University of Namur
Université de Namur
A French-speaking Jesuit university of about 7,200 students on a compact campus in the centre of Wallonia's capital.
- Students
- 7,200
- International
- 17%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 20:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- €1,194
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1831
About UNamur
The University of Namur (UNamur) was founded by the Jesuits in 1831 as the Facultés universitaires Notre-Dame de la Paix, starting with two students and a single subject, philosophy. It took its current name in 2012 and today teaches more than 7,200 students of nearly 70 nationalities, with teaching in French. Student numbers grew from 466 in 1960 to 6,819 in 2019.
Teaching and research are organised in seven faculties (Law, Computer Science, Medicine, Philosophy and Letters, Sciences, Education and Training Sciences, and Economics, Management, Communication and Political Science) plus an interfaculty School of Modern Languages. Research runs through 11 interdisciplinary institutes, among them the Namur Digital Institute and the Institute of Life, Earth and Environment, and the university is part of the European UNIVERSEH alliance, which is focused on space.
Everything is within walking distance: the campus sits in the city centre below Namur's citadel, about five minutes from the train station. UNamur stresses first-year support and close coaching, which suits students who want a smaller, personal university rather than a big-city campus. Fees follow the Wallonia-Brussels Federation scale, so they are low for EU students and for non-EU students from listed countries.
Why students choose UNamur
EU students pay a regulated fee of 1,194 euros a year from 2026/27, reduced to 835 or 374 euros on income grounds and to zero for holders of a French Community study grant.
A compact city-centre campus five minutes' walk from Namur's multimodal station, with three university halls of residence and 185 university-managed student rooms.
Its Faculty of Law educated Koen Lenaerts, President of the Court of Justice of the EU, and OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann, who both took their first law degrees (candidature) at Namur.
Eleven research institutes, including the Namur Digital Institute (digital society, eHealth, big data) and the Institute of Life, Earth and Environment.
Admissions
2027-28 academic year entry
Selectivity
Most bachelor's programmes in the French Community of Belgium have no selection for Belgian and EU students beyond a recognised secondary diploma. Medicine requires passing the French Community entrance exam, and Veterinary Medicine limits non-resident students by lottery (47 places and 190 applications for 2026/27). Non-EU applicants are assessed by an admissions committee and must meet minimum grade and recent-diploma conditions.
Typical entry requirements
| Belgian CESS | Direct access to most bachelor's programmes; entrance exam for Medicine |
|---|---|
| Secondary diploma from outside Belgium | Must be recognised as equivalent by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation equivalence service; apply before 15 July (non-EU equivalence files carry a 200 euro fee) |
| Non-EU applicants (not treated as Belgian) | Diploma no older than three years; average of at least 13/20, or 14/20 for Economics, Management, Communication and Political Science and for Computer Science; French at B2 (TCF B2, DELF B2 or DALF C1-C2) for many programmes |
| English language | Bachelor's programmes are taught in French, so UNamur asks for French rather than English: TCF level B2, DELF B2 or DALF C1-C2 for many programmes, including all EMCP bachelor's degrees, computer science, veterinary medicine and most science bachelor's degrees. |
Deadlines
- Applicants needing a student visa Non-binding Next deadline · In ~6 months31 March 2027
Registration opens in January. Complete application required by this date.
- Diploma equivalence (non-Belgian diplomas) Non-binding In ~9 months15 July 2027
Submit the equivalence request to the Wallonia-Brussels Federation before this date.
- Non-EU applicants not needing a visa Non-binding In ~11 months31 August 2027
- EU applicants Non-binding In ~12 months30 September 2027
Also the deadline for Medicine applicants who passed the entrance exam to enrol.
UNamur publishes these as fixed annual deadlines (registration opens each January). Veterinary Medicine non-resident applications closed on 27 August in 2026, and the Medicine entrance exam schedule for 2027 is set by the French Community; check the 2027 dates when they are published.
How to apply
Register online through UNamur's registration platform. Applicants with a non-Belgian school diploma first apply for diploma equivalence with the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. Non-EU applicants pay a 200 euro application processing fee and their file is reviewed by the faculty's admissions committee; only one application to one institution in the French Community is legally allowed. Medicine applicants must also pass the entrance exam, and non-resident Veterinary Medicine applicants enter a lottery.
What admissions looks for
- A secondary diploma recognised as equivalent to the Belgian CESS.
- For non-EU applicants, a recent diploma (within three years) with at least 13/20, or 14/20 for EMCP and computer science.
- French at B2 level or above for programmes that require it.
- For Medicine, a pass in the French Community entrance exam.
Tips for applying to UNamur
- 1 Only one application to one French Community institution is allowed for non-EU applicants and for limited-enrolment programmes; applying to several can get all of them rejected.
- 2 If you need a visa, have your complete file in by 31 March, and start the diploma equivalence request early.
- 3 Check whether your country is on the ARES annex lists: if so, non-EU fees are 1,194 euros instead of 5,369 euros.
