Ghent University

Key facts

Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 6 November 2026.

About Ghent University

Ghent University was founded by King William I in 1816 and inaugurated on 9 October 1817 at Ghent City Hall. In 1817, 190 students registered in four faculties: Arts, Law, Medicine and Sciences.^[7] The language of instruction was Latin at the start, French or a bilingual system from 1830 to 1930, and Dutch from 1930.^[7]

Today the university has eleven faculties and is described by the university as open, pluralistic and socially engaged, with the credo “Dare to Think”.^[5] In Belgium it is located in and around Ghent, Courtrai, Bruges and Ostend. It also runs Ghent University Global Campus in Songdo, South Korea.^[5]

The largest faculty by enrolment is Medicine and Health Sciences, followed by Economics and Business Administration and Psychology and Educational Sciences. Students enrolled in more than one faculty are counted in each of them.^[1]

How is Ghent University ranked?

In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, Ghent University is 150th in the world. It rose 12 places and is the second Belgian university in the list, behind KU Leuven (59th); UCLouvain follows at 196th.^[2][9] Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.

What can you study at Ghent University?

The university offers more than 200 programmes, including 69 English-taught master’s programmes.^[5] Its eleven faculties are Arts and Philosophy; Law and Criminology; Sciences; Medicine and Health Sciences; Engineering and Architecture; Economics and Business Administration; Veterinary Medicine; Psychology and Educational Sciences; Bioscience Engineering; Pharmaceutical Sciences; and Political and Social Sciences.^[1]

All bachelor’s programmes at Ghent University are taught in Dutch. The one exception is the Bachelor of Social Sciences, for which you apply at Vrije Universiteit Brussel. English is the language of instruction in a number of master’s programmes, and the common language in the doctoral schools is English.^[10] For the country overview see universities in Belgium and the Study in Belgium guide.

How much does Ghent University cost in 2026–27?

These are the 2026–27 amounts published by the university.^[3][11] The EEA rate is a fixed €305.40 plus €14.60 per credit. Tuition fee A is €305.40 plus €17.70 per credit plus a higher fee of €15.50 per credit; tuition fee B is €305.40 plus €31 per credit plus a higher fee of €81.90 per credit.^[3] For non-EEA students who enrol in English-taught bachelor’s programmes or credit contracts, the fee is the same as for the master’s.^[11] For the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences, transitional rules and a list of countries apply; check the fee page.^[3]

Who pays the EEA rate anyway?

Non-EEA students pay the EEA rate if, for example, they hold an electronic residence permit under article II.215 of the Higher Education Code, come from one of the two lowest OECD/DAC recognised developing-country categories, or hold a VLIR-UOS scholarship. Students with a Flemish Community study allowance pay a flat €139.40.^[3]

Doctorate

EEA doctoral students pay €591 at first enrolment and €591 for the defence; re-enrolment costs nothing. Non-EEA doctoral students pay €1,182 at first enrolment and for the defence, unless they fall into a category that pays as EEA students, for example holders of an electronic residence permit or VLIR-UOS scholarship holders.^[8]

Tuition is only part of the bill. For rent and living costs see our Study in Belgium guide.

How do you apply to Ghent University?

International degree students apply online. Ghent University must receive a complete application file by the deadline, including a verified academic degree. The university works with the verification service Qualification Check for this.^[12] The Registrar’s Office checks the general and academic requirements and the authenticity of the documents, then sends the file to the faculty, which assesses whether the degree is sufficiently related and decides on admission. A CV and grade sheets are also taken into account.^[12]

Admission is granted on the basis of a diploma, irrespective of nationality. Most qualifications obtained abroad do not give direct admission, so an individual application procedure follows.^[10] Check the application deadline for your programme before you start; we give no deadlines here because they change every year.

Which language level do you need?

All students must show language proficiency at the latest when they enrol. All bachelor’s programmes are taught in Dutch, and Dutch at level B2 on the CEFR scale (the European scale from A1 to C2; B2 is upper-intermediate) is required for most of them; the Bachelor of Arts in Applied Language Studies requires C1.^[4] Most master’s programmes are also taught in Dutch and need Dutch B2.^[4]

For most English-taught master’s programmes English at level B2 is required, and some programmes have specific requirements. If no specific requirement is listed, doctoral candidates need English at level B2. A language proof must be valid at enrolment; a certificate without a validity date can be no older than four academic years.^[4] Some applicants are exempt from the language proof; the university lists the exemptions on its website.^[4]

More about studying in Belgium

• Belgium: best universities
• Study in Belgium: complete guide
• Cost of Studying Abroad
• International Student Scholarships
• University Ranking Methodology

More university profiles in Belgium

• KU Leuven
• UCLouvain (Université catholique de Louvain)
• University of Antwerp
• Vrije Universiteit Brussel