Academic Calendar When does the academic year start? When are the exams? What are the holidays in Belgium? Here you can find the full Howest calendar for this academic year: Check out the calendar Welcome days for English-taught degree programmes During the welcome days, you will receive information about your schedule, the academic and exam regulations, student services, your Howest email account, etc. You will also meet your new classmates, explore the Howest campus and learn about all that Stuvo (student services) has to offer. You will have the opportunity to purchase your books and we will make a number of practical arrangements to get the year off to a good start. Orientation Week for exchange semesters 6 reasons not to miss Orientation Week Cost for Orientation Week Dates of the Orientation Week 6 reasons not to miss Orientation Week We organise a full Orientation Week before the start of actual lessons. During Orientation Week, there are often kick-off activities per study programme. We strongly recommend attending the complete Orientation & Kick-off Week so you can: meet other incoming and local students through various fun activities get to know the Howest campus(es) where you will spend your semester/year explore Bruges and Kortrijk together with our local students discover Belgian cultural treasures through student-friendly sightseeing trips to beautiful cities like Ghent, Antwerp, and Brussels receive loads of practical tips from students and staff that will help you prepare for your time at Howest and life in your student room get set up on the Howest IT systems before classes begin Cost for Orientation Week Howest does not charge a participation fee for Orientation Week. However, students do need to pay their own expenses, such as train trips, entrance fees and their own food & drinks. Prices are kept as low as possible, 100 euro total is what we aim for. The price for Orientation Week in 2023-2024 (for under 26y) was about €60 for train tickets and €40 for excursions. These fees must be paid in cash at the start of Orientation Week. Dates for Orientation Week Autumn Semester: 16 – 20 September 2024 Spring Semester: 3 – 8 February 2025 Visa requirements Students from countries outside the European Economic Area must request a valid visa to study in Belgium.Students who come to Belgium without a valid Belgian student visa, cannot enrol officially at Howest.Keep in mind that it takes at least 6-8 weeks to get a student visa.Degree-seeking students will have to provide proof that they have a valid visa in order to finalise their enrolment. A stamped visa will also be required for their city hall application in order to obtain a Belgian residence permit.Read more about visa requirements for degree-seeking studentsRead more about visa requirements for exchange studentsPlease note that Howest is a public institution. Accommodation Howest Students Affairs (Stuvo) will help you find suitable accommodation. As soon as your application has been approved by Howest, go to Stuvo’s website and you will find specific information regarding the housing possibilities Howest helps facilitate for internationals students, and about how to rent one of these rooms. A student room in Bruges will typically cost you between €300 and €550 per month, costs included; a studio flat between €450 and €600. A student room in Kortrijk will generally cost you between €350 and €550 per month, costs included. The sooner you apply and start the accommodation procedures, the higher your chances to get a room that comes up to your expectations. Howest cannot offer ‘emergency housing assistance’ upon arrival. Check Stuvo’s housing brochure with tips Next to housing Student Affairs are also the ones to contact for all the things that can make your life as a student more comfortable. Think about mobility, sports, … You will hear all about it during the Orientation Week preceding your semester at Howest. Paying on campus Howest has cashless campuses. This means that, in the restaurants, shops and at vending machines, you can pay with your Howest student card, which you will receive during the welcome activities. You can (re)charge your student card online or on campus with all common debit and credit cards.Check our how to video!