Accommodation:
All campuses of KU Leuven offer a student housing facility. If you would like to rent/share an apartment or a room without any involvement of the university, there are multiple options for international students. Staying on your own or in a sharing apartment Will almost cost you the same as living in the student housing associated with school (sometimes less). Take a note that staying close to the city centre can cost you more in most of the cases, compared otherwise. Along with websites, there are also Facebook groups for each city where you can find an affordable place to rent for a shorter as well as longer period.
Brussels:
The campus does not offer a student housing facility but the school has a tie-up with a variety of student housings. You will receive emails from the school once you receive the admission letter.
Approximate monthly expenses:
You can expect to pay between 400 to 600 euros including utilities and internet. It is possible to find cheaper options but the rates will change depending upon the town/city.
Leuven:
The student housing options provided by KU Leuven (shared studio/private room with common kitchen and bathrooms) costs around 300 to 400 euros including everything.
Brussels:
The student housing options provided by KU Leuven (shared studio/private room with common kitchen and bathrooms) costs around 480 to 580 euros including everything. Affordable Localities near the school are; Schaerbeek (1030), Ixelles (1050), Etterbeek (1040), Uccle (1180)
KU Leuven: https://www.kuleuven.be/english/life-at-ku-leuven/housing
For private accommodation:https://www.immoweb.be/en
Facebook groups: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1518155828437707/
Groceries:
It depends individually based on; if you are a vegan/vegetarian/non-vegetarian and how much do you want to cook at home or eat outside. If we consider that you will cook at home on most of the days of the week (considering the new factor of covid), average expenses will be around 130 to 180 euros per month. If you wish to eat outside or order food at home, there is an uber eats in Belgium that has regular offers going on. A ready meal in a restaurant or ordered at home will cost you 10 to 15 euros per person. In addition to that STUVO offers many offers and discounts on grocery and meals (Depending on COVID-19 Regulations) on campus and outside the campus. You will receive emails from STUVO periodically regarding the same.
Traveling:
Traveling withing the city:
Prices vary according to the cities but approximate travelling expenses for a month would be around 20 euros to 60 euros (without student discount, with a student discount it will be the more or less same amount for a year). Along with the websites, there are also mobile apps available for each company.
- Bus: The bus routes in Belgium are handled by three different companies depending upon the region.
- Flanders: https://www.delijn.be/en/
- Wallonia: https://www.letec.be/#/
- Brussels: https://www.stib-mivb.be/index.htm?l=fr
- Tram/Metro: The trams are available in Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Charleroi, and the entire coastal line. Metro is currently only available in Brussels.
- Tram and Metro: https://www.stib-mivb.be/index.htm?l=en
- Tram along the Coastal line: https://www.dekusttram.be/en/
- Taxies and Ubers are also available in Belgium but are expensive compared to public transport.
Traveling within the country:
There is a train network with a good connectivity to the whole country.
SNCB: https://www.belgiantrain.be/en
Student discounts:
- At the time of registration at the admission office in Leuven, it is asked if you would like KU Leuven to provide you with a yearly public transport pass at a student rate. It is recommended to take this option as you can avoid the process of visiting commune and communicating in French or Dutch for obtaining a pass. (at most of the places/offices in Belgium, English may not be spoken)
- If you are 25 or below, you can get a public transport pass within the city as well as the country at a much lower rate. (Always ask/check on the websites if there are any discounts)
- If you are 26, you can get a public transport pass only within the country at a much lower rate. (Always ask/check on the websites if there are any discounts)
- For people who are 27 or above, there are no discounts available for a yearly pass but Belgium does provide travel discounts during Summer, Winter, and Easter holidays.
Other expenses:
Health Insurance:
At the time of registration at the admission office in Leuven, a bag full of informative documents, discount coupons, pamphlets explaining the culture of the university, etc. is provided. In that bag, documents regarding health insurance are also included. KU Leuven has a tie-up with the insurance company CM and Partena and it is recommended to register at either of the two as, if any problem arises in the future, KU Leuven will be able to help you. Also, being associated with the university for several years that admits international students, you can expect a conversation in English at both the offices as well as websites. (cannot guarantee though)
Remember, it is a rule in Belgium that if you inquire or start your registration process with one of the Health insurance company/ Mutuality, you have to complete the process at that mutuality only. You CAN NOT switch to another company. If you want to do so, you can after but after one year.
CM health insurance will cost you around 99 Euros for a year.
Partena health insurance will cost you around 127 Euros for a year.
