- Founded in 1425, KU Leuven has been a center of learning for almost six centuries
- Research-intensive, internationally oriented university that consistently ranks in the top 100 universities worldwide
- Main campus located in Leuven - a lively student city 20 minutes east of Brussels
- Students can choose to study at the Leuven, Brussels or Antwerp campus
- 50,000 students
Visa + Requirements|Travel advice + advisories
Partner university’s areas of study
- Courses taught in Dutch and English in both undergraduate and graduate programs
- Leuven Language Institute offers Dutch language courses
Eligibility and Timing
Terms Offered
Who can go?
- Only Commerce students (Vancouver) may study at the KU Leuven Faculty of Economics and Business
- Arts, LFS and Forestry students may study in the Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Bioscience
Term Dates
- Semester 1: mid-September to end-January (exams in January can sometimes be written by distance)
- Semester 2: Early February to early July
Timing
- Students on exchange in term 1 may be able to write some exams in December
- Exams not available in December may sometimes be written in January at UBC
- Coordination of invigilation and any related costs are the responsibility of the student (please contact Go Global at least 4 weeks before the exam)
Credits
Course equivalency formula
- ECTS credits divided by 2 = UBC credits
Credit transfer process
The transfer credit process takes approximately 16 weeks following each submission deadline. You should allow sufficient time to meet important deadlines that may affect you (e.g. application for graduation, registration in courses that require prerequisites that you took on exchange, entry to a major/honours program, etc.)
For more information about Go Global transfer credit
Grading scheme
- Minumum: 0
- Maximum: 20
Passing grade
11-OctCourse Information
* Students who have special requirements or require academic accommodation should contact a Go Global advisor regarding their needs at least six weeks prior to the application deadline.
Type of Go Global Experiences
Course information and restrictions
- ARTS students may participate in PECS Program, and may also enroll in non-PECS courses, and choose from any of the 3 campuses
- LFS and Forestry students may study in the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering and Arts
- Study in the Faculty of Economics & Business (FEB) is open to COMM students only
- COMM students may also choose from the main campus (Leuven), Antwerp or Brussels:https://feb.kuleuven.be/eng/international/information-package/courses
- Leuven: Courses in economics and finance tend to be very analytical (bachelor students should be well versed in mathematics/statistics)
- Antwerp and Brussels: Courses have a more hands-on approach, with slightly less focus on quantitative skills and slightly more on management skills
- Antwerp: Undergraduate and Graduate (Master of Science in Business Administration) programs available for incoming exchange students
- Brussels: English-taught Bachelor and Master of Science in Business Administration, an English-taught Master of Science in Business Engineering as well as a MSc in International Business Economics and Management
Full course load information
- Minimum: 27 ECTS per semester
- Maximum: 33 ECTS per semester
Transfer Credits And Equivalent Courses At This University
Check out the courses that previous students have transferred back to UBC in the last 5 years using our Course Search Tool. If you don't see a particular course you listed, it simply means you need to submit it as a new course request through the Transfer Credit Portal while on your Go Global experience. For more information, please visit the Go Global Transfer Credit webpage.
Exchange Tuition
- 15 credits or equivalent full-time program fee per term, paid to UBC
- For summer programs, tuition and other fees, aside from the application fee, are paid directly to the partner
- Some exceptions may apply
Scholarships and awards
The Go Global Award $1000
All students accepted to Go Global for Exchange, Research Abroad, or Study Abroad travel programs are automatically considered for this award. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you'll be notified of your award after you're accepted to Go Global and after you get nominated to apply to the partner university.
Additional awards
Students who are eligible for awards may receive one UBC or UBC-affiliated international learning award. If you're eligible, you are always offered the highest-value award. Unless stated otherwise, you need to meet eligibility criteria set out by the University Senate regarding awards.
Check out international learning awards and eligibility.
Information for US students:
If you are a student from the United States, please check the US Department of Education Lookup Tool to ensure that any partner institution you wish to attend on Exchange is Title IV ‘eligible’ for Federal Student Aid for the year in which you intend to study there. For institutions outside of the US, select “Foreign Country” from the “State” dropdown menu.
If you attend an eligible institution, then you may receive Title IV federal student loans while on Exchange.
If you attend an ineligible institution:
- You will not be eligible for US federal student loans,
- You may invalidate any US student aid you have previously received for your studies at UBC,
- You may be required to immediately begin repaying your US student loans, and
- You may not be eligible for any future US student aid for the remainder of your studies at UBC.
Types of accommodation available
Housing notes
- The majority of exchange students rent in the private housing market
- University residence rooms and private residence halls rooms are available in Leuven, but space is not guaranteed
- Students often live in Leuven, even if commuting to the Brussels (20 min away) or Antwerp campus (45 min away)