Increased tuition fee for a non-EEA student (non-European Economic Area)
| Total amount (60 ECTS) | Fixed component | Variable component | Additional study cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All programmes | € 9,823.92 | € 2,376.72 | € 118.62 per ECTS | € 330 |
The tuition fee consists of a fixed component (paid by every student upon enrolment) and a variable component (per registered ECTS). On top of this comes the additional study cost.
The increased tuition fee applies to non-EEA students at LUCA School of Arts who enrol from the 2026–2027 academic year onwards.
There are no exceptions for:
- Non-EEA students who obtained a degree in AY 2025–2026 and start a new programme at LUCA.
- Non-EEA students with an admission letter valid for two years but who only enrol in AY 2026–2027.
- Non-EEA students who deregistered in 2025–2026 or postponed enrolment to AY 2026–2027.
- Non-EEA students who resume their studies after an interruption of an academic year (or more) or after a withdrawal in 2025-2026.
EEA stands for the European Economic Area.
EEA countries:
Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Croatia, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Czech Republic and Sweden.
NON-EEA students therefore do not come from any of the above countries. This includes the United Kingdom and all countries outside Europe.
Switzerland is an exception: Swiss students are treated as equivalent to EEA students.
The increased tuition fees apply from the 2026–2027 academic year.
Re-enrolling students
Students who already started a programme may continue paying the old fee until they complete their degree.
| Total amount (60 ECTS) | Fixed component | Variable component | Additional study cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master of Music (re-enrolment) | € 8,421.60 | € 305.40 | € 129.77 per ECTS | € 330 |
| Re-enrolment all programmes | € 1,511.40 | € 305.40 | € 14.60 per ECTS | € 330 |
*Students continuing their Bachelor or Master programme, including bridging or preparatory programmes.
Equal treatment based on residence status
- Non-EEA students falling under residence categories listed in Article II.215 receive the same rights as Belgian nationals.
- Family members of EEA citizens include spouses, legal cohabitants and first-degree relatives.
- Students who applied for international protection are treated as Belgian nationals regarding tuition fees if they hold a valid registration certificate by 31 December.
- Swiss nationals are exempt from the increased tuition fee rate.
All LUCA students can submit a motivated request via ProForm to spread their tuition fee and additional study costs.
The instalment plan consists of four payments:
- Additional study cost
- Fixed component
- Half of the variable component
- The other half of the variable component
Important notes:
- Deadline for requesting a payment plan: 31 October
- Do not make any payments until you receive your payment plan via your LUCA email address.
The increased tuition fee is not the same as the blocked account.
The blocked account is a service for visa-required students, serving as proof of sufficient financial means.
Students transfer a set amount to a blocked bank account managed by LUCA, from which they receive monthly payments for living expenses.
The blocked account amount cannot be used to pay the tuition fee.
Procedure
You can deregister from LUCA School of Arts through this form .
Depending on your status, you should also deregister with the city office.
Refund of tuition
Upon deregistration, the fixed cost (€ 2,376.70) is always withheld. Depending on the deregistration date, a percentage of the per-ECTS fee is also withheld.
What about my blocked account amount?
- The administrative fee of €100 is always withheld.
- Students with right of residence must provide proof of deregistration with the city office.
- Students with a visa D must provide proof of a cancelled visa.
The increased tuition fee is a consequence of cuts in funding for non-EEA students by the Flemish Government.
Funding for new students from outside the EEA will be limited to 2% per higher education institution.
LUCA currently has around 6% non-EEA students. Reducing funding to 2% would result in a significant annual funding loss.
The Higher Education Codex allows institutions to determine tuition fees for non-EEA students.
A survey within the association shows that LUCA, like other KU Leuven association members, remains below €10,000.
Some universities of applied sciences charge lower fees, while others in Flanders charge between €17,000 and €25,000.