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.
Leaving Belgium during your studies
You can leave Belgium temporarily while you are studying here, as long as you keep your Belgian student residence status valid.
If you will be leaving Belgium for more than 3 months, you must report your temporary absence to your municipality before you leave. They will give you Annex 18 (attestation of departure). This protects your right to return and helps you avoid being removed from the register. When you come back, report your return to your municipality.
Doing a mobility semester in another EU country
You may be able to use the notification procedure (“kennisgevingsprocedure”, EU Directive 2016/801) for a study period in another EU Member State if your LUCA programme includes inter-European mobility as part of the programme, such as:
-
a Union or multilateral programme with built-in mobility measures, or
-
a formal mobility agreement between LUCA and the host higher education institution.
Under this procedure, your study stay in the host Member State can be for up to 360 days.
For a mobility semester in another EU country, the host institution in that country submits the required mobility notification to its immigration authorities. LUCA's International Office will provide the necessary confirmation documents and support you in coordinating this process.
If your programme does not include eligible inter-European mobility, you cannot use this procedure. You will need to follow the host country’s standard student visa or residence process.