Howest University of Applied Sciences

About Howest University of Applied Sciences

Howest is an operating public university of applied sciences in the Flemish Community of Belgium. EQAR records 1995 as its founding year in its current form and identifies its provision at short-, first- and second-cycle levels. Its programmes operate within the Flemish quality-assurance system, in which recognized degree provision is subject to institutional review and programme accreditation. The institution is distributed rather than concentrated on one residential campus. Its main administrative address is in Kortrijk, and official materials identify study locations in Kortrijk, Bruges and Oudenaarde. Students therefore need to evaluate the particular programme campus rather than treating “Howest” as a single location. Kortrijk hosts several specialized sites, including facilities at Kortrijk Weide, while Bruges has teaching locations near the railway station and elsewhere in the city. Howest’s educational identity is professionally and practically oriented. Its official materials connect teaching with applied research, projects, internships and collaboration with organizations. The 2026–2027 English-language brochure presents full degrees alongside exchange semesters, so applicants should distinguish qualifications leading to a Howest degree from semester-only mobility options and postgraduate certificates. International applicants can use a dedicated admissions route for English-taught degrees. Howest also provides welcome activities, student support and practical guidance about Belgian residence formalities, insurance and accommodation. Dutch remains important across the wider institution, while only designated programmes are delivered fully in English.

For English-taught degree programmes beginning in 2026–2027, Howest opened autumn applications on 1 January 2026. Published deadlines vary by nationality and immigration position: 1 May applies to applicants from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria and Pakistan; 1 June applies to non-EEA students requiring a visa; 1 July applies to EEA citizens and other applicants not requiring a visa; and 7 September applies to applicants already residing in Belgium. A separate 15 June deadline covers required payments and verified documents for relevant applicants. Programme capacity or country-specific application limits may lead Howest to stop accepting applications earlier. Bachelor’s applicants normally need a secondary-school qualification that permits entry to higher education in the country where it was awarded. Applications are assessed individually. Applicants to short-track, advanced-bachelor or postgraduate-certificate study need at least a bachelor’s degree and may face additional programme requirements. Documents not issued in Dutch, French, German or English require a sworn translation. The minimum language level for the English-taught route is CEFR B2, demonstrated through one of Howest’s accepted forms of evidence. The application file includes identity documents, academic records, language evidence and a motivation letter, with additional documentation required in some cases. The 2026–2027 process introduces online diploma verification where available. The non-refundable application processing fee is €50. Students requiring a Belgian visa must secure it before enrolment.

Howest awards professionally oriented qualifications rather than functioning as a doctorate-focused research university. Its official 2026–2027 English brochure lists bachelor’s and master’s provision, as well as an advanced bachelor and postgraduate certificates. The English-taught degree selection includes the Bachelor of Digital Arts and Entertainment, Bachelor of Creative Technologies and Artificial Intelligence, Bachelor of Cybersecurity, Bachelor of Digital Design and Development, Bachelor of Industrial Product Design, Advanced Bachelor of Bioinformatics and a professional master’s in Game Technology. Availability, campus and entry route differ by programme. The academic model is applied. Howest describes internships as an essential component of its training programmes, and its collaboration platform allows external organizations to propose internships, projects and bachelor’s-thesis work. This structure can suit students who want sustained contact with professional practice, although applicants should examine the curriculum of their intended degree rather than assume every programme uses the same project or placement format. International mobility is also integrated into the academic offer. Howest holds an Erasmus Charter for Higher Education for 2021–2027 and supports study and internship mobility. Its English brochure separately lists full degrees and English-taught exchange semesters; exchange options do not automatically constitute standalone degrees. Programme language requires careful attention. The institution offers designated degrees fully in English, but much of Howest’s overall portfolio is Dutch-taught. Applicants should verify the programme page, campus, credential, duration and any programme-specific prerequisites before applying. No independent doctoral-awarding authority was verified.

Key Highlights

• Public Flemish university of applied sciences operating in 2026–2027
• Current institutional form dates from 1995
• Degree teaching is distributed across Kortrijk, Bruges and Oudenaarde
• English-taught degrees coexist with a broader Dutch-language portfolio

Student Life & Environment

Student Services, known as STUVO, supports students across areas including psychological well-being, study coaching, financial and socio-legal guidance, disability-related adjustments, accommodation, mobility, sport and cultural activity. Support is available in both Kortrijk and Bruges, with appointment and welcome-hour arrangements published by the institution. Howest recognizes student organizations in both cities and provides them with advice and financial support. The published organizations cover general student activities as well as communities connected to particular fields such as electronics, industrial sciences and design. International students can also be matched with student buddies who help them become familiar with the campus, city and local student life. Housing is available through Howest residences and the private rental market, but it is not guaranteed. The institution advises students to begin searching as soon as their application is approved and explicitly states that it cannot provide emergency accommodation on arrival. For 2026–2027, its Kortrijk residences include Pixelkot, The House and Kaaikot. The official housing page reported these options as fully booked at the time it was accessed, with new applicants placed on waiting lists. Students should therefore check live availability and investigate licensed private rooms through Kotwest rather than relying on a residence place.

Location & Surroundings

Howest’s principal administrative base is in Kortrijk, a city in Belgium’s West Flanders province. Its Kortrijk teaching network includes Campus Buda and several Kortrijk Weide sites, including The Level, The Penta, The Core and the Industrial Design Center. Different programmes use different buildings, making the precise campus address an important part of programme selection and housing planning. The institution also teaches in Bruges. Officially listed locations include buildings by Bruges railway station and a sport-innovation campus in Assebroek. Its 2026–2027 materials additionally identify English-taught study opportunities in Oudenaarde. Students should not assume that they can take every Howest programme in Kortrijk simply because the database record names that city. Accommodation options reflect this multi-city structure. Howest manages residences in Kortrijk and Bruges and also directs students to the licensed private market. Several Kortrijk residences stand next to the Kortrijk Weide campuses, while the Bruges residence is integrated into the Bruges Station campus area. International students living in Kortrijk can use an assisted English-language city-registration procedure on campus during September; outside that period, registration is handled directly with city hall.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For 2026–2027, tuition for most English-taught bachelor’s programmes is calculated from a fixed charge plus a per-credit charge. The published total for a standard 60-ECTS year is €1,181.40 for Belgian and EEA students and €8,000 for non-EEA students who do not fall within an exempt category. The Advanced Bachelor of Bioinformatics has a separate 30-ECTS annual price: €743.40 for Belgian and EEA students and €4,000 for relevant non-EEA students. Postgraduate certificates use programme-specific prices. Howest also publishes additional study costs, so tuition should not be treated as the full cost of attendance. Housing is another substantial expense. For 2026–2027, Kortrijk residence prices range from €408 per month for a standard room at The House to €750 for the largest Kaaikot rooms; listed prices include water, electricity, gas and internet. Contracts are generally for 12 months, deposits are €500, and shorter Erasmus contracts can carry a monthly surcharge. Availability is limited, and private-market prices may differ. Career preparation is connected to Howest’s applied curriculum. The institution operates a career portal providing students with regional and international vacancies, information about professions and student-job opportunities. External organizations can also offer projects, internships and bachelor’s-thesis assignments through Howest. Internships form part of the institution’s professional approach, including supported opportunities abroad. No reliable institution-wide graduate salary, employment rate or employer-outcome figure was found, so applicants should seek programme-level outcome evidence directly from the relevant department.