.
- 3 For Medicine, register for the Flemish entrance exam between 1 March and 17 May 2027 (exam on 2 July 2027) and consider UHasselt's coaching sessions.
- 4 Non-EEA master's applicants face earlier deadlines (from 1 March) to leave time for visas; apply by 1 February if you also want the Master Mind Scholarship.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Flemish study grants lower the fee to 139.40 euros for eligible students. Higher non-EEA fees apply to the English-taught master's (3,900 euros for Management, Interior Architecture and Transportation Sciences; 9,493.80 euros for Energy Engineering Technology), and the Flemish Master Mind Scholarship reduces tuition to 139.40 euros. UHasselt also refunds part of transport costs for students who commute sustainably.
- 360 euros a month (studio 480 euros)
- Average student room in Hasselt, Diepenbeek or Genk
- 139.40 euros a year
- Grant-rate tuition
- About 40 euros a month
- Health insurance for non-EEA students
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
Master of Statistics and Data Science
English-taught tUL programme with Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, Epidemiology and Data Science tracks, on campus or by distance learning.
Master of Transportation Sciences
English-taught, with Traffic Safety and Transport Policy and Planning tracks and a distance-learning version.
Medicine (Geneeskunde)
Dutch-taught; entry through the Flemish medical entrance exam, with UHasselt coaching sessions to prepare.
Biomedical Sciences
Offered at bachelor's level in Dutch and as an English master's with Bioelectronics and Nanotechnology, Environmental Health and Molecular Mechanisms tracks.
Interior Architecture (Adaptive Reuse)
An English master's focused on reusing existing buildings, fitting for a university based in a converted prison.
Research
- Four research institutes, three research centres and three doctoral schools (Behavioral Sciences and Humanities, Health and Life Sciences, Sciences and Technology).
- UHasselt was the first Flemish university to receive the European Commission's HR Excellence in Research label, in 2011.
- Since 2022 it has been part of the EURECA-PRO European University Alliance on responsible consumption and production.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Architecture and Arts
- Faculty of Business Economics
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences
- Faculty of Engineering Technology
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences
- Faculty of Sciences
- School of Transportation Sciences
- School of Social Sciences
- School of Educational Studies
Student life
Student life is split between the green Diepenbeek campus, where most bachelor's programmes are based, and the Hasselt city-centre campus around the Old Prison, the Law Faculty building and the former Witte Kazerne barracks. Most students rent a 'kot' (student room) in Hasselt, Diepenbeek or Genk, averaging 360 euros a month. The university encourages cycling and public transport with discounts and refunds, and runs student restaurants with discounted meals. Each year on 28 May, Foundation Day marks the university's founding with honorary doctorates.
- The Old Prison in Hasselt is the university's main seat and the place where new students register.
- Two campuses: city-centre Hasselt and green Diepenbeek.
- Refunds and discounts for students who commute sustainably.
- Foundation Day on 28 May with honorary doctorates.
Housing. Students rent private student rooms; the average room in Hasselt, Diepenbeek or Genk costs 360 euros a month (studio 480 euros), and UHasselt's housing service helps with the search.
Location
Hasselt is the capital and largest city of the province of Limburg in Flanders, within the Meuse-Rhine Euroregion that links Belgian, Dutch and German border regions; Maastricht University is its partner in the Transnational University Limburg. The university's city campus is in the centre of Hasselt, and the Diepenbeek campus is surrounded by green countryside. The area is affordable by Belgian standards, with student rooms averaging 360 euros a month.
Notable alumni
- PS Paul StoffelsPhysician and pharmaceutical executive; studied medicine at Hasselt (then LUC) before completing it at the University of Antwerp
- MV Marc Van RanstVirologist and public health physician; BA in medicine at LUC (1986)
- RL Ronnie LetenBusinessman, chairman of Ericsson and Epiroc; master's in business administration (1979)
- VR Veronika RočkováBayesian statistician; master's in biostatistics from Hasselt University (2009)
- HM Hasan MahmudBangladeshi politician and former foreign minister; PhD in environmental chemistry from the Transnational University Limburg (2001)
- MG Mieke GorissenOlympic marathon runner (Tokyo 2020); master's and PhD in physics from Hasselt University
- SW Sylvia WenmackersPhilosopher of science at KU Leuven; bachelor's in physics and PhD in materials science from Hasselt
Frequently asked questions
Does Hasselt University offer bachelor's degrees in English?
No. All 18 bachelor's programmes are taught in Dutch, and international applicants must prove Dutch at B2 level. English is used in six master's programmes.
How much is tuition at Hasselt University?
For 2026-27, Belgian and EEA students pay 1,181.40 euros for a 60-credit year (2,699.40 euros for non-Belgians in programmes run with Maastricht). UHasselt publishes no separate non-EEA bachelor's rate; non-EEA students in English master's pay 3,900 euros, or 9,493.80 euros for Energy Engineering Technology.
What is the difference between EEA and non-EEA fees at UHasselt?
EEA students pay the same 1,181.40 euro rate as Belgians. The higher non-EEA rates (3,900 to 9,493.80 euros a year) apply to the English-taught master's, unless the student holds a Master Mind Scholarship.
Do you need an entrance exam to study medicine at Hasselt?
Yes. You must pass the Flemish medical entrance exam; for 2027, registration runs from 1 March to 17 May and the exam is on 2 July.
When are the application deadlines for English master's programmes?
Applications open on 15 October. Non-EEA deadlines run from 1 March (Biomedical Sciences) to 1 June, and EEA deadlines are mostly 1 July to 15 August.
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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