Study Abroad in Brussels, Belgium

Article and photos by Helena Bond

Important note: Since 2020, the UK no longer participates in the ERASMUS Programme, but does have similar Turing Scheme programmes for citizens of the UK who wish to study, work, and live abroad.

I was recently asked in an interview, “Why Belgium?