Fancy studying in Belgium? Finding accommodation in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation is easy

Depending on your status, the length of study stay and budget, you can choose from two types of accommodation in French-speaking Belgium: university residence or private accommodation. 

Find an accommodation in French-speaking Belgium

Very often, university residences offer students rooms of varying prices depending on the arrangement and comforts offered. By opting for this type of accommodation, you have your own room but you will need to share the kitchen, living room, bathroom and toilets with other students. Also called “kot”, this type of individual accommodation allows students from all countries and of all levels of study to meet and share their experiences. Of course you can also rent an individual room in a privately-owned shared flat.

On average, the price of a room in a university residence is €350 per month, including utilities (water, heating, electricity). Although the price will vary slightly from one higher education institution to another, one thing stays the same: the number of places is limited. We therefore recommend you get organised as quickly as possible and by the specific deadlines. Once you have been authorised to come study in French-speaking Belgium, contact the accommodation service of the university, university college or school of arts you have chosen.

Also called “KAP”, the kot-à-projet is accommodation reserved especially for students wanting to pursue together a project dear to them. Each kot-à-projet specialises in a specific domain, for example culture, humanitarian or social aims, sport, or protecting the environment, and organises activities for other students or locals. Bringing together students of all walks of life, this type of accommodation is the perfect way to meet new people, cement strong relationships with other students and participate fully in student life.

Whether a room, a kot, a studio flat or a flat, the average price of accommodation in the private sector varies between €350 and €500/month. If you opt for this type of accommodation, there are two ways you can search for a place to live:

  • Personal research: on the internet, referring to the notice boards posted in the higher education institutions and large areas, or simply walking along the roads and looking for the posters – accommodation is easy to find.
  • Research via a specialised agency: as a rule, this type of market is mainly for higher-priced accommodation. If you have sufficient funds, this service may be of interest to you.

To help you find your accommodation in a university residence or the private sector, each higher education institution has its own accommodation service. They can help you search according to your budget and requirements. If you prefer to use the internet, the HousingAnywhere website is a good starting place to look for student accommodation.

Whatever type of accommodation you want to rent, in Belgium all rent must be formalised by a rental contract, usually stipulated for one year. When signing the contract, you will also need to pay the deposit. The equivalent amount of 1 or 2 months’ rent, the deposit provides the owner with assurance that you will fulfil your tenant obligations. This will be refunded to you once the outgoing inventory has been prepared, you have returned the keys and paid all dues.

Please note: if you damage your accommodation during your stay or if the outgoing report does not match with the incoming one, the owner is entitled to keep the deposit or only return part of it to you.