There is also an alternative option, CAAMI/HZIV, that is free. (Operates in French or Dutch only and the registration process can be a bit difficult)
CM: https://www.cm.be/international/welcome-to-belgium#
Partena:
CAAMI/HZIV: https://www.caami-hziv.fgov.be/en
Bank Account:
After the admission confirmation, as part of the visa obtaining process, ‘The proof of sufficient funds, is required for student visa – D type. There are 3 ways to do so which you will be notified of once you receive your admission letter.
The easiest method is to create a blocked account with the university. To simplify; each student needs to transfer an estimated amount for one year, stated by the university (around 700 euros/month for single students+100 Euros charges) into a blocked account of KU Leuven. Every month 700 Euro amount will be released by the university and deposited in your bank account for you to spend.
For this, you have to open a Belgian bank account. You will be able to open the account with the help of your visa, housing contract and proof of registration at the university. In the first month, the university will release an amount equivalent to the expenses of two months as you have to set up everything. For the first month, KU Leuven will give you cash as you don’t have a bank account at this point. (Some students did not get cash so it is better to carry your own money/FOREX card)
In BNP Paribas Fortis, Belfius, KBC, and Key trade you can open an account free of cost.
It is recommended to carry some cash or international prepaid card (FOREX Card) for any emergency during travelling, on an international airport as well as initial few days in Belgium.
Blocked account process: https://www.kuleuven.be/english/admissions/travelling/blocked-account
BNP Paribas Fortis: https://www.hellobank.be/our-offer/accounts-and-cards/free-all-in-account
KBC: https://www.kbc.be/retail/en/products/payments/current-accounts/basic-account.html
Key trade: https://www.keytradebank.be/en/our-fees/
Sim Card:
For the travel from India to the EU and initial days in the EU, you can carry an international sim card with you. Jio is a good option for this, you can pay 1101 rupees for a lifetime international card that includes affordable calling rates; 2-10 rupees per minute depending on the country. (I called my parents from Amsterdam airport for 2 rupees per minute)
Jio International plan: https://www.jio.com/jio-prepaid-international-roaming-plans
In Belgium, there are both options available; prepaid and post-paid, but post-paid will cost you more and as we have mostly shifted to ‘work from home and online lectures’ it’s better to go for a prepaid card. You can recharge it only when needed and use WIFI otherwise at home.
Proximus is recommended for a good range. Its prepaid plan will cost you 15 euros for the first month and 12 euros for the top-up from the second month onwards, which includes 3GB data for 31 days. (yes, it is very less compared to India but at most of the places, including public places, WIFI will be available)
Other options would be; Orange and Mobile Vikings
Proximus: https://www.proximus.be/en/id_cr_prepaid_cards/personal/mobile/prepaid-cards.html
Orange: https://www.orange.be/nl/
Mobile Vikings: https://mobilevikings.be/en/
Commune Registration process:
At the time of student registration, you will get all the required documents that need to be presented at the commune. In Belgium, within a city, there are multiple communes for different areas based on the size of the city. You have to send an email requesting an appointment to the commune that works for your postal code, the email should include photocopies of all the required documents. On the day of the appointment, you have to take hard copies of documents with you. After completing the process, you will get an Annex 15, which indicates that you are waiting for the residence card (you should carry Annex 15 with you daily, it is equivalent to your identity proof). Once your residence card is ready, you will get an email from the commune for your next appointment, when you will submit an annexe 15 and collect your residence card.
The residence card is valid for one year, after that you have to follow a similar process for the renewal.
Generally, the visa is valid for six months and the commune registration process can take up to three months. So, it is recommended to start this process as soon as possible. There is a possibility that no one in the particular commune speaks English. In this case, you should ask for help to your fellow Dutch/French speaking students as the process can be delayed and get tedious otherwise. (example: Commune that works for postal code 1000 in Brussels)
Extras:
Extra expenses vary person to person. List below shows the potential expenses that could arise during your stay based on your requirements.
- Furniture
- Kitchen appliances
- Electric appliances
For these kinds of expenses, if you want to buy a new product, you can visit Ikea or local stores nearby. There are also second-hand shops called ‘Kringwinkel’, which are very common in every city of Belgium, where you will get a good or decent quality of all types of products at a very affordable rate. Apart from the shops, you can also find Facebook groups where people/alumnus of the university sells the products at a lower rate or sometimes free of cost.
Ikea: https://www.ikea.com/be/nl/
De Kringwinkel: https://www.dekringwinkel.be/
Example of a Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/leuvenjunkshop
Comparing two countries:
If you would like to estimate and compare cost of living in detail between two countries, you can visit following links:
Numbeo: https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/
Expatistan: https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living