Employment conditions

Your relevant work experience with previous employers can be taken into account to determine your salary. The salary scales are mentioned in the offer with the vacancy text, and can be found below. As you can see, the salary does definitely grow. Your career can also advance, which can give you another financial push.

Good to know: in Belgium we have a system of wage indexation. Wages are linked to an index representing the cost of living, so that they are automatically adjusted up or down as that rises. This increase is implemented to ensure that employees maintain their purchasing power despite inflation.

You are entitled to this bonus if you were employed before October of the current year.

The bonus is calculated from your November salary, the regime and the number of months worked from January to September. The percentage is between 59% and 80%.

As in most companies, you will also have holiday pay. This amounts to 92% of your gross pay. You are entitled to additional holiday pay if you have not accrued your full entitlement (for example, if you worked for the government, are at the start of your career or are self-employed).

Belgian pensions are financed by three pillars. 

• First pillar : the legal pension funding, financed by the standard social security contributions of every working individual, is guaranteed for every worker and provides a basic pension.
• The second pillar : it concerns a supplementary pension funding that is partly or entirely financed by the employer. If you are employed as 'administrative and technical staff member' or 'scientific & pedagogical staff member', VUB saves this tidy monthly sum for you, which you receive at retirement age; it also covers the risk of death, meaning that if you would not live up to your pension date, the company provides an important sum. Our group insurance is so advantageous that it rivals that of a public official. To build up this supplementary pension, monthly contributions are paid by VUB to AG Insurance.
• The third pillar: voluntarily pension funding, implies that you as an individual will save up for your pension at your bank or insurance company.

Travelling by train, bus, metro or tram? We will pay for your public transport. The formula we use depends on your situation (e.g. flex-train subscription for hybrid workers, Brupass for Brussels residents).

We also provide free parking on campus.

Do you commute (part of the way) to work by bike? You are entitled to a bicycle allowance of €0.35 per kilometer, for which you can apply once a year.

Doctors, dentists and specialists? You'll find them on or around our VUB campuses.

More info on services on the VUB campus can be found here

Health Coverage

In Belgium we offer guaranteed access to health coverage. You can profit from health coverage under the Belgian healthcare system, meaning any medical care you receive is eligible for reimbursement.  

In Belgium, this compulsory insurance is a nearly universal system of basic insurance coverage that covers a large part of your medical expenses.  

It covers a large share of people’s healthcare costs, such as a doctor’s visit, hospitalisation (operations, treatments) and certain other medical services. The payment of various benefits (sickness, incapacity for work, maternity, etc.) is also included.  

This compulsory insurance is financed by social security contributions and the state and you only pay a small amount per year. It is also applicable to your family. 

VUB Hospitalisation Insurance

On top of the above, everyone with an employment contract or a scholarship agreement is automatically insured starting their 1st workday. You do not have to do anything.

This  ‘hospitalisation insurance’, covers the following:

• hospitalisation costs;
• costs linked to outpatient treatment of serious illnesses (UZ Brussel and VUB services);
• outpatient concerns (UZ Brussel and VUB services).

This insurance is cost-free for staff members themselves. It is possible for family members to pay to join, children at a reduced rate of 5.5 euros per child and 11 euros per adult. You can continue the insurance after retirement.

Guaranteed income insurance: 

We also support you financially in the case of illness (for 'administrative and technical staff member' and 'scientific & pedagogical staff): after the first 30 days of guaranteed pay, you can rely on a benefit from the health insurance fund with a supplement from the insurance, meaning that you will receive up to 75% of your salary.

Outpatient care costs are reimbursed at the rate of of 250 euros per affiliated member for all consultations with doctors or dentists on our campuses or at polyclinics affiliated with UZ Brussel, Kinetics, group practice, etc.

In November, a free flu shot is available at the Ixelles or Jette campus, with no need to take leave.

Meals at a competitive rate

See what's available

Depending on your degree/grade, you will pay between 4.1 and 6.3 euros for soup, main course, salad bar and dessert.

Highly discounted sports options, such as a preferential rate on a BasicFit subscription. You can enjoy the swimming pool on campus, preferential rates on the sports facilities and an interesting sports offer at reduced rates on campus.

Read more about sports at VUB

We promote working from home wherever teams allow this. Most of our staff work half of their time from home, up to 3 days a week. It makes sense to us to work in confidence with a focus on staying connected. Home workers receive a home working allowance of 60 euros net. If you cannot work from home, you are entitled to an internet allowance.

Workation? Perfectly possible! If your position allows it, and following the approval of your manager you can work from your vacation spot (in Europe) up to 30 calendar days a year.

Based on one full year of full-time work, you will enjoy 35 days of leave and 3 extra days off. We also close between Christmas and the New Year.

In Belgium, you also have 10 festive days, they are also paid (some of them fall within the closure period of VUB).

We offer tax-deductible Sports and Project Camps for the children of our employees (from 3 to 15 years of age) on the campus in Ixelles and Jette, in the Easter and summer holidays. VUB gives employees a discount of 8 euro per day.

Near the campus in Ixelles and on the campus in Jette, there is a day care centre offering places to VUB staff members. However, the day care itself is not free of charge and a free spot is not guaranteed.

Read more about VUB child day care here

We provide ecocheques worth €240 per year worked (for full-time employees).

VUB Benefits at Work is the benefits platform for VUB employees, a user-friendly app with an extensive range of selected employee discounts. Well-known brands and popular theme parks make every effort to offer their products and services on exceptionally good terms.