Visa and proof of solvency

Student Visa

Once you have your letter of enrolment, this is your most urgent next step!

Non-EEA student are required by Belgian immigration law to obtain a long-term ‘D’ visa before you arrive in Belgium.

  • Visa processing can take three to five months.
  • Term start dates
    • The academic year starts on 15 September 2025. We expect all students to be physically present for the Welcoming Days on 11 and 12 September.
    • The Multimedia & Creative Technologies and Creative Technologies and Entrepreneurship programmes have a different schedule. These programmes start on 22 September, with their Welcoming Day on 18 and 19 September.
  • We strongly recommend to apply for your visa as soon as possible and no later than mid-June.
  • We cannot provide visa support for the 2025-2026 academic year after 27 June 2025. This includes providing any supporting documents, such as a proof of solvency certificate.
  • The Belgian immigration office will not grant any applications after 10 October 2025. Students arriving after this date cannot join the 2025-2026 intake.
  • You have to initiate the visa application via the Belgian embassy or consulate for your country of residence.

What do you need to apply for a visa?

  • Valid passport
  • KdG’s standardised letter of enrollment
  • Certificate of good conduct
  • Medical certificate
  • Proof of payment of the supplementary administrative fee. KdG is a public university (and not a private one) so you have to pay 245 euros. Note that you must transfer this directly onto the immigration office’s account. Please find more information and payments instructions on the immigration office’s website.

Here you'll find an example visa application form with some fields already completed that you can copy for your own application.

Read more information on visa requirements and the necessary steps at Study in Flanders

Proof of Solvency

When applying for a visa, you will need to prove that you have sufficient funds to cover your studies. To do so, we strongly recommend following our proof of solvency procedure.

We have had several accepted students whose visa was denied because they chose to go with a sponsor instead. 

  • To prove that you have sufficient funds, the Belgian government requires a minimum of 835 euros per month to prove solvency. However, you will likely need more to live comfortably.Read more about the cost of living.
  • Use the proof of solvency procedure via our trusted payment partner Flywire after you've been enrolled.
    • Full academic year: pay 10,020 euros (12 x 835 euros).
    • One semester (exchange students): pay 5,010 euros (6 x 835 euros).
  • Once we have received the funds, we will email you the solvency certificate to include in your visa application.
  • On arrival in Belgium:
    • Open a local bank account (any European account with an IBAN number is fine)
    • KdG will return your money in 12 monthly instalments, minus any transaction fees from the initial payment.
  • If your visa is denied, KdG will refund the money to the account that was used when paying the fee.
  • Important notes:
    • The solvency amount is set by the Belgian government and may change at any time. We will inform students of any updates.
    • Proof of solvency is required each year of your stay in Belgium. Current students can find renewal instructions on the intranet.
    • This amount typically increases annually due to inflation.

Sponsor

If you decide to go for a sponsor instead (also called ‘formal obligation’), keep the following in mind:

  • You can find more information on that procedure on the immigration office’s website.
  • Your sponsor or guarantor must confirm that they will cover your stay in Belgium.
  • Embassies usually require salary slips to prove that the sponsor has sufficient income to support a student.
  • Please contact the local Belgian embassy as they will provide you a document that needs to be signed and legalized.
  • Important: We strongly recommend the proof of solvency procedure instead, as several accepted students had their visa denied when relying on a sponsor.