- 4 For Veterinary Medicine as a non-resident, places are allocated by lottery (47 places for 2026/27), so have a backup programme.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Students at French Community institutions can apply for a study grant from the Directorate of Study Grants (DAE), which reduces tuition to zero, and UNamur's Student Social Services Office offers help with fees, payment spreading loans and UNamur scholarships. Non-EU students from UN-defined least developed countries are exempt from the extra non-EU contribution, and UNamur's International Student Commission can cover it fully or partly.
- 835 euros instead of 1,194 euros
- EU fee reduction, intermediate income
- 374 euros
- EU fee reduction, low income
- SNCB student pass or TEC bus pass, 12 euros a year
- Transport pass for under-25s
Academics
Bachelor in Computer Science
Taught by UNamur's dedicated Faculty of Computer Science, in daytime or staggered evening schedules; non-EU applicants need 14/20 and French B2.
Bachelor in Law
The first law degree for alumni such as CJEU President Koen Lenaerts and OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann.
Bachelor in Medicine
Entry through the French Community medical entrance exam, with separate procedures for resident and non-resident students.
Bachelor in Veterinary Medicine
Non-resident places are capped at 20% of the previous intake (47 for 2026/27) and allocated by lottery.
Economics and Management bachelor's (EMCP)
Offered in full-time and staggered-hours formats; non-EU applicants need at least 14/20 and French B2.
Research
- Eleven interdisciplinary research institutes, including the Namur Digital Institute (NADI), the Institute of Life, Earth and Environment (ILEE) and the Development Finance and Public Policies institute (DeFiPP).
- UNamur is a member of the European UNIVERSEH alliance, reflecting its expertise in the space field.
- The Faculty of Sciences contributes to 9 of the 11 research institutes and runs 9 technology platforms, and its research extends to commercial products through spin-off companies.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Computer Science
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Philosophy and Letters
- Faculty of Sciences
- Faculty of Education and Training Sciences
- Faculty of Economics, Management, Communication and Political Science (EMCP)
- School of Modern Languages (interfaculty)
Student life
UNamur's campus is woven into the old town at the foot of the citadel, close to the Sambre-Meuse confluence. The university runs three halls of residence (one for men, one for women, one mixed, Le Carmel) and about 185 rooms in traditional and project-based student houses (kots), and the city has plenty of private rooms. Students eat at the university restaurant in the historic Arsenal building. Student life runs through the General Meeting of Students (AGE), cultural and sports activities, a strong student folklore tradition and FUCID, the university's development NGO.
- The historic Arsenal building on campus houses the discounted university restaurant.
- Project-based student dorms (kots-à-projet) let groups of students live together around a shared project.
- FUCID, the university's NGO, runs immersion trips and international projects.
- Students under 25 can get a year of train or bus travel for 12 euros.
Housing. UNamur manages three halls of residence and 185 student rooms, with campus apartments from 340 euros a month on 10-month leases including utilities.
Location
Namur is the capital of Wallonia, a historic city on the Meuse and Sambre rivers crowned by a large citadel. UNamur describes a calm atmosphere conducive to study with the amenities of a city (cinema, theatre, museums) and recent projects such as the cable car up to the citadel. The campus is a five-minute walk from the multimodal station.
Nearest airport: Brussels South Charleroi Airport (CRL)
Notable alumni
- MC Mathias CormannSecretary-General of the OECD and former Australian Finance Minister; candidate in law at Namur
- KL Koen LenaertsPresident of the Court of Justice of the European Union; candidate in law at Namur (1974)
- JD Jean-Luc DehaenePrime Minister of Belgium; studied at Namur and KU Leuven
- PJ Paul JanssenFounder of Janssen Pharmaceutica; studied physics, biology and chemistry at Namur
- JV Jean-François van BoxmeerFormer CEO of Heineken; master's degree in economics from Namur (1984)
- PR Petra RudolfSolid-state physicist and former President of the European Physical Society; PhD from Namur (1995)
Frequently asked questions
How much are tuition fees at the University of Namur?
From 2026/27, EU and equivalent students pay 1,194 euros a year (835 or 374 euros with income-based reductions). Non-EU students pay 1,194 euros if their country is on the ARES annex lists and 5,369 euros otherwise.
Does the University of Namur teach in English?
Bachelor's programmes are taught in French, and many require proof of French at B2 level (TCF, DELF or DALF) from non-EU applicants.
What is the application deadline for UNamur?
31 March if you need a student visa, 31 August for non-EU applicants without a visa requirement, and 30 September for EU applicants. Registration opens in January.
Is there an entrance exam for medicine at UNamur?
Yes. You must pass the French Community of Belgium's medical entrance exam before enrolling in the bachelor's in medicine; in 2026 the session was on 27 August with registration from 18 May to 5 July.
Can international students study veterinary medicine at Namur?
Yes, but non-resident places are limited to 20% of the previous year's intake (47 for 2026/27) and allocated by lottery; 190 non-residents applied for 2026/27.
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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