Masters Degrees, Graduate Studies and Professional Programs in Belgium

Pursuing an advanced degree can be both exciting and professionally beneficial, particularly for those who opt to study for a portion of their degree in a foreign country like Belgium.  Belgium is the true definition of an international country, a place that is home to many different ethnicities, cultures, customs and traditions.  It is also a very modern country and boasts one of the world’s finest systems of education, particularly its higher education system, with some of the most renowned colleges and universities in Europe.
 
Officially known as the Kingdom of Belgium, Belgium is a federal monarchy centrally located in Western Europe.  The country is a founding member of the European Union (EU) and his home to the EU’s headquarters as well as those of many other major international organizations, including NATO.  Belgium covers an area of just under 12,000 square miles (30,258 sq. km), an area that is shared by the country’s 11 million permanent residents.
 
Belgium is very unique in its makeup.  Spanning the cultural boundary between Germanic and Latin Europe, the country is home to two main linguistic groups, the Dutch Speakers, mostly Flemish, that account for roughly 59 percent of the population, and the French-speakers, mostly Walloons, accounting for roughly 41 percent of the population, in addition to a small group of people who speak German.  Belgium’s two largest regions are known as Flanders, a Dutch-speaking community in the north of the country; and Wallonia, a largely French-speaking region in the south.  In the greater capital city area of Brussels, officially a bilingual conclave within the Flanders region, most residents speak French as their first language.  The small German-speaking community that exists in Belgium can be found in the southern portion of Wallonia.  This linguistic diversity, although once a source of political conflict, now only adds to the allure of Belgium, where thousands of people immigrate each year.
 
Masters Degrees, Graduate Studies and Professional Programs in Belgium
 
Higher education in Belgium, which includes Master’s degrees, graduate studies and professional programs,  is organized by the two main communities, the Flemish Community of Flanders and the French Community of Wallonia.  Students who speak German as their first language typically enroll in the colleges and universities in the French Community or travel to Germany for their studies.
 
Admission into the various advanced degree and professional programs offered in Belgium is typically granted to any student who has first earned a Bachelor or undergraduate degree in the same or related field.  There are, however, four exceptions to this rule—exceptions for those planning to study in the following fields:
 

• Medicine and Dentistry. Prospective medicine or dentistry students must take an entrance exam organized by the government. This exam was introduced in the 1990s to control the influx of students. The exam assesses the student's knowledge of science, their ability to think in abstract terms (IQ test) and their psychological aptitude to become a physician. This exam is now held only in Flanders.
• Arts.  Entrance exams to arts programs, which are mainly of a practical nature, are organized by the various colleges and universities individually.
• Engineering Sciences.  In programs leading to a Master of Science Degree in Engineering (Dutch: Burgerlijk ingenieur, French: Ingénieur Civil), these faculties have a long standing tradition of requiring an entrance exam (mainly focused on mathematics); the exam has now been abolished in the Flemish Community but is still organized in the French Community.
• Management Sciences.  Students wishing to pursue a Master in Business Administration or any advanced degree in the Management Sciences should be aware that these management schools organize admission tests that focus on individual motivation and pre-knowledge of a specialized domain.  For example, a Master in Financial Management program requires prior knowledge on corporate finance and management control topics.

The Bologna Process of the 1990s, which led to sweeping changes in the credit and degree structure in universities throughout the European Union, has now transformed the picture of higher education in Belgium, especially at the advanced-degree level.  Prior to the adoption of the Bologna Process, the Belgian higher education system offered the following degrees:

• Graduate Degree. Similar to a 3-year vocational diploma.
• Candidate Degree.  A degree signaling the completion of the first two years of university education.  The Candidate degree had no finality other than to give access to the licentiate studies.
• Licentiate Diploma.  Equivalent to a Bachelor degree in the U.S. system of education.
• DEA.  Equivalent to the Master’s degree in the American-English systems.

Since the adoption of the Bologna process in most European countries, the higher education system in Belgium now follows the Bachelor/Master/Doctorate system:

Bachelor's degree 
 
The Bachelor degree in Belgium is a 3-year program leading to either a professional bachelor, a degree that replaces the former graduate (vocational) degree and which has finality (degree awarded); or an academic bachelor, a non-final degree that replaces the candidate degree and which gives access to Master’s degree studies.
 
Master's degree 
 
The Master’s Degree programs in Belgium usually span 2 years in duration. In Belgium, both Universities and Colleges are now allowed to teach Bachelor and Master classes, either professional or academic.
 
Doctorate Degrees

After obtaining a Master's degree, very talented students can pursue research projects leading to a doctorate degree in the field of their choosing. These doctorates or PhDs are only awarded by Universities.

Professional Programs

Professional programs in fields such as medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, pharmacy and the law are also available in Belgium.  In most of these programs, students must first earn a related Master’s degree in their field of study and pass a national entrance examination prior to admission.  The time required to complete these programs varies substantially, but typically ranges anywhere from 3 to 6 years.

Why Study Abroad in Belgium
 
In addition to its excellent system of education and award-winning universities, Belgium has a lot to offer students studying abroad.  The country has very competitive pricing compared to other major destinations in Europe and yet still maintains a consistent devotion to excellence and service.   Belgium has a long and storied history, rich culture and friendly people, and because the country is so centrally located in Western Europe, students have the option of visiting other nearby cities during their trip, including Paris, London and even Amsterdam.
 
Belgium boasts delicious gourmet cuisine, made up of both local and international dishes from around the world.  Students can delight in fine Belgian chocolates, chow down on Belgian fries with mayo (a local favorite), and/or sample fresh mussels from the nearby North Sea.  There are also over 400 Belgian beer brands available, guaranteed to leave everyone in the group feeling full and satisfied.
 
There are countless sites, attractions and trendy shops to be found in Belgium.  Within the span of one day, students can hunt for bargains, explore the castles of Wallonia, and peruse the museums of Brussels.  For the more active student, there are also plenty of natural sites that offer opportunities for biking, ballooning, horseback riding, rock climbing, sailing, and more; and miles of green space—parks and gardens—where students can relax and take in all the natural beauty of Belgium after a long week of studying.