Application procedure
You can submit an application for the academic year 2026-2027 starting June 2, 2026 up to and including June 1, 2027.
The request procedure can only be done online on the website of the Department of Study grants (‘Studietoelagen – afdeling Toelagen en Erkenningen’).
You will have to log in and make an online profile to start your request. Once this is done, the Department of Study grants will send you an email requesting to complete the data in your online application. You will have to answer a number of questions to clarify your situation.
At the same time you can also upload any requested documents (e.g. the rental contract of your student accommodation, proof of income, …).
With this information the Department of Study grants will be able to check if you are eligible for a study grants and if so, they can calculate the amount of the study grants based on the income.
In order to log in and make an online profile to start your file or to follow up your file afterwards, you will need an e-ID card reader and the pin code of your ID card/Belgian residence permit card or you can log in with the ‘itsme’ application once it’s been downloaded and activated on your smartphone. European citizens can also log in through eIDAS.
Alternatively you can schedule an online appointment and get direct help from the staff of the Department of Study grants.
Note! The website is in Dutch, but once you have logged in online, you can change the language to English.
If you need help filing your application, consult the Social Services’ office of your campus/Office for Student Affairs.
Conditions for a study grant
You must fulfill all 4 conditions in order to receive a study grant from the Flemish Community: nationality conditions, age condition, pedagogical conditions and financial conditions.
If you meet all the conditions, you are eligible for a study grant as well as a reduction of the tuition fee.
Nationality conditions
You fulfill the nationality conditions if, on December 31, 2026, you have the Belgian nationality or you belong to one of these categories:
You are an EU national
You are a citizen of an EU member state on December 31, 2026
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- and you have been living in Belgium uninterruptedly for 5 consecutive years;
- or your parents and/or you are EEA nationals, with additional conditions.
Your parents or you are EEA nationals
Your parent(s) are nationals of a member state of the European Economic Area and on December 31, 2026 one of them is working or has worked in Belgium:
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- as an employee: with an employment contract of at least 32 hours/month for a period of at least 12 months during 2 years. The 12-month period does not have to be continuous.
- as a self-employed person: one of your parents is/has been registered in the “Kruispuntbank van Ondernemeningen/Banque-Carrefour des Entreprises” or in the “Handelsregister” for at least two years.
You are an EEA national and you work or have worked in Belgium:
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- as an employee: you have been working in Belgium for at least 12 months with an employment contract of at least 32 hours/month. The 12-month period does not have to be continuous, but must fall within a 2-year period preceding December 31, 2026.
- as a self-employed person: you have been registered in the “Kruispuntbank van Ondernemeningen/Banque-Carrefour des Entreprises” or in the “Handelsregister” for at least two years on December 31, 2026.
You belong to another category
You fulfill the nationality conditions if you belong to one of the categories below on December 31, 2026:
- You have a permanent residence permit for Belgium.
- You are a recognized refugee in Belgium.
- You are a victim of human trafficking and you have an attestation from a specialized reception center (vzw Payoke in Flanders, vzw Pagasa in Brussels Capital Region or vzw Sürya in Wallonia).
- You are the beneficiary of ‘subsidiary protection’: this means that you are entitled to reside in Belgium for a certain period of time due to a real threat to your life in your country of origin.
- You are a non-EEA national and you have been residing legally and continuously in Belgium for at least 12 months. Your residence permit was not granted in order to study or work in Belgium and you are currently not in an asylum procedure.
- You have a residence permit as a result of family reunification:
- with a Belgian national;
- or with someone who meets one of the above-mentioned criteria;
- or with someone who has been legally residing in Belgium for at least 12 months on December 31, 2026 in order to study or work in Belgium and who is not currently in an asylum procedure.
- For the academic year 2026-2027 there is an extension of the nationality conditions for students coming from Ukraine. You fulfill the nationality conditions if you have the statute of ’temporary protection’ on December 31, 2026.
Age condition
You are only eligible for a study grant if you are younger than 30 years old on December 31 of the calendar year in which the academic year starts.
Anyone born in 1996 or earlier will already be 30 years old or older on December 31, 2026, and will therefore no longer be eligible for a study grant.
If you receive a negative decision due to the age requirement, you may request an exception from the Department of Study Grants.
To do so, you must demonstrate that, from age 18 up to and including age 30, you were unable to start or complete higher education each year due to exceptional circumstances or circumstances beyond your control.
Are you a jobseeker following a recognized full-time daytime training program through VDAB to obtain a diploma or certificate for a shortage occupation (OKOT student)? In that case, you are not eligible for an exception.
This is because VDAB already provides financial support in such situations.
For more information about these pathways, see: “Obtain your diploma (VDAB)”.
