Student visa and administrative steps
Procedures depend on your nationality. The good news: the CAD secretariat assists you at every step once your admission is confirmed.
- 8 days
- To register at the town hall
- 2 – 3 months
- Non-EU visa procedure
- Type D
- Long-stay student visa
© iMahesh · CC BY-SA 4.001
EU, EEA and Swiss students
If you are a citizen of an EU country, the European Economic Area or Switzerland, you do not need a visa to study in Belgium. The procedures are simple.
- 1Arrive in Belgium with your valid ID or passport.
- 2Within 8 days of arrival, present yourself at the town hall of your place of residence (Uccle for CAD if you live nearby).
- 3Bring your CAD enrolment certificate, passport, proof of housing, proof of financial means and 3 ID photos.
- 4You will receive a registration certificate, then an E card (temporary residence) after a few weeks.
02
Non-EU students
If you are not an EU national, you must apply for a type D student visa (long stay) before you leave, at the Belgian embassy or consulate responsible for your place of residence. Applications are often handled by an appointed service provider (VFS Global or TLS Contact), which explains the procedure on its website. Allow 2 to 3 months for the full process.
Find the Belgian embassy or consulate ↗
Before you leave
Documents to prepare
- Final enrolment certificate from CAD and proof of full payment of tuition fees
- Valid passport
- Secondary school diploma with a minimum average of 13/20 (or 65%), and transcript of your final year
- Any diploma or certificate obtained after secondary school
- Proof of at least B2 level in English (IELTS, TOEFL…), issued by an approved official body
- Detailed statement of your academic and professional plans: how your background, your CAD programme and your career goals fit together, and why this programme in Belgium
- Medical certificate
- Criminal record extract less than 6 months old
- Health insurance covering all risks in Belgium for the whole stay
- Legalised parental authorisation, if you are under 18
- Proof of payment of the visa fee, if applicable
Means of subsistence
€12,744
for 2026-2027
The Belgian authorities require proof that you have this amount for the whole academic year, only through a deposit into a blocked account in your name. The Immigration Office currently accepts only irrevocable transfer certificates (AVI) issued by Studely or Ready Study Go International.
03
Healthcare and social security
€0 – 60
per year for a student mutuelle
In Belgium, registering with a mutuelle (health insurance fund) is mandatory to access healthcare reimbursements. The main mutuelles open to students are Solidaris, Mutualité chrétienne and Partenamut.
EHIC
for EU students
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) remains valid in Belgium for the first year.
04
CAD's support
Once your admission is confirmed, the secretariat sends you a personalised checklist based on your nationality, provides the official certificates on time, and stays reachable by email for any administrative question throughout the process.
The other guides
© Donarreiskoffer · CC BY-SA 4.0Guide 01
Housing in Brussels
Student room (kot), studio, shared flat: where to search, what to pay, best neighbourhoods near the CAD campus in Uccle.
Read the housing guide →
© Sjenghai · CC BY 4.0Guide 03
Daily life and budget
STIB transport, cycling, groceries, going out, healthcare. How much to budget per month to live comfortably.
Read the daily life guide →
Secretariat
A question about your arrival?
Once your admission is confirmed, the secretariat helps you with visa, housing, town hall and bank.
Contact the secretariat