Incoming students coming from non-EU countries have more preparatory issues to deal with than EU students. HOGENT strongly advises these students to start preparing their mobility 1 year ahead.
Incoming students need to have an official student visa and apply for a residence permit upon arrival, in accordance with national laws. It is the responsibility of each student to obtain the student visa in a timely manner.
Please consult the website of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation to check the visa requirements or consult the Belgian consulate or embassy in your country of origin if you are a non-EEA student.
Do I need to register for a residence permit card?
Every person without the Belgian nationality who is coming to Belgium in order to study, must have a student residence permit. EU-nationals and nationals from a country belonging to the European Economic Area benefit from more lenient residence regulations.
You can find all the necessary information at this website or contact:
Foreign Affairs Office (“Dienst Burgerzaken/Loket Migratie”)
Woodrow Wilsonplein 1
9000 Gent
Tel. +32 9 266 71 50
internationalstudent@stad.gent.
What to do before your
departure from Belgium?
A foreign student who is temporarily or definitively leaving Belgium, usually should report this to the municipality prior to his departure.
Registration at the city of Ghent
All foreign students staying in Ghent have to report to the Foreigners Registration Office of the city as soon as possible after arrival, either via the eform or in person. For more information, please consult the Ghent city website.
How to renew
your residence card?
If you need to renew your registration at the city, you can fill out the city's eform. If you have any questions about the eform, please contact internationalstudent@stad.gent or call +32 9 266 71 50.
If you have any questions about the options for staying in Ghent, please contact infopuntmigratie@stad.gent or call +32 9 266 71 40.