Hogeschool West-Vlaanderen

About Hogeschool West-Vlaanderen

Howest is the established short name of Hogeschool West-Vlaanderen, an independent public university college within the Flemish higher-education system. Its registered address is in Kortrijk, and its principal teaching locations are distributed across Kortrijk and Bruges. The institution was formed in its current configuration in 1995 when six higher-education institutions merged. It participates in the Ghent University Association alongside other institutions in the region. The educational model is that of a university of applied sciences: programmes are designed around professional competencies, projects, practical assignments, and connections with relevant industries and public services. This distinguishes Howest from a research-intensive Belgian university, although applied research can inform teaching and programme development. The official programme finder currently presents bachelor’s, associate degrees, advanced bachelor’s programmes, postgraduate certificates, microcredentials, exchange semesters, and master’s options. Prospective international students should examine the language and campus attached to each programme rather than treating Howest as uniformly English-medium. The main institutional catalogue includes many Dutch-taught programmes, while the 2026–2027 international offer identifies a smaller selection of full degrees and exchange opportunities in English. Campus location also varies by subject. NVAO’s positive institutional review for 2024–2030 provides current external confirmation that Howest remains an operating, recognized Flemish higher-education institution.

For English-taught degree programmes beginning in autumn 2026, applications opened on 1 January 2026. Howest publishes different 2026–2027 deadlines according to nationality and visa circumstances: 1 May applies to applicants from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, and Pakistan; 1 June applies to non-EEA applicants requiring a Belgian study visa; 1 July applies to EEA citizens and other applicants who do not require a visa; and 7 September applies to applicants already residing in Belgium. Separate payment and document-verification requirements apply, including a 15 June deadline for specified non-EEA financial and document steps. Postgraduate certificate deadlines differ. The application fee is €50 and is non-refundable. Howest states that applicants meeting the relevant diploma and language requirements are accepted, although some programmes may stop taking applications after reaching a country-specific application limit. Degree students enter at the start of the academic year; spring entry is not available because second-semester courses build on first-semester work. Published processing time is normally two to three weeks. Requirements are programme- and applicant-specific. Candidates should consult the application portal for the required prior diploma, evidence of language proficiency, identity and residence documents, and any programme conditions. Teacher-training applicants face an additional entry examination conducted in Dutch. Non-EEA candidates should begin early enough to complete visa, blocked-account, tuition-deposit, and document-verification procedures.

Howest’s academic portfolio is broad but professionally oriented. Its official study overview reports 29 bachelor’s and 14 associate-degree programmes, alongside postgraduate provision. Available fields include business and communication, computing and cybersecurity, creative technology and artificial intelligence, digital design, health, education, social work, tourism, and industrial or built-environment disciplines. The programme finder should be used to confirm the current campus, language, attendance mode, and credential for any particular course. The 2026–2027 international brochure identifies 15 full English-taught degrees or programmes and 25 English-taught bachelor-level semesters intended largely for exchange study. Examples of full bachelor’s provision presented in English include Digital Arts and Entertainment, Digital Design and Development, and Cybersecurity. These are structured as three-year, 180-ECTS programmes in the international brochure. Other English offerings can be a semester, postgraduate certificate, or advanced bachelor rather than a complete initial degree, so applicants should check the credential carefully. Master’s options require particular attention. The catalogue lists the European Master in Sustainable Energy System Management, which operates through an international higher-education consortium. The Master in Game Technology is hosted in cooperation with Breda University of Applied Sciences, and Howest explicitly states that Breda is the degree-issuing institution. Students interested in progression beyond a professional bachelor should therefore verify the awarding institution, admission route, teaching sites, and programme-specific prerequisites rather than assuming every master’s listing leads to a Howest-issued award.

Key Highlights

• Public Flemish university college operating under the legal name Hogeschool West-Vlaanderen
• Current institutional form dates from a 1995 merger of six higher-education institutions
• Principal study locations are in Kortrijk and Bruges
• Positive NVAO institutional review applies for 2024–2030

Student Life & Environment

Student life is organized across Kortrijk and Bruges rather than around one residential campus. Howest’s Student Services, known as STUVO, provides study coaching, psychological-wellbeing support, financial and socio-legal guidance, mobility advice, accommodation assistance, and support for students requesting a special status or reasonable adjustments. International arrivals can also take part in welcome activities and connect with Howest student buddies who help newcomers become familiar with the institution and city. Recognized student organizations operate in both cities and organize social, cultural, and sporting activities. Howest states that it supports these organizations with advice and allowances and applies the Flemish rules governing initiation and student activities. Recreational activities and discounted sports opportunities are promoted through the StudentApp. Housing is not automatically guaranteed. STUVO manages or advertises several residences in Kortrijk and Bruges and also directs students to Kotwest, a shared database of officially licensed private student rooms. Applicants should compare the relevant campus with the housing location and apply early. The official accommodation page provides 2026–2027 prices, lease lengths, deposits, and current availability or waiting-list information for each property.

Location & Surroundings

Howest’s registered base is at Marksesteenweg 58 in Kortrijk, but students may study in either Kortrijk or Bruges depending on their programme. Kortrijk locations include facilities in the Kortrijk Weide area, such as The Penta and The Level, while Bruges programmes include teaching at Campus Bruges Station. Applicants should use the individual programme page to identify the actual study site before choosing accommodation or planning a commute. Both cities have coordinated student initiatives beyond Howest itself. In Bruges, the city’s student network works with STUVO on events, collective study locations, accommodation information, transport advice, and leisure activities. Kortrijk also has student-focused events and services, and international students living there can begin part of the municipal registration process on campus. Howest provides mobility guidance covering bicycles, public transport, carpooling, and combined travel options. The multicampus structure offers different city settings, but it also makes programme-specific travel and housing research essential.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For 2026–2027, tuition for most English-taught bachelor’s programmes is calculated from a fixed charge plus a per-ECTS 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 the listed exemption categories. The Advanced Bachelor of Bioinformatics@home and postgraduate certificates have separate rates, while programme-specific materials, software, activities, or other study costs may be additional. Students should use the relevant programme page for a complete estimate. Howest estimates ordinary living costs at approximately €1,000–€1,100 per month, including accommodation, utilities, transport, insurance, books, and groceries. For a 2026–2027 Belgian student-visa application, the institution states that €13,200 must be demonstrated for 12 months of living expenses. Published Howest housing examples range from €408 per month for a room at The House in Kortrijk to €750 for the largest listed Kaaikot rooms; property terms, deposits, availability, and waiting lists vary. Private licensed rooms can be searched through Kotwest. Howest states that it does not offer merit-based or need-based scholarships. Its career portal connects students and alumni with regional, international, graduate, and student-job vacancies. Kortrijk also organizes an annual Jobhappening with Howest and other local higher-education institutions, giving students a direct setting in which to meet participating employers.