Overview

Bachelor and Master programmes
PhD and Postgraduate
Upload documents or send them in later
Overview required documents
Translating documents

Bachelor programmes

Students with an equivalent secondary degree

Check the list of equivalent secondary school certificates

  • ID card (front and back) or passport
  • Recent picture
  • High school diploma* (or, if you are in your final year, an enrolment certificate including the expected date of graduation and the official title of the diploma you will obtain)
  • Transcript of records*
  • Proof of language proficiency (if applicable)

* we need the original as well as a certified translation if these documents are not in English, Dutch, French or German.

Students with a different secondary degree 

Not in the list of equivalent secondary degrees (see above)

Chinese citizens
Dutch citizens
  • all of the documents mentioned above  +
  • If possible: Digital DUO certificate of your diploma ("Uittreksel Diploma") - this may replace the regular diploma document

(Advanced) Master programmes

General required documents
  • ID card (front and back) or passport
  • Recent picture
  • Higher Education diploma* (or,if you are in your final year, an enrolment certificate including the expected date of graduation and the official title of the diploma you will obtain)
  • Transcript of records*
  • Proof of language proficiency (if applicable)

* we need the original as well as a certified translation if these documents are not in English, Dutch, French or German.

Extra documents for each programme

(check your programme's admission requirements to see if this applies to you)

Chinese citizens
Dutch citizens
  • all of the documents mentioned above  +
  • Digital DUO certificate of your diploma ("Uittreksel Diploma") - this may replace the regular diploma document

PhD Doctorate

Graduated from a non-Flemish institution?
  • ID card (front and back) or passport
  • Recent picture
  • Research topic and research proposal
  • Document 'Application form Registration PhD' 
  • CV
  • Diploma + transcripts of records*
  • If you are applying for a joint PhD, please mention this in the application form.

* we need the original as well as a certified translation if these documents are not in English, Dutch, French or German.

Graduated from a Flemish institution after 2004?
  • PhD application form (please note that the approval of the faculty is based on your research topic/proposal. This is another document which you need to fill out. Contact your faculty secretariat or your supervisor for more information).
  • To use the correct terminology concerning the name of your doctoral degree, please consult annex 1 of the Doctoral Regulations. In case you wish to start an interdisciplinary doctorate, please contact our PhD department in order to add the right designation.
  • After the document is signed by your faculty and supervisor, you can enrol as a PhD student.

Postgraduate

EEA citizens
  • ID card (front and back) or passport
  • Recent picture
  • Higher Education diploma* (or,if you are in your final year, an enrolment certificate including the expected date of graduation and the official title of the diploma you will obtain)
  • Transcript of records*
  • Proof of language proficiency (if applicable)

* we need the original as well as a certified translation if these documents are not in English, Dutch, French or German.

Non-EEA citizens
Chinese citizens
Dutch citizens
  • all of the documents mentioned above  +
  • Digital DUO certificate of your diploma ("Uittreksel Diploma") - this may replace the regular diploma document

Adding documents later

During the application process there are several documents to be uploaded. Not everyone needs every document to apply.

Add missing documents after your application

Have you already submitted your application, but do you still wish to add documents? E-mail them to admissions@vub.be and mention your full name and date of birth, so we can add them to your file. The sooner we have all your documents, the quicker we can process your application.

It's also possible to upload extra documents in your application after you've submitted it, but our administration isn't notified of these changes. So it's better to send in all missing documents via e-mail. That way you're sure they will be added to your file correctly.
E-mail admissions@vub.be

Make sure all required documents are sent in before the application deadline. The only documents allowed to be sent in after the deadline are your proof of language proficiency and the APS certificate (if applicable).

2022_Studente stopt documenten in een enveloppe_S_321712487.

Overview documents

Find out which documents you need to apply and what each one means. Not everyone needs every document to apply.

Proof alternative education

This means you applied for evening classes. This document is integrated in your application file and is not compulsory. 

You may ignore this item.

Valid scholarship certificate

If you applied for a scholarship via VLIR or BTC please provide us with a proof that the scholarship has been granted to you. Student who get a scholarship from the Flemish government don't need to provide any extra documents.

Only for VLIR, BTC, OAS, etc students.

Special requirements

This refers to the following documents some students need to provide:

Credit contract / Exam contract

Without this document your application will not be processed.

*Most students are enrolled with a regular 'diploma contract' and don't need to provide this document. 

Diploma Higher Education

We require your bachelor and/or master diploma if you applied for a master, advanced master, postgraduate or PhD programme. If you have not obtained your diploma yet please provide us with a graduation certificate or an enrollment certificate.

Diploma secondary education

We require your high school diploma if you applied for a bachelor programme. If you apply for a master, advanced master, postgraduate or PhD programme, you may add this to strengthen your application but this is not compulsory.

Application form enrolment PhD

If you are a PhD applicant, you need to provide us with an ‘application form enrolment PhD’. Without this document your application can’t be screened.

Application form enrolment PhD with a Belgian diploma 
Application form enrolment PhD with a foreign diploma

Are you applying with a Flemish diploma? Have your Dean sign the application form, to be able to skip the faculty screening.

Photograph

We need your picture to verify your identity. We also use it to create your student card once you enrol.

Learning agreement / Guest

Guest students should not register the regular way, but follow this procedure.

Health Insurance

Only for foreign students. If you already have a European Health Insurance card please add this document to your file. If not, no worries. Your file will be processed without it. Please note however that it is mandatory to be covered by health insurance during your stay in Belgium.

Proof of identity

We need your ID card or passport to verify your identity. We cannot process your application without this document. 

Proof of statute / Non EEA students

Are you a non-EEA citizen with a valid residence permit for Belgium? Then please add it to your file.
If not you may ignore this item. Please note that you will need to provide proof that you can legally stay in the country upon entering Belgium.

Proof bilateral agreements

You may ignore this document. Due to changes in the application process this document is no longer required.

Combined enrolment

You may ignore this document. Due to changes in the application process this document is no longer required.

Reference letter
  • There is no reference letter required for the Master of Management and Communication Studies
  • If you apply for a science program (Biology, Geography, etc) this must be written by an academic
  • For other programmes it's best to have this written by someone who was your superior or mentor in an academical or professional context (teacher, employer, supervisor,...).

Template (optional)

Proof language proficiency

Every student must prove sufficient language skills, unless they already have a degree in the language of instruction. This also goes for EEA students.
Language requirements and how to prove sufficient skills 

No valid proof yet? No problem: the faculty can already screen your file without this, but we need this proof before we can give you an acceptance letter. Conditional acceptance letters are not provided without the proof of language proficiency.

Translating documents

Documents don't need to be translated if they are available in English, Dutch, French or German.

Of documents in other languages, we will need the original as well as a certified or sworn translation. Certified or sworn translations are the work of professional translators who have taken an oath before the court. These certified translators sign and apply their stamp to the translation, the so-called "certification". They also include a declaration of certification to officialize the translation.

Documents don't need to be legalised for your application.