How to apply for a Bachelor’s programme

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Diploma Requirements

If you apply for a Bachelor's at LUCA based on a secondary-school diploma obtained outside Flanders, LUCA School of Arts may grant admission if the diploma grants access to similar university studies in one’s home country.

• Students with a diploma obtained in a country that signed the Lisbon Recognition Convention are eligible for admission if the obtained diploma provides access to higher education in the country in question.
• Students with a diploma obtained in a country that did not sign the Lisbon Recognition Convention can be admitted if the obtained diploma provides access to equivalent higher education in the country in question.

Language requirements

All applicants must demonstrate Dutch proficiency at minimum CEFR level B2. You can do this either through a diploma/proof of studies or through an accepted language test.

Through your diploma or proof of studies

You do not need to take a Dutch language test if you can present one of the following:

• A diploma of secondary or higher education obtained within the Flemish education system (Belgium), or

• A diploma of secondary or higher education obtained within the Dutch education system (the Netherlands), or

• Proof that you have successfully completed one full school year of Dutch-taught secondary education within the Flemish or Dutch education system, or

• Proof that you have obtained at least 54 ECTS credits in higher education within the Flemish or Dutch education system, with Dutch as the language of instruction, or

• An International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma with Dutch as Language A (HL), or

• A European Baccalaureate (EB) diploma with Dutch as L1.

Through a Dutch language test

If you do not hold any of the diplomas/proofs listed above, you must submit one of the following language certificates (taken within 5 years before the start of your studies):

Only the tests listed above are accepted.

Residence Requirements

International students must meet the rules for legal entry into Belgium and for obtaining the correct residence status while studying at LUCA. Your obligations depend on your nationality.

EEA and Swiss nationals

Citizens of the European Economic Area (EU + Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco) and Swiss nationals do not need a visa to enter Belgium.
A valid international passport or EU national identity card is sufficient.

After arrival in Belgium, EEA/Swiss students must register at the town or city hall of their place of residence. During this registration, you must confirm that you have sufficient financial means to support yourself.
A blocked account is not required; in most cases, a declaration of sufficient means is accepted.

More information:
https://dofi.ibz.be/en/themes/citizens-european-union/right-entry-and-residence/right-entry-and-residence-belgium-eu-2

Non-EEA nationals (including UK)

If you do not hold the nationality of an EEA country or Switzerland, you must apply for a long-stay visa (Type D) before travelling to Belgium.
Do not enter Belgium on a tourist visa if you intend to study at LUCA.

You must apply for the visa through the Belgian embassy or consulate in your country of residence.
Find your embassy’s contact details here: https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en/embassies-and-consulates

The procedure typically takes 6–8 weeks, so start early.

Chinese students may also need an APS certificate issued by DAAD Beijing. If you are a Chinese applicant you should start your application and visa procedure even earlier, and you must consult the detailed APS instructions on webpage FAQ APS CERTIFICATE | LUCA.

Documents for your visa application

Accepted non-EEA students will receive:

• an official letter of acceptance, and

• a standard form required for the visa procedure.

You will also need to demonstrate financial solvency. LUCA offers a blocked account system: you transfer a required amount to a LUCA bank account, and after you arrive and enrol, LUCA pays out one twelfth (1/12) of that amount each month to cover living costs. More details about this procedure can be found here: Blocked Account | LUCA

Official information about residency requirements for Non-EEA students can be found on the website of the Belgian Immigration Office: https://dofi.ibz.be/en/themes/third-country-nationals/study

All non-EEA students must apply for a Belgian residence permit after arrival and complete the local registration process at their town or city hall.

Learning Account

When you start higher education in Flanders, you receive a learning account of 140 credits, a virtual backpack that tracks your progress.

• Credits are deducted when you enrol.

• Passed credits are added back.

• Failed or tolerated credits are not returned.

A low balance may affect future enrolment or tuition fees.
Most international students receive the full 140 credits when they first enrol.

More info (in Dutch): Flemish Government – Leerkrediet
Need advice? Contact LUCA’s Learning Path Counsellors

ENROLMENT OR REGISTRATION

Refusal due to academic progress provisions, late enrolment or participation in a late Artistic Aptitude Test?

In that case an admission for exceptional registration has to be requested to the Vice Dean of Education. Therefore you must use the following form: Admission Exceptional Registration. 

The Vice Dean will assess your motivation after it has been checked by the education administration. The approval or disapproval of your request will be sent by e-mail. 

Any other questions?

When in doubt about your registration, please contact inschrijvingen@luca-arts.be
(Please mention the campus in which you're interested in the title).

