Master studies | UCLL

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Recognition of foreign degrees

A foreign degree as an asset

Having studied in a foreign language as well as in an international environment, strengthens your future possibilities in business and aids your personal development.

Companies and organizations experience a need for employees eager to cross borders both physically and mentally. Obtaining a master’s degree in a foreign university will certainly help and is highly valued in the business world. Many alumni who have studied abroad, today occupy important functions in companies.

Government agencies

If you want to work for a government agency in Belgium, your foreign degree will be subject to a number of administrative conditions. One of those conditions is that your foreign diploma becomes recognized as equivalent to a national diploma

NARIC Vlaanderen is the organization that investigates this recognition in Flanders, for which you have to submit an individual application. More information on the academic recognition of equivalence of foreign degrees can be found via NARIC Vlaanderen.

Student status

What about my student status?  Do my parents still receive the Groeipakket  from the Flemish Government?  Can I still work as a student with a student contract? Can I still receive a study grant from the Government of Flanders?

Student status

If your study abroad starts in January, and you graduated at UCLL before December, you will lose your student status in the period in between.

  • Your student status based on your registration at UC Leuven-Limburg ends in the month of your  graduation.
  • Your registration at the university abroad starts on the moment you start your study there.
'Groeipakket'

After your graduation, your parents have a right to the 'Groeipakket als schoolverlater' in Flanders for a maximum of 12 months.  This means that between the period of graduation (June or September) and the start of your international study programme (in January) this 'Groeipakket' remains valid (as long as no use has been made of this system of  the 'Groeipakket als schoolverlater' ). You can find more information here, but we advise you to contact your disbursement organization of the 'Groeipakket'.  

Working as a school-leaver

You can work during the period that you are not registered as a student. However, in order for your parents to keep the right to the ‘Groeipakket’ there are a number of conditions involved. You can find these conditions here.

Study grants

Information on study grants of the Government of Flanders can be found here

More information?

If you want to get more information about your social status while you are abroad or if you have questions regarding a student grant, you can always visit the Student Service of KU Leuven for advice.