Why choose KU Leuven?
“In a way, KU Leuven is a bit like Belgium itself. We are the underdog. It’s probably not the first country or university to come to mind, but once you take a closer look you’ll notice that we have so much going for us.” Not our words, but those of Herman Van Rompuy, former Belgian Prime Minister, former president of the European Council and alumnus of KU Leuven.
Want to find out more reasons why KU Leuven would be a great choice?
What sets us apart as a university?
A highly ranked university
KU Leuven is among the best 100 universities in the world according to both Times Higher Education World Rankings and QS World University Rankings. All of KU Leuven’s disciplines proudly belong to the top 100 of their field. Furthermore, KU Leuven was ranked by Reuters as most innovative university of Europe since 2016.
We value engagement
Would you like to actively contribute to society? Being a student is about far more than obtaining a degree or learning a discipline. KU Leuven values students and staff that want to be engaged and offers a wide range of options to make a difference for, together with and starting from people and groups in vulnerable situations. All of these can be validated in your personal I-portfolio.
Research-based education
Education at KU Leuven is research-based, which means students will learn from the same professors who are performing the ground-breaking research you read about in the press. New insights are instantly integrated into classes and students are encouraged to perform their own research. In our FabLab, students can use a number of high-tech machines to create whatever they want – all free of charge.
Affordable tuition fees
Higher education is highly valued in Belgium and therefor subsidised by the government. This allows KU Leuven to keep tuition fees relatively low, which gives you a price/quality ratio very few top-100 universities can match. We take pride in keeping our programmes as accessible as possible to allow the brightest students from around the globe to join our courses.
International student life with respect for diversity
According to Times Higher Education, KU Leuven is in the top 50 of most international universities worldwide with staff and students from over 150 different nationalities. For all our international students, the Pangaea student centre is their home away from home. Our university also strives for diversity and inclusion and wants to work together on a pact for more respect.
Promising career perspectives
Large international employers worldwide know our university and value the quality of students we deliver each year through our CareerGate platform. Our Student Career Centre helps students make the transition to the job market. They offer study internships, volunteer work, job fairs, help with writing your CV and much more. Non-European students studying abroad in Belgium will have one year to find work following the competition of their studies.
Innovative pioneer with world class research
Since 2016, KU Leuven has been recognized as Europe’s most innovative university. Our researchers collaborate with other leading research universities and with prestigious companies from the private sector, leading to an exceptional research output. Their work makes a tangible difference in so many ways, but we let the examples speak for themselves. Discover the Power of Wonder.
Individual support
Going abroad all by yourself may at first seem quite a challenge but at KU Leuven, you’re not on your own. We have a welcome desk at the Belgian national airport to help you get to your campus. Our student services can help you with practical matters like housing, transportation and study locations. For your mental and physical wellbeing, we have doctors, psychologists and mindmates available.
Located in the capital of Europe
Major international cities like London, Paris, Köln and Amsterdam are all less than 2 hours away by train. The nearby international airport connects you to the rest of the world. This means international students at KU Leuven have the luxury of not only being able to discover Belgium, but also a whole list of either neighbouring countries in the same amount of time. This is truly Europe at your doorstep.
Unique university city
Our main campus is situated in Leuven, a place characterized by its beautiful architecture. With almost 50.000 students in a city of 100.000 inhabitants, Leuven has a specific atmosphere that is quite unique in the world. The student dorms, study rooms and lecture halls are spread over and integrated in the city and can be next to a cosy little restaurant or a vibrant student bar. Our own students get inspired and even make their own impressions of the city.
Interdisciplinary courses & programmes
KU Leuven strongly believes in an interdisciplinary approach to education. Engaged students can also take part in an ‘Interdisciplinary Assessment Project’ (IAP) or a Project Innovation Project (PIP), courses where students from different programmes collaborate for several weeks in interdisciplinary teams. When it comes to PhD’s, full-fledged interdisciplinary PhD’s have become rule rather than exception.
Support in entrepreneurship
At KU Leuven, we support students with great ideas and believe that these ideas are just the first step towards solving the challenges of the future. KU Leuven KICK organises challenges, provides coaching and has a wide array of options to develop your skills as a future entrepreneur. In our Learning Garage, students are challenged to build a business case involving a specific technology.
State of the art facilities
In order to consolidate its position as most innovative university of Europe, KU Leuven continues to invest in its infrastructure. Our university libraries contain collections that are amongst the most extensive and important in Europe. Apart from our unique research facilities, KU Leuven also has a wide range of other facilities available for leisure and student relaxation.
Online education and blended learning
More than 220,000 students from all over the world have already taken one of our MOOC-courses. KU Leuven also has a dedicated Educational Development Unit staffed by trained professionals who focus on integrating new learning methods and helping professors to perfect teaching methods such as immersive learning, flipped classrooms and blended learning.