Admissions Application & Deadlines

The LUCA Admissions department will screen your Admissions application in order to decide whether or not you meet the diploma and language requirements to start the chosen bachelor programme. All applicants must submit an online Admissions application using the online registration tool (see above). The following documents are mandatory to be submitted as attachments to your application:

• Certified diploma / degree certificates of your secondary school issued in the national language and mandatory translation of the diploma in case the original diploma is not yet issued in English, French, German or Dutch.
• Certified transcripts of records with grades issued in the national language and mandatory translation of the diploma in case the original transcripts were not yet issued in English, French, German or Dutch
• Proof of Dutch language proficiency
• Copy of your ID card or passport.
• APS certificate (Only for mainland Chinese citizens. Not required at application stage.). More information below:

APS- requirement: All mainland Chinese citizens who are not in the possession of a foreign degree, or have not completed any courses at a university in another country than China, need to go through the APS procedure to obtain the APS certificate in order to apply for a student visa for Belgium. These students cannot get a Belgian student visa without this certificate. Certain categories of students don’t need to go through the APS procedure. We do not require the APS certificate at the time of application. Students should wait for a positive outcome on their application at LUCA School of Arts and only then start the APS procedure. Contact admissions@luca-arts.be for further information.

APPLICATION DEADLINES

• Non-EEA-students, especially those who are not holding a valid residence permit for Belgium/Schengen countries: March 1
• Non-EEA-students with or without a valid residence permit for Belgium/Schengen countries and EEA-students: May 1
• EEA-students, Belgian students with international diplomas, students with a diploma from the French Community and only non-EEA-students with a valid residence permit for Belgium/Schengen countries:  September 1 (*)

(*): note to applicants for Music and Drama: applicants who wish the use the last intake deadline of September to apply for Music or Drama are strongly recommended to complete their application before mid-August as the Artistic Aptitude Tests (bachelor level entry) or Master Assessments (master level entry) for these programmes are exceptionally organized in the course of August.

Artistic Aptitude Test

Would you like to start a professional bachelor in Visual Design or Audiovisual Techniques: Film-TV-Video? Or an acadamic bachelor in Audiovisual Arts, Visual Arts, Product Design, Music or Drama? In that case you will need to pass the Artistic Aptitude Test. 

The Artistic Aptitude Test in general screens your artistic competence and motivation on the basis of several assignments and a motivation interview. Based on the assignments (which you prepare beforehand or on the day itself), the education teachers review your artistic vision, cultural baggage, creativity and knowledge. Through the motivation interview they want to know how motivated and driven you are. Both are very important to make you feel at home in the education programme and succeed. Please find in the table below all details per education programme. 

After having completed your Admissions application you will receive a confirmation mail including the registration link for the Artistic Aptitude Test. Use this link to register for the Artistic Aptitude Test of the chosen education programme. Please note that the following professional bachelor programmes do not organise an Artistic Aptitude Test: Audiovisual Techniques: Photography, Construction Technology and Interior Design.

REGISTRATION

• Registration for the Artistic Aptitude Test is obligatory and is only possible after submitting an Admissions application using this registration form. Only after submitting your Admissions application, a unique link will be received to register for the Artistic Aptitude Test.
• The content and programme of the Artistic Aptitude Test will be sent by confirmation e-mail after registration (and can be found in the table below as well).
• The Artistic Aptitude Test is free of charge.
• The Artistic Aptitude Test results are valid for registration in academic year 2023-2024, but also for registration in academic year 2024-2025.

OVERVIEW ARTISTIC APTITUDE TESTS

The table and links below provide you an overview of all Artistic Aptitude Tests and important information per campus. 

Final & Binding Registration

After succeeding for the Artistic Aptitude Test, you will receive a Certificate of Admittance (official result) and instructions on how to complete your registration/enrolment at our School of Arts.

Did you succeed for an Artistic Aptitude Test before and do you want to enrol at LUCA now? Please contact inschrijvingen@luca-arts.be to request the online registration link. 

For programmes without an Artistic Aptitude Test you will receive a Certificate of Admittance and instructions on how to complete your registration/enrolment at our School of Arts once our Admissions Office has approved that you comply with the diploma, language and learning account requirements.

Students who do not comply with the language requirements but who were successful in passing the Artistic Aptitude Test or the Programme Asessment (motivational questions) receive a conditional admission letter. With this conditional admission letter, you can register at the ILT language centre at the University of Leuven (LUCA is member of the university association of KU Leuven) or any other university language center. More information on language preparation and language preparatory year can be found here.

Registration

Online registration is the easiest way to get registered. However, if you are required to do so by the Admissions/Administration department it may be necessary to take a physical appointment and present yourself to register on campus.

In case of online registration you will receive a link to the final and binding online registration tool (OLI).

You will need to upload the following documents in the OLI tool:

• Certificate of Admittance
• Your Identity Card or your Passport
• Your Belgian student visa type D (for non-EEA students who require a visa for traveling to Belgium)
• Your original diploma/transcripts

TUITION FEES AND ADDITIONAL COSTS

TUITION FEES

ADDITIONAL COSTS

CLICK HERE for all information regarding tuition fees and Master mind scholarship.