Practical information for International Students at

Odisee Campus Brussels.

Arriving in Belgium

At Brussels National Airport (Zaventem)

If you are not being met at the airport the best way to continue your journey is by train.

1. Go to the train terminal located underground, below Brussels Airport.

2. The departure schedule for the train to Brussels Central Station (the most central railway station in
Brussels city centre) can be found in the underground terminal itself. You can also check the schedule
online on www.belgianrail.be
A one way ticket costs around € 10,30 and tickets are sold inside the train terminal. The trip lasts
around 20 minutes.

At Brussels South Charleroi Airport

Students who arrive in Brussels South Charleroi Airport have the following option:

1. Take the shuttle coach that leaves the airport every half-hour to take you to one of the main
Brussels railway stations (Brussels South). The shuttle coach stop is at the
crossing of Rue de France and Rue de l’instruction. The shuttle fare is around
€ 18 and tickets are sold inside the airport terminal. The trip lasts around one hour.
See: https://www.brussels-charleroi-airport.com/en/parking-access#shuttle

2. At Brussels South railway station, take the next available train to

Brussels Central Station. (Ticket €2,5)
You can also check the schedule online: http://www.belgianrail.be

To get from Brussels Central Station to our campus in Brussels:

Brussels Central station is right in the historical heart of Brussels and a 5-minute walk from Odisee
Campus Brussels. To get to the campus, follow the Keizerinnenlaan. This large street, right next to the
station, can be recognized by the many taxis who park there. Continue walking until you find the
Stormstraat on your left.
(At that point you can see the cathedrals of Saint-Michel & Saint-Goedele at your right.) Take a left
into the Stormstraat; the buildings Hermes, T'Serclaes and Erasmus of the Brussels Campus are
located at the intersection of the Stormstraat & the Warmoesberg. The reception desk is at the
entrance of Campus Brussel –T’Serclaes building. This is the building with the revolving doors. (Red
dot on the map below)
Accommodation in Brussels
Odisee does not have on-campus housing, nor do we manage any student accommodation ourselves.
However, the social services department can help you with your search for a student room or other
suitable accommodation (https://www.odisee.be/en/student-housing).

Students who will study an entire academic year in Brussels are referred to the website of Brik, a service
desk for students in Brussels that promotes Brussels as a nice place to live and study. Apart from this
they also manage and coordinate student accommodation in the city centre and they coordinate an
online database: MyKot (https://www.mykot.be/en) with a wide range of student accommodation in the
city centre as well as the surrounding communes of Brussels Capital Region. More information on the
Brik website: https://brik.be/en/

If you want to make sure you have a room for next academic year, it is important to start your search for
suitable accommodation in time. We highly recommend you find accommodation before you come to
Brussels.

For more detailed information on how to start your search or questions related to housing, you can
send an e-mail to housingbrussel@stuvoplus.be or contact Marieke Steurs at +32 2 210 13 19.
Also check the website of STUVO for more general information on student accommodation or other
student related matters on campus: https://www.odisee.be/en/student-housing

Administrative formalities upon arrival

Non-EEA citizens1 EEA citizens1

Formalities upon arrival

Step 1: Registration as a student at Odisee Step 1: Registration as a student at Odisee

Step 2: Registration at the City Hall Step 2: Registration at the City Hall
Step 3: Opening a bank account
Step 4: Affiliation with a Belgian health
insurance company

Required Insurance

• Accident insurance (provided by Odisee) • Accident insurance (provided by Odisee)

• Professional liability (provided by Odisee) • Professional liability (provided by Odisee)
• Third party liability for study-related matters • Third party liability for study-related matters
(provided by Odisee) (provided by Odisee)

• Third-party liability for private life (you are • Third-party liability for private life (optional)
required to sign up for this insurance plan
upon registering at Odisee)

• Health Insurance (to be arranged privately) • Health Insurance (EHIC card)

1 EEA = European Economic Area member states: EU + Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland (Special arrangements apply for
Switzerland while Monaco follows the French regulations.)
* Step 1: Registration at Odisee, Campus Brussels
You can find the instructions to register at Odisee on the email ‘Register now – Bachelor of Business
Management (Odisee)’.

The documents that you will need to upload or present for your registration are included in your
admission email. Note that if you require a student visa to come to Belgium, you will only be able to
register once you have arrived in Belgium.

Registration completed!
Once your registration is completed, you will receive several emails containing relevant information
about your registration, the tuition fee and your student accounts. Please keep an eye on your email
and make sure to check your spam folder.

* Step 2: Registration at City Hall

After registering at Odisee, every student who does not have the Belgian nationality is required to
register at the Foreigners Office of the city were they are residing. Students with a temporary
residence card currently residing in Belgium, need to prolong their card in due time. The instructions
for first time registration at the city hall and renewal of the residence card can be found on
https://www.odisee.be/en/information-non-belgian-nationals.

If you live in Brussels or in the surroundings, you can find an overview of the steps you need to follow
on:
➔ Non-EEA students: https://www.odisee.be/sites/default/files/public/2023-
07/Schema%20student_Non-EUR_EN.pdf
➔ EEA students: https://www.odisee.be/sites/default/files/public/2023-
07/Schema%20student_EUR_EN.pdf

(*Please bear in mind! These procedures below do not apply to persons without the Belgian nationality
who have been residing in Belgium for a longer period and who already own a residence permit which
is not linked to their studies in Belgium. The procedures therefore only refer to persons without the
Belgian nationality who have come to Belgium with the specific purpose to study.)

=>>> IMPORTANT: Registering as an international student residing in Brussels city centre*

*including the following communes: 1000 Brussels, 1020 Laken, 1120 Neder-over-Heembeek,
1130 Haren.

International students residing in the centre of Brussels need to start their registration
at the commune via email.

For non-EEA students, please read the instructions on https://www.brussels.be/student-

registration.

For EEA students, please start your registration via https://www.brussels.be/registration-eu-

citizen.

* Step 3: Opening a bank account

Where? Any bank in Belgium.

When? You can do this after your registration at the City Hall
What to bring with you?
- a valid passport or identity card
 - an official document that proves your address in Belgium (ex. a copy of your student
accommodation rental contract )
- the temporary residence document Annex 15 (non-EEA) / or the registration certificate Annex
8 (EEA) you received from the City Hall

What you receive:

- a bank card and a bank account number

Note:
- You will require a Belgian or European bank account if you need to subscribe to a health insurance
and/or have signed up for the blocked account procedure.
- Some banks can refuse the temporary residence document you receive from the city hall and only
agree to open a bank account once you receive your actual residence permit. Please advise us
(bbm@odisee.be) if this is the case.
- Banks like KBC/CBC offer the option to open a bank account online before you arrive in Belgium.
You can find more information on
https://www.kbc.be/particulieren/en/proces/betalen/zichtrekeningen/basisrekening-openen.html >
‘Open the account online’.

* Step 4: Affiliation with a Belgian health insurance company

Student insurance

All students are insured by Odisee for the following matters:

• student accidents
• third-party liability for study-related matters
• professional liability

- third-party liability insurance for private life

• non-EEA students have to sign up to this insurance plan upon registering at Odisee and pay
€10 (will be added to the fixed part of the tuition fee)
• EEA students may subscribe to this insurance plan (optional)

Health insurance

Odisee itself does not provide health insurance. Below you will find more details about health
insurance and affiliating with a Belgian health insurance company.

All residents of the country, Belgian or otherwise, are required by law to be covered by a health
insurance policy. It is also in your own best interest. Without health insurance coverage, the costs of
medical care can quickly spiral out of control. For instance, one night stay in a hospital can cost up to
€ 400 not including treatment or medicine. A standard health-insurance policy will reimburse about
75% of the cost of a doctor's visit, medication and hospitalization.

Non-EEA citizens:

Self-supporting students should take out a health-insurance policy. If you arrive after 1 July,
you can wait until the start of the university college's registration period. With your certificate of
registration, you can subscribe to a health insurance policy at the insurance company of your
choice.

For information about health insurance providers in Belgium, please consult

https://www.odisee.be/health-insurance-international-students.

EEA citizens:

Students who are EEA nationals should obtain a so-called European Health Insurance Card
(EHIC) proving you already have insurance coverage in your home country. Nationals from
 Algeria, Australia, Tunisia, Turkey and the former Yugoslavia can also obtain documents
under the terms of the agreement between Belgium and their country. Any medical costs you
may incur will be reimbursed by a Belgian health insurance company if you show them the
EHIC. This also applies to the cost of medication: ask for a 704N form at the pharmacy.

If you don't have an EHIC, you are required to follow the same procedure as non-EEA
students and take out health-insurance coverage in Belgium.

Fees and financing

Tuition Fees

The tuition fee you need to pay depends on the type of contract you register for, your entitlement to a
scholarship from the Flemish Community and the number of credits you register for in 2023-2024.

The standard tuition fee for students that register for a degree contract and for one year of full-time
studying (60 credits) was set at EUR 1092,10 for the academic year 2023-2024.

More info: http://www.odisee.be/en/study-costs (scroll down)

How and when do I pay my tuition fee?

Once your registration has been processed, you will receive an invoice for the payment of the fixed
part of your tuition fee (i.e. the administrative cost) and/or any other fee required for registration (e.g.
the fee for third-party liability insurance for private life).

Once your Individual Study Programme (ISP) has been approved you will receive a second invoice for
the remaining variable fee. The calculation of the tuition fee is based on the number of credits you
have effectively registered for and your scholarship status.

You will need to pay your tuition fee via bank transfer before the due date which is written on the
account statement.

Payment in instalments
In certain cases we offer to students the possibility to pay the tuition fee in instalments. This is not
applicable for non-EER visa students. To check if this procedure can apply to your situation please
contact the Social Services’ office of your campus. Contact details can be found on
https://www.odisee.be/en/payment-instalments

Social Services
If you experience temporary financial problems that are unforeseen do not hesitate to ask to the Social
Services’ office for advice and guidance. In some cases you can request financial support from the
Social Services. See https://www.odisee.be/en/extra-financial-assistance. Note that the available
support for non-EEA nationals might be limited.

Monthly/Yearly budget

Preparation and departure for Belgium:

Before travelling to Belgium, a budget must be foreseen for the following possible costs while still in
your home country: visa/passport application fees, transportation costs, ticket reservation costs,
accommodations, shipping costs for extra baggage and medical costs.

Arrival:
+/- €250: This amount includes transportation costs to your campus, temporary accommodation (€
30/night for 1 person in a hostel), communication costs with family at home country and the
registration at the City Hall (administrative costs, ID pictures, …).

One-time (installation) costs:

These installation costs are normally paid once a year. The estimated rent indicated below is the rent
for a basic student room in the private sector.
• Housing
• Rent deposit €450 - €600
• Rent for 1st month €450 - €600
• Utilities costs: phone, water, electricity, fire insurance etc.
• Bicycle rent: between € 16 to €70 depending on the scheme. More info on
https://www.odisee.be/en/bicycle-facilities-brussels
• Health insurance around € 110

Yearly study costs:

• Registration
• Tuition fee for one full-time year of studying (60 credits) € 1092,10
• Third-party liability insurance € 10
• Study materials € 500 (approximately)

Monthly costs:
€900 - €1100: The monthly costs include the expenses for housing (monthly rent + monthly utilities
costs) and the monthly living costs (food, clothes, medical costs, purchase of household implements,
language courses, relaxation/free time, transportation costs…)

• Monthly costs housing

• Monthly rent €450 - €600
• Monthly utilities costs included in rent
• Monthly living costs € 450

Preparation and departure for home country:

Before departure for one’s home country, a budget needs to be foreseen for the following costs:
closing accounts, costs for ticket(s), transportation costs and shipping costs for baggage.