Skip to main content

Go to the internationalisation coordinator of your Howest department on the agreed day and time. You will have received an email informing you about the exact time of the welcome session for international students at your campus before your arrival. The coordinator will help you with your registration at the student administration office. For those students who arrive way before the agreed day and time, please make an appointment with the administrative support officer of your campus. You find her email address on the contact page.

Formalities to be completed at Howest

  • student card application (don’t forget a passport photo!)
  • filling in of the online “local contact data & emergency” tool
  • practical arrangements such as log-in data, electronic learning platform, schedule etc.
  • put money on your student card. Howest has cashless campuses so you will need this to print, make photocopies or buy lunch, coffee or drinks.

Registration at the local register office (City Hall)

Within the first 8 days of your stay you have to present yourself at the City Register Office, if you are staying longer than three months in Belgium. For non EU students in Kortrijk, Howest will arrange you a registration appointment at the city hall (normally during the Orientation Week).

What to bring:

  • your identity card/passport + visa
  • your address during your study period at Howest
  • 3 to 4 passport photos, depending on the town you will be staying in
  • For EU citizens: the residence document costs in Kortrijk €17,70, in Bruges €19,20
  • For non-EU citizens: the residence document costs in Kortrijk €18,20, in Bruges €19,70

(your campus international coordinator will inform you of other requirements)

Next steps:

After you have been registered, the policeman on the beat will come around to check whether you really live at the given address. The town services will invite you then for a second visit.

After completing all these formalities you will receive your residence permit. Students who needed a Visa to enter Belgium, are usually not allowed to enter Belgium a second time without having received their residence permit first! So do not leave Belgium (if you want to come back) unless you are absolutely sure that you have the right residence permit which allows you to come back in.

Don’t forget to deregister at the same register office about one week before you leave!