Architecture Schools and Programs in Belgium

Architecture Studies in Belgium

Parliment in Brussels

Architecture students learn to design buildings and places: design studio, drawing and digital modelling, construction, history and theory, and professional practice. In Belgium the subject is taught at universities, and the language of teaching depends on the community: French in Wallonia and French-speaking Brussels, Dutch in Flanders, with some master's programmes in English. To practise as an architect, a degree is only the first step; a two-year traineeship and registration with the Order of Architects follow.

SpainExchange lists four universities in Belgium that teach architecture or architectural engineering: KU Leuven, the Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), the Université de Liège (ULiège) and the Faculté Polytechnique of the Université de Mons.

How architecture degrees are organised in Belgium

Belgian higher education follows the three Bologna cycles: bachelor's, master's and PhD. According to Study in Belgium, the official portal of French-speaking Belgium, a bachelor's degree represents 180 or 240 ECTS credits and a master's 60 or 180 ECTS credits, and 60 credits equal one academic year. The qualification of architect normally takes five years: a 3-year bachelor's (180 credits) and a 2-year master's (120 credits).

• Université de Liège: the Faculty of Architecture, in the Outremeuse district of central Liège, teaches the Bachelier en architecture (180 credits) and a Master en architecture (120 credits) in French. Design studios make up more than a third of the credits
• UCLouvain: its architecture faculty (LOCI) teaches the bachelor's and master's in architecture in Brussels (Saint-Gilles) and Tournai, with at most 25 students per teacher in the design studio. It also offers a bachelor's and master's in ingénieur civil architecte (architectural engineering), with the master at Louvain-la-Neuve
• KU Leuven: the Faculty of Architecture works from the Sint-Lucas campuses in Brussels and Ghent. The Bachelor of Architecture is taught in Dutch; the Master of Architecture (120 ECTS) is taught in English or Dutch
• Faculté Polytechnique de Mons: besides its engineering specialisations, the faculty offers a master's degree in Architectural Engineering

There are two routes into the profession. The architecture degree (architecte / architect) focuses on design. The architectural engineering degree (ingénieur civil architecte) combines architectural design with a stronger base in mathematics, structures and building services.

Admission and language

Each institution sets its own admission criteria and decides on foreign qualifications. For a bachelor's in Flanders, students need a secondary school diploma that gives access to university in the country where it was awarded, plus an access declaration from their school. Most English-taught programmes there require English at level B2, for example IELTS 6.0, and Dutch-taught bachelor's programmes usually require Dutch at B2. In French-speaking Belgium, the ENIC-NARIC centre can issue a certificate on the value of a foreign qualification for €70; some institutions ask for it. The bachelor's in architectural engineering at UCLouvain requires a pass in an admission exam.

Costs and visa

For 2025-26, students from the EU pay at most €1,194 a year in French-speaking Belgium, while most non-EU students pay €5,369 (registration fee plus an additional contribution) unless they qualify for an exemption, for example as nationals of certain countries listed by ARES. In Flanders, the guideline for a full-time year (60 ECTS) in 2026-27 is €1,181.40 for EU/EEA students and €5,300 to €12,000 for other students; each institution sets its exact fee.

Most non-EEA students need a long-stay (type D) student visa, applied for at the Belgian embassy or consulate. They must prove at least €1,062 a month for 2026-27, for example through a blocked account holding 12 times that amount. The procedure can take six to eight weeks.

Becoming an architect in Belgium

The profession is regulated under the law of 26 June 1963 that created the Order of Architects (Orde van Architecten / Ordre des Architectes). ULiège states that its master's in architecture gives access to the profession of architect. After graduating, a new architect registers on the list of trainees in a province and completes a traineeship under a supervising architect, working at least 120 hours a month. After 24 months, the provincial council evaluates the traineeship; once it is approved, the architect can be entered on the roll (tabel), which is required to practise. The Order publishes information in English for architects trained abroad.

Graduates also work in public administration, heritage restoration, site coordination, urban planning, design and research, according to UCLouvain.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to study architecture in Belgium?

Usually five years: a 3-year bachelor's (180 credits) and a 2-year master's (120 credits). To practise as an architect, graduates then complete a 24-month traineeship before registering with the Order of Architects.

Can I study architecture in Belgium in English?

Partly. KU Leuven teaches its Master of Architecture in English in Brussels and Ghent, but its Bachelor of Architecture is in Dutch. At ULiège and UCLouvain the architecture degrees are taught in French.

How much does it cost to study architecture in Belgium?

Public tuition is low for EU students (about €1,200 a year). Non-EU students pay €5,369 a year in French-speaking Belgium unless exempt, and €5,300 to €12,000 in Flanders, depending on the institution.

What is the difference between architect and architectural engineer?

Both can lead to the profession of architect. The architectural engineering degree (ingénieur civil architecte), offered for example at UCLouvain and the Faculté Polytechnique de Mons, adds a stronger scientific and technical base; at UCLouvain its bachelor's requires an admission exam.