University of Liège
Université de Liège
Wallonia's broad French-speaking public university, with low regulated fees, 11 faculties and a forest campus.
- Students
- 29,972
- International
- 24%
- of students
- Tuition
- €5,369
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1817
About ULiège
The University of Liège was founded in 1817 and is a public university of Belgium's French-speaking Wallonia-Brussels Federation, based in eastern Belgium. It has 29,972 students (2025–26), 24% of them foreign nationals from 140 countries, spread over three cities and four campuses: the wooded Sart Tilman campus and the city centre in Liège, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, and the Arlon environment campus.
Its 11 faculties cover almost every field, from Philosophy and Letters, Law and HEC Liège business school to Applied Sciences (engineering), Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Architecture and agronomy at Gembloux. Bachelor's teaching is almost entirely in French, while 73 of its 174 master's programmes are taught fully in English. Research is strongly applied: the university counts 111 active spin-offs, 1,565 patents granted and 16 ERC-funded projects, and it works alongside the university hospital (CHU de Liège).
Fees are set by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation and are low for EU students, but since 2025–26 most non-EU students pay an extra 4,175 euros a year. Admission to most bachelor's programmes is by file, with a fixed March deadline for non-EU applicants, while medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and some health programmes are restricted by entrance exams, quotas or lotteries. Liège suits French-speaking students who want a broad, affordable European university in a lively, student-heavy city.
Scientia Optimum
“Excellence through science” — university motto
Why students choose ULiège
Low regulated fees: EUR 1,194 a year for a full-fee bachelor's student, or EUR 5,369 for most non-EU students including the new supplement.
Eleven faculties across four campuses, including rarer options such as Veterinary Medicine, Architecture and Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech.
73 master's programmes are taught fully in English, so a French-taught bachelor's can lead into an English-taught master's.
84% of master's graduates find their first job within six months of starting to look (PostMaster survey).
Admissions
2027–28 academic year
Selectivity
No overall admission rate is published. Most bachelor's programmes admit applicants who hold a recognised diploma (with Belgian equivalence) and meet faculty minimum grades. Restricted programmes use national procedures: medicine and dentistry require passing the Wallonia-Brussels Federation entrance exam (non-residents capped at 15% of successful candidates), and veterinary medicine, physiotherapy and speech therapy use quotas and lotteries for non-residents. Civil engineering has its own entrance exam.
Typical entry requirements
| Foreign secondary school diploma | Equivalence to the Belgian CESS from the Wallonia-Brussels Federation (or a pass in the higher-education admission exam), submitted by the application deadline; EB and IB holders are exempt from equivalence for medicine and dentistry |
|---|---|
| Non-EU applicants, e.g. Social Sciences | Overall average of 13/20, with 12/20 in French, mathematics, history and languages |
| Non-EU applicants, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech | Overall average of 13/20, with 12/20 in mathematics, physics, chemistry and natural sciences |
| Language | B2 in the language of instruction (French, or English where relevant), e.g. DELF, DALF, TCF or TEF for French; stricter levels may be set by faculties |
| English language | Bachelor's programmes are taught in French, so B2 French is the key requirement (DELF, DALF, TEF or TCF). For English-taught programmes, B2 English via TOEFL iBT, IELTS, Cambridge FCE (160+) or CAE (180+); tests must be under two years old and include a photo. Native speakers and nationals of countries where the language is official are exempt. |
Deadlines
- Non-EU applicants (bachelor's) Non-binding Passed18 February – 31 March 2026 (for 2026–27)
All documents must reach the university before 1 April; decisions before 30 June. Does not apply to quota programmes (medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, physiotherapy, speech therapy).
- Medicine and dentistry entrance exam registration Non-binding Passed18 May – 5 July 2026; exam on 27 August 2026
Via mesetudes.be/concoursmd. Holders of foreign diplomas (other than EB or IB) must request CESS equivalence before 15 July 2026.
- EU applicants with an EU diploma Non-binding PassedFrom mid-February to 31 August (2026 cycle)
Applicants whose diploma gives automatic access (e.g. baccalauréat with CESS equivalence) have until 30 September.
Dates shown are from the 2026–27 cycle, the latest published; the 2027–28 dates have not yet been announced but the calendar is set annually (non-EU files from mid-February to 31 March). Only one application per academic year is allowed for non-EU applicants.
How to apply
Apply through ULiège's online form. Non-EU applicants submit one file for one programme only, apply themselves (files involving intermediaries are refused), pay a EUR 200 processing fee (deducted from fees if admitted), upload the CESS equivalence, language proof and a financing plan showing EUR 10,000 plus fees. EU applicants fill in the form from mid-February and upload documents by 31 August, or by 30 September if their diploma gives automatic access. Medicine and dentistry candidates first register for the entrance exam on mesetudes.be.
What admissions looks for
- A secondary diploma recognised as equivalent to the Belgian CESS by the deadline.
- Minimum grades set by each faculty, typically 13/20 overall with 12/20 in subjects relevant to the programme for non-EU applicants.
- B2 proficiency in the language of instruction.
- Proof of sufficient funds (EUR 10,000 plus registration fees) for non-EU applicants, and an application made personally, not through an agent.
Tips for applying to ULiège
- 1 Start the CESS equivalence request early: without it by 31 March, a non-EU application is not considered.
- 2 Choose carefully: non-EU applicants can submit only one file for one programme per year.