Pedagogical conditions
You fulfill the pedagogical conditions if you are enrolled for at least 54 credits with a degree contract (diploma contract) for a study program which is officially recognized by the Flemish Community.
Exceptions may apply to your situation. Contact the Social Services’ office of your campus/Office for Student Affairs of your campus for more information about the possible exceptions.
Credits that you register for with a credit or exam contract are not valid for the study grant.
In case you change your registration during the academic year, this may have consequences for your study grant.
You can receive a study grant for 2 Graduate’s programs, 2 Bachelor’s programs, 1 initial Master’s program, 1 Bridging program, 1 Preparatory program and 1 extra Educational Graduate’s, Bachelor’s or Master’s degree. If you already obtained 3 Graduate’s or 3 Bachelor’s or 2 Master’s, you cannot obtain a study grant for an additional Educational Graduate, Bachelor or Master’s.
If you have already obtained a Master degree (in Belgium or abroad) it is not possible to request a study grant for a second Master’s degree (unless this is an educational master).
If you combine a basic program with further training (e.g. Advanced Master, PhD) you will only receive a study grant for credits in the degree year of the basic study program. The Department of Study grants (Grants and Recognition Department) takes into account your entire study history, regardless of whether you have received a study grant in the past.
Financial conditions
If the yearly income, of the family you belong to, does not exceed a specific income limit, you are entitled to a study grant.
Normally, the income of the second calendar year before the year of application will be taken into account. This means that for the academic year 2026-2027 the income of 2024 will be evaluated for the calculation of the study grant. If you indicate on the application form that the family income has decreased since 2024, the estimated income of calendar year 2026 will be taken into account for the calculation. However, in case of a recent change in your family situation (e.g. divorce or death of one of your parents), the income of the year with the changed family situation will be taken into account (2024, 2025 or 2026).
If you are married or if you have been financially independent for some time, the calculation may be based on your own income and/or the income of your partner.
Note! You will have to have earned a minimum amount in order to be considered as an ‘independent’ student.
Contact the Social Services’ office of your campus/Office for Student Affairs of your campus for more information on the financial conditions that must be fulfilled in order to be eligible for a study grant of the Flemish Community.
Amount of the study grant
The study grant is a one-off payment valid for 1 academic year.
The amount varies and depends on the family income, whether you rent student accommodation or not, the number of credits for which you are registered and your study history.
For 2026-2027 the study grant amounts to minimum € 343.20 and maximum € 5,311.19 for a student who rents a student accommodation (contract of minimum 8 months for a whole academic year and 4 months with a registration for 1 semester). For students who live with their parents (not in a student accommodation) the maximum amount is € 3,187.74.
An advanced payment on your study grant
It can take up to several months before you receive the study grant from the Flemish Community. Therefore, you can apply for an interest-free advance on your study grant at the Social Services’ office of your campus/Office for Student Affairs.
Reduction of the tuition fee
If you receive a study grant from the Flemish Community, you are entitled to pay the reduced tuition fee of € 139.40.
This also applies when you fulfill the nationality and financial conditions for a study grant, but not the other conditions.
The reduced tuition fee will be granted automatically once your application for a study grant of the Flemish Community has been processed.
If you exceed the maximum income limit with less than € 4,081 or you do not receive a study grant because you or your parents own a second real estate property, you may be entitled to pay a partially reduced tuition fee under certain restricted conditions, which you have to ask at the Social Services’ office of your campus/Office for Student Affairs.
More information
- at the Social Services’ office of your campus/Office for Student Affairs
- De Dienst Studietoelagen (Department of Study grant, once you are logged in online > you can change the language to English)
Frequently asked questions
What is a study grant from the Flemish Community?
A grant to support students with limited financial resources studying in recognized Flemish higher education institutions. To qualify for a study grant, you must meet several conditions f.e. the nationality requirements.
How can I apply for a study grant of the Flemish Community?
You can apply for a study grant (studietoelage) for the academic year 2026-2027 starting June 2, 2026 up to and including June 1, 2027 via the e-portal of the service of Study grants.
In order to log in and make an online profile to start your file or to follow up your file afterwards, you will need an e-ID card reader and the pin code of your ID card/Belgian residence permit card or you can log in with the ‘itsme’ application once it’s been downloaded and activated on your smartphone. European citizens can also log in through eIDAS.
Alternatively you can schedule an online appointment and get direct help from the staff of the Department of Study grants.
Am I eligible for a study grant from the Flemish Community?
You can consult the criteria under the topic “study grant from the Flemish Community.” For advice tailored to your personal situation, it’s best to contact the Social Services/Office for Student Affairs at your educational institution. They can assist you in applying for a study grant and help you with an advance payment on your study grant if needed.