For bachelor programmes, both professional and academic, the general admission requirement is a secondary school-leaving certificate.


If a foreign qualification is recognised on the basis of a Flemish decree, a Belgian law, a European Directive or an international convention, the holder will get direct access to a bachelor programme. Admission may also be granted to students after individual assessment of their secondary education certificate.
Higher education institutions are also allowed to admit persons who are unable to meet the general admission requirements, e.g. for humanitarian reasons where the refugee lacks the required documents. Entrance examinations have to be passed by any student who wants to take up studies in Dentistry, Medicine and Fine Arts.

A number of professional bachelor degrees give access to advanced bachelor programmes (at least 60 ECTS credits).

Some academic bachelor degrees give direct access to master programmes. Some master degrees will give access to advanced master programmes (at least another 60 ECTS credits), in some cases a preparatory programme may be required. 

Professional bachelor degrees may give access to some master programmes after either a bridging programme or a preparatory programme. The programme and study load will be determined by the higher education institution taking into account the individual skills, work experience, qualifications and competencies of the student after an assessment interview.

Foreign higher education degrees give access to master programmes and advanced master programmes in case the Institutional Board considers the foreign degree to be equivalent to the Flemish degree giving access to the programmes concerned.

Ph.D. programmes are open to graduates with a relevant master degree (in some cases after a preliminary examination, depending on the study field). Foreign higher education degrees give access to Ph.D. programmes in case the University Board considers the foreign degree to be equivalent to a Flemish master degree. The admission may still subject to a preliminary examination.