- 3 Apply yourself: ULiège refuses files submitted through intermediaries and warns about fraudulent agents and fake financial guarantors.
- 4 For medicine or dentistry, register for the August entrance exam by early July and remember non-residents are capped at 15% of successful candidates.
- 5 Check whether your nationality is exempt from the EUR 4,175 non-EU supplement; the ARES circular lists exempt countries.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Belgian and eligible students can obtain reduced or zero fees through grants from the Wallonia-Brussels Federation's Directorate of Student Grants, and ULiège offers social and financial aid through its student services. Non-EU students on Wallonie-Bruxelles International grants, and nationals of countries listed in the ARES circular, are exempt from the EUR 4,175 supplement.
- EUR 1,194 per year
- Full registration fee
- EUR 4,175 per year
- Non-EU supplement (since 2025–26)
- EUR 200 (deducted from fees if admitted)
- Non-EU application processing fee
Academics
Medicine (bachelor's)
Access is through the Wallonia-Brussels Federation entrance exam, with non-resident places capped at 15% of successful candidates.
Veterinary Medicine (bachelor's)
A dedicated faculty; non-resident places are allocated by quota and lottery.
Civil Engineering (Faculty of Applied Sciences)
Admission goes through a specific entrance procedure; the Faculty of Applied Sciences sits within a university that reports 1,565 patents granted and 111 active spin-offs.
Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech programmes
A separate faculty and campus at Gembloux; non-EU applicants need 13/20 overall with 12/20 in mathematics, physics, chemistry and natural sciences.
HEC Liège business programmes
ULiège's management school, one of its 11 faculties.
Research
- 1,855 research contracts in 2025, 375 of them with international partners in 90 countries.
- 16 projects funded by the European Research Council and 130 EU framework programme projects.
- 1,565 patents granted, 743 technology transfers and 111 active spin-offs (cumulative, 2025).
- Alumnus Albert Claude, who earned his medical degree at Liège in 1928, shared the 1974 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Philosophy and Letters
- Faculty of Law, Political Science and Criminology
- Faculty of Sciences
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Applied Sciences
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
- Faculty of Psychology, Speech Therapy and Education
- HEC Liège – Management School
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech
- Faculty of Architecture
84% of graduates found their first job within six months of starting to look (ULiège PostMaster survey).
Student life
ULiège is spread between the historic city-centre buildings around Place du Vingt-Août and the large Sart Tilman campus in the woods south of Liège, which holds 69% of staff, plus smaller campuses in Gembloux and Arlon. Belgian student folklore is strong, with student associations, a university mascot and traditions such as the student cap (penne). Students find housing through university residences or the private market; ULiège's budget estimate assumes about EUR 4,000 a year for accommodation. About a quarter of students are foreign nationals.
- Sart Tilman campus in woodland outside the city, home to an open-air sculpture museum.
- Sports centres and cultural activities run by the university.
- Student associations and folklore, including the traditional penne student cap.
- 140 nationalities represented among students.
Housing. ULiège has housing information for Liège, Gembloux and Arlon but does not guarantee rooms; its student budget assumes about EUR 4,000 a year for accommodation.
Location
Liège is the capital of the province of Liège in Wallonia, set in the Meuse valley in eastern Belgium, about 33 km from Maastricht in the Netherlands and 53 km from Aachen in Germany. Everyday life and bachelor's teaching are in French. ULiège estimates a student budget of about EUR 10,000 a year, including roughly EUR 4,000 for accommodation, EUR 8 a day for meals and EUR 400 a year for transport.
Nearest airport: Liège Airport (LGG)
Notable alumni
- AC Albert ClaudeNobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1974 for cell biology; Doctor of Medicine from Liège, 1928
- JR Jean ReySecond President of the European Commission (1967–1970); law doctorate from Liège
- JP Joseph PlateauPhysicist known for early work on the illusion of moving images; doctorate in physical and mathematical sciences from Liège
- HT Haroun TazieffVolcanologist and geologist; geology degree from Liège (1944)
- JD Jacques DrèzeEconomist and first president of the European Economic Association (1986); studied economics at Liège
- AK Auguste KerckhoffsLinguist and cryptographer behind Kerckhoffs's principle; studied at Liège
- RL Rasheed LadojaGovernor of Oyo State, Nigeria (2003–2007) and later Olubadan of Ibadan; chemical engineering degree from Liège
Frequently asked questions
Is the University of Liège taught in English?
Bachelor's programmes are taught in French and require B2 French. At master's level, 73 of 174 programmes are taught fully in English.
How much does the University of Liège cost for international students?
EU students pay EUR 1,194 a year at full rate. Since 2025–26 most non-EU students pay an additional EUR 4,175, so EUR 5,369 a year, unless their nationality or grant exempts them.
When is the ULiège application deadline for non-EU students?
In the 2026 cycle non-EU applicants applied from 18 February to 31 March, with all documents in by 1 April. Quota programmes such as medicine follow separate procedures.
Is there an entrance exam for medicine at the University of Liège?
Yes. Medicine and dentistry require passing the Wallonia-Brussels Federation entrance exam, held on 27 August in 2026; non-residents may make up at most 15% of successful candidates.
What grades do I need for the University of Liège?
For non-EU applicants, faculties set minimums such as a 13/20 average with 12/20 in key subjects, and you need a CESS equivalence for your diploma.
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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