KU Leuven
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Founded in 1425, Belgium's largest university turns a small Flemish city into one big campus at low tuition.
- Students
- 66,306
- International
- 27%
- of students
- Tuition
- €3,093
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1425
About KU Leuven
KU Leuven was founded in 1425 and celebrated its 600th anniversary in 2025, tracing its roots to the Old University of Leuven, the oldest university in the Low Countries. Today it is Belgium's largest university, with 66,306 students (17,738 of them international) and around 13,700 staff. Alongside its main campus in Leuven it has campuses across Flanders and in Brussels.
The university is organised into 15 faculties, and KU Leuven says each of them ranks in the global top 100 of its field. It is a research powerhouse in Europe: first among higher education institutions in the EU's Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions programme, with more than 180 spin-off companies. Its hospital, UZ Leuven, carries out more than 57,000 operations a year and is closely tied to teaching and research.
Leuven suits independent, self-motivated students who like the idea of a historic university town where students make up about half the population. Most Bachelor's programmes are taught in Dutch and are open to anyone with a qualifying secondary diploma, while a smaller set of Bachelor's and more than 100 programmes overall are taught in English. Tuition is low by international standards because Belgian higher education is publicly subsidised.
Sedes Sapientiae
“Seat of Wisdom” — university motto
Why students choose KU Leuven
Very low tuition for a top-50 THE university: 1,181.40 euro a year for EEA students on most Bachelor's in 2026-27.
Open access to most Bachelor's programmes for students with a qualifying secondary diploma, rather than competitive selection.
A true university town: almost 50,000 students in a city of about 100,000, according to KU Leuven.
English-taught Bachelor's options include Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies, Business Administration, Engineering Technology and European Studies.
Admissions
Entry in September 2027 (deadlines shown follow the 2026-27 application windows)
Selectivity
Holders of a Flemish secondary diploma (and Dutch VWO holders for most Bachelor's) can register directly; students with other diplomas go through an admissions assessment. Most Bachelor's are open-access rather than selective, but Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine in Flanders require taking the Flemish entrance exam and ranking within the fixed number of starting places. Joint programmes such as European Studies, Business Engineering and Laws with UCLouvain are assessed by the organising consortium.
Typical entry requirements
| Flemish secondary diploma | Grants direct access to Bachelor's programmes (Medicine and Dentistry require a favourable ranking in the Flemish entrance exam) |
|---|---|
| Dutch VWO | Register like a Flemish diploma holder for most Bachelor's; formal application for European Studies and the joint Bachelor's with UCLouvain |
| Other international diplomas | Online application assessed by the Admissions Office; programme-specific requirements |
| Language | Dutch-taught programmes require at least B2 Dutch (C1 for some); English-taught programmes require an approved English test unless your previous diploma was taught in English in Australia, English-speaking Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK or the US |
| English language | An approved English test is required unless your previous diploma was taught in English in Australia, English-speaking Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK or the US; accepted tests and scores are listed on KU Leuven's language requirements page. |
Deadlines
- Non-EEA applicants (most English-taught Bachelor's) Non-binding Next deadline · In ~5 months1 March 2027
Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies, Engineering Technology, Business Administration and Business Engineering (Brussels). Applications for 2026-27 opened on 9 October 2025.
- European Studies (BAES), all applicants Non-binding In ~6 months1 April 2027
Applications for 2026-27 opened on 1 December 2025.
- Flemish entrance exam for Medicine and Dentistry (registration) Non-binding In ~7 months17 May 2027
Registration runs 1 March to 17 May 2027; the exam is on 2 July 2027 (Medicine) and 3 July 2027 (Dentistry). Candidates who rank favourably can start the programme. Separate from KU Leuven's own application.
- EEA applicants (Philosophy, Theology, Engineering Technology) Non-binding In ~8 months1 June 2027
- EEA applicants (Business Administration, Business Engineering, Brussels) Non-binding In ~9 months1 July 2027
Bachelor of Laws (Brussels) accepts applications until the start of the academic year.
KU Leuven's application windows tool lists day-and-month deadlines for 2026-27; the 2027-28 windows had not yet been published, so years here assume the same dates for September 2027 entry. Applications submitted after the deadline are not evaluated.
How to apply
Non-Flemish diploma holders apply online through KU Leuven's application web app: create an account, choose programmes, upload documents, pay the 90 euro application fee per application and submit. Flemish diploma holders register directly.
What admissions looks for
- A secondary diploma that gives access to higher education and meets the programme's requirements.
- Sufficient language proficiency: B2 or C1 Dutch for Dutch-taught programmes, or an approved English test for English-taught programmes.
- A complete application with all required documents and the application fee paid.
- For Medicine and Dentistry, a result in the Flemish entrance exam that ranks you within the fixed number of starting places.
Tips for applying to KU Leuven
- 1 Non-EEA applicants should aim for the 1 March deadline; late applications are not evaluated.
- 2 Check whether your programme is Dutch- or English-taught before applying: most Bachelor's are in Dutch and need at least B2 Dutch.
- 3 If you hold a Dutch VWO diploma, you can register directly for most Bachelor's without an admissions application.
- 4 Budget for the 90 euro application fee per programme you apply to.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Fees are low because Belgian higher education is publicly subsidised. The fee is a fixed amount plus a per-credit charge, recalculated from mid-March on your actual credits. KU Leuven lists scholarships and tuition fee waivers for eligible students.
- 5,613.12 euro
- Non-EEA fee, Business Administration (2026-27)
- 5,369 euro
- Non-EEA fee, Business Engineering or Laws (Brussels, 2026-27)
- 8,500 euro
- Non-EEA fee, European Studies (2026-27)
- 90 euro per application
- Application fee
Academics
Bachelor of Philosophy (English)
An English-taught Bachelor's in Leuven, with EEA fees of 1,181.40 euro and a non-EEA deadline of 1 March.
Bachelor of Theology and Religious Studies (English)
An English-taught Bachelor's at one of the world's oldest Catholic universities, with the lowest non-EEA fee of KU Leuven's English Bachelor's.
Bachelor of Engineering Technology (English)
An English-taught engineering Bachelor's in Leuven.
Bachelor of European Studies (BAES)
A joint programme assessed by a consortium, open to EEA and non-EEA applicants until 1 April.
Medicine (Dutch-taught)
Linked to UZ Leuven, which performs more than 57,000 operations and 388 transplants a year; entry is via the Flemish entrance exam.
Research
- Ranked first among higher education institutions in the EU's Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions programme and seventh for ERC grants.
- More than 180 spin-off companies (186 on KU Leuven's facts page), and Reuters has ranked KU Leuven Europe's most innovative university in every edition since 2016.
- Libraries hold about 3.5 million physical items and more than 1.3 million digital items.
Student life
Leuven is a student city: KU Leuven says almost 50,000 students live in a city of about 100,000, and university buildings are spread through the centre next to cafes and student bars. Most students get around by bike. International students have their own centre, Pangaea, and the University Sports Centre is in Heverlee. The university even owns the Groot Begijnhof, a UNESCO World Heritage beguinage used as student housing. Students from over 140 countries study at KU Leuven.
- Pangaea, the international student centre, is a home base for students from over 140 countries.
- The Groot Begijnhof, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is owned by the university and used as a residence.
- The University Sports Centre in Heverlee includes the Univ-Fit gym.
- Leuven is a major rail hub, with Brussels, London, Paris, Cologne and Amsterdam reachable by train.
Location
Leuven is a compact, historic city in Flanders, a short train ride east of Brussels. It is built around the university, with a medieval centre, busy squares such as Ladeuzeplein, and strong rail links; KU Leuven notes that London, Paris, Cologne and Amsterdam are all around two hours away by train.
Nearest airport: Brussels Airport (BRU)
Notable alumni
- HV Herman Van RompuyFormer Prime Minister of Belgium and first full-time President of the European Council
- MC Mathias CormannSecretary-General of the OECD since 2021; former Australian Minister for Finance
- PB Paul BulckeBusinessman, former CEO of Nestlé
- KG Koen GeensFormer Belgian Minister of Justice
- RP Rudi PauwelsPharmacologist and co-founder of Tibotec and Virco
- PC Peter CarmelietPhysician and medical scientist
Frequently asked questions
What is KU Leuven's QS ranking for 2027?
KU Leuven is 59th in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and 46th in the THE World University Rankings 2026.
How much is tuition at KU Leuven?
In 2026-27 EEA students pay 1,181.40 euro a year for most Bachelor's. Non-EEA students on English-taught Bachelor's pay between 3,093.12 and 9,493.92 euro depending on the programme.
Is there an entrance exam for KU Leuven?
Most Bachelor's programmes are open to students with a qualifying secondary diploma. Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine in Flanders require the Flemish entrance exam, and only candidates who rank favourably within the fixed number of places can start; the 2027 Medicine exam is on 2 July 2027.
Does KU Leuven offer Bachelor's degrees in English?
Yes, a limited number, including Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies, Business Administration, Engineering Technology and European Studies. Most other Bachelor's are taught in Dutch.
When is the KU Leuven application deadline?
For non-EEA applicants to most English-taught Bachelor's it is 1 March; EEA applicants usually have until 1 June or 1 July, and European Studies closes on 1 April for everyone.
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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