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Nominations and Applications

Incoming exchange students need to be nominated by their home institution via an online form.
After having received the nomination by the home institution, Howest will send the nominee all information necessary for their application.

Exchange students from outside the EEA must request a valid student visa for Belgium. Students who come to Belgium without a valid Belgian visa will do so at their own risk, and cannot be enrolled officially at Howest. Count on at least 8 weeks to get a student visa! If your sending institution is already situated in the EEA, the visa or residence permit you already have for your study there is NOT as such a valid visa for (exchange) study in Belgium, BUT you will be entitled to a shorter procedure via our International Office, of which you will be informed upon acceptance.

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Application deadlines

1 June for study in the autumn semester

Exceptions:

  • May 1st for nationals from outside the European Economic Area.
  • May 1st is the only yearly deadline for traineeships in Nursing/Psychology, also for Spring of the academic year to follow.

30 November for study in the spring semester

Exception:

  • 31 October for nationals from outside the European Economic Area

Tuition fee

For exchange students sent by our Erasmus and intercontinental partner institutions the exchange semester or year is tuition free.

Courses, study materials, the cost for cultural visits and study excursions (transportation, museum entrance …) will have to be paid on location.

Howest language expectations

Howest courses are taught in either English or Dutch.

The minimum proficiency level expected from incoming students is B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Foreign Languages (CEFR), in reading, speaking and comprehension skills.

CEFR Self assessment grid

We expect applying students to provide proof of their proficiency in the language of instruction in the chosen programme in one of the following ways:

  • The results of a (free) online language test which can be related to the CEFR B2 level,such as Dialang and Testpodium. The online test should have been taken under the supervision of the sending institution. The result sheet needs to be stamped and signed by a staff member of the sending institution. (only valid for exchange students)
  • An official certificate or score report referring to the European Framework or from one of the recognized language tests, e.g. a Duolingo Language Certificate with a minimum score of 105 or higher, TOEFL: paper based 550/internet based 79/computer based 213 or IETLS: 5.5, no partial results below 5.

Howest reserves the right to contact the sending university to verify the information on language proficiency, or to contact the applicant to have a telephone or Skype conversation in English.

The following applicants are not required to document their language skills for study in English or Dutch respectively at Howest:

  • applicants from Erasmus programme countries for study/traineeship at Howest coming under the Erasmus programme.
  • applicants from countries having the chosen modules´ teaching language as their national language.
  • applicants attending a full-time degree programme at their home institution taught in the same language as the Howest modules they are applying for.

Academic recognition & Grade conversion

Howest UAS fully applies the ECTS grading system and awards credits for the successfully achieved course units. Within 4 weeks after the end of the exam period, all exchange students receive an official ECTS Transcript of Records and Certificate. The Howest -and Flemish- grading system is based on evaluations out of 20 points. 10/20 is the pass score. A 16/20 is considered excellent in Flanders, and students obtaining results of 18/20 and more are rather exceptional.

Our English-taught semesters are an integrated part of the Howest Bachelor courses.

Grade Conversion - Howest Grade Distribution Tables

The Howest scores (out of 20 points) can be easily converted to the scores of the sending institution comparing the grade distribution table of the own institution with the Howest one. You can find Howest’s grade distribution table under here, or in the EGRACONS conversion tool, which will perform the conversion automatically for you, if your institution also participates in EGRACONS. We encourage our partners to join us -and many other higher education institutions- in using EGRACONS as a (free of charge) conversion tool. EGRACONS is fully compliant with the guidelines in the ECTS Users’ Guide 2015 and is officially mentioned there as an example of good practice.

Consult the Howest Grade Distribution Table

Partner institutions who don’t use Grade Distribution Tables can find some more information in the definitions below to interpret the Howest scores:

Howest grade on 20 Definition
16/20 up to 20/20 EXCELLENT - outstanding performance with only minor errors
The student has an exceptionally high command of the pursued competence(s)
14/20 &15/20 VERY GOOD - above the average standard but with some errors
The student has a very good command of the pursued competence(s) and distinguishes him/herself
12/20 & 13/20 GOOD - generally sound work with a number of notable errors
The student has a good command of the pursued competence(s)
11/20 SATISFACTORY- fair but with significant shortcomings
The student has an adequate command of the pursued competence(s)
10/20 10/20 is the PASS SCORE > credits are acquired
SUFFICIENT - performance meets the minimum criteria.
The student has acquired sufficient command of the pursued competence(s) in order to function and/or continue studying.
7/20 - 8/20 - 9/20 FAIL - some work required before the credit can be awarded
The student has not yet acquired sufficient command of the pursued competences in order to function and/or continue studying
6/20 and less FAIL - considerable further work is required
The student has not at all acquired sufficient command of the pursued competences