List of 63 best universities in Belgium

Ranking by academic field

Top 63 universities in Belgium ranked by EduRank based on research outputs, non-academic prominence, and alumni influence. The rankings are determined by analyzing 17.8M citations received by 585K academic publications made by 63 universities from Belgium, the popularity of 980 recognized alumni, and the largest reference database available.

1. Catholic University of Leuven

#9 in Europe

#66 in the World

Enrollment: 62,693
Founded: 1425

2. Ghent University

#29 in Europe

#114 in the World

Enrollment: 41,669
Founded: 1817

3. University of Liege

#72 in Europe

#209 in the World

Enrollment: 25,421
Founded: 1817

4. Catholic University of Louvain

Louvain-la-Neuve

#98 in Europe

#264 in the World

Enrollment: 35,000
Founded: 1425

5. Free University of Brussels

#110 in Europe

#295 in the World

Enrollment: 31,606
Founded: 1834

6. University of Antwerp

#138 in Europe

#360 in the World

Founded: 2003

7. Free University of Brussels - VUB

#161 in Europe

#402 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Enrollment: 11,101
Founded: 1970

8. University of Namur

#376 in Europe

#1008 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Founded: 1849

9. Hasselt University

#398 in Europe

#1085 in the World

Enrollment: 3,310
Founded: 1973

10. University of Mons

#438 in Europe

#1240 in the World

Enrollment: 10,000
Founded: 2009

11. Institute of Tropical Medicine

#479 in Europe

#1357 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Enrollment: 1,000
Founded: 1906

12. University College Ghent

#661 in Europe

#2066 in the World

Founded: 1995

13. Erasmus University College, Brussels

#1005 in Europe

#3747 in the World

Enrollment: 5,000
Founded: 1995

14. Howest University of Applied Sciences

#1260 in Europe

#5106 in the World

Founded: 1995

15. Antwerp Maritime Academy

#1312 in Europe

#5384 in the World

Founded: 1834

16. La Cambre National School of Visual Arts

#1440 in Europe

#6079 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Founded: 1926

17. Transnational University of Limburg

#1497 in Europe

#6374 in the World

Founded: 2001

18. ICHEC Brussels Management School

#1532 in Europe

#6569 in the World

Enrollment: 2,500
Founded: 1954

19. Royal Conservatory of Brussels

#1610 in Europe

#7002 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1832

20. Thomas More University of Applied Sciences

#1625 in Europe

#7105 in the World

Founded: 2014

21. Plantijn University College

#1630 in Europe

#7120 in the World

Founded: 2013

22. Artevelde University College Ghent

#1638 in Europe

#7168 in the World

Enrollment: 12,000
Founded: 2000

23. University College Leuven-Limburg

#1645 in Europe

#7195 in the World

Founded: 1994

24. Vlerick Business School

#1647 in Europe

#7205 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Founded: 1953

25. Odisee University of Applied Sciences

#1679 in Europe

#7343 in the World

Founded: 2014

26. LUCA School of Arts

#1687 in Europe

#7372 in the World

Enrollment: 6,000
Founded: 2012

27. Karel de Grote - University College

#1701 in Europe

#7426 in the World

Founded: 1995

28. Saint-Louis University - Brussels

#1715 in Europe

#7494 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 4,152
Founded: 1948

29. Evangelical Theological Faculty, Leuven

#1761 in Europe

#7681 in the World

Enrollment: 300
Founded: 1919

30. University College of the Province of Liege

Jemeppe-sur-Meuse

#1769 in Europe

#7715 in the World

Founded: 2007

31. VIVES

#1790 in Europe

#7771 in the World

Enrollment: 13,000
Founded: 2013

32. Leonardo da Vinci University College

#1840 in Europe

#7915 in the World

Founded: 1994

33. PXL University College

#1848 in Europe

#7944 in the World

Founded: 2013

34. School of Graphic Research

#1869 in Europe

#8009 in the World

Founded: 1999

35. University College of Bruxelles-Brabant

#1879 in Europe

#8047 in the World

Enrollment: 8,000
Founded: 2016

36. Antwerp Management School

#1916 in Europe

#8166 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Founded: 1959

37. Francisco Ferrer University College

#1947 in Europe

#8257 in the World

Founded: 1995

38. EPHEC University College

#1950 in Europe

#8261 in the World

Enrollment: 7,000
Founded: 1969

39. University College of Louvain en Hainaut

#2012 in Europe

#8423 in the World

Founded: 2009

40. Higher National Institute of Performing Arts and Diffusion Techniques

#2034 in Europe

#8504 in the World

Founded: 1962

41. Mosane Free University College

#2052 in Europe

#8563 in the World

Founded: 2008

42. Charlemagne University College

#2089 in Europe

#8724 in the World

Founded: 1995

43. Arts - Academy of Arts

#2107 in Europe

#8819 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Founded: 2012

44. Albert Jacquard University College

#2115 in Europe

#8846 in the World

Enrollment: 3,000
Founded: 1995

45. University College of Namur-Liege-Luxembourg

#2119 in Europe

#8874 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 2011

46. Royal Conservatory of Liege

#2133 in Europe

#8934 in the World

Founded: 1830

47. Vesalius College

#2140 in Europe

#8976 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 1,200
Founded: 1987

48. Higher Institute of Music and Pedagogy

#2143 in Europe

#8990 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1970

49. School of Arts Saint-Luc de Liege

#2144 in Europe

#8991 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1890

50. Provincial University College of Hainaut-Condorcet

#2171 in Europe

#9144 in the World

Founded: 2009

51. Institute of Visual Arts

Louvain-la-Neuve

#2184 in Europe

#9188 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Enrollment: 500
Founded: 1959

52. Galilee University College

#2244 in Europe

#9407 in the World

Founded: 1995

53. Brussels Free University College-Ilya Prigogine

#2301 in Europe

#9663 in the World

Founded: 1995

54. Hainaut University College

#2330 in Europe

#9766 in the World

Enrollment: 6,000
Founded: 1995

55. Institut Superieur de Formation Sociale et de Communication

#2349 in Europe

#9867 in the World

Enrollment: 3,000

56. Robert Schuman University College

#2351 in Europe

#9878 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Founded: 1995

57. Academy of Fine Arts, Tournai

#2424 in Europe

#10314 in the World

Founded: 1756

58. Institutes of Saint-Luc de Bruxelles

#2442 in Europe

#10424 in the World

Founded: 1882

59. Lucia de Brouckere University College

#2453 in Europe

#10472 in the World

Founded: 1995

60. University College of the Province of Namur

#2475 in Europe

#10595 in the World

Founded: 1995

61. University College of the Town of Liege

#2541 in Europe

#11040 in the World

Founded: 1995

62. Saint-Luc Institute of Tournai

#2572 in Europe

#11243 in the World

Founded: 1863

63. School of Arts of the City of Liege

#2587 in Europe

#11368 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1836

The best cities to study in Belgium based on the number of universities and their ranks are Leuven, Ghent, Liege, and Louvain-la-Neuve.

Average cost of living for students in Belgium is $668 + $105-750 for rent (depends on where to live: dormitory, renting with a roommate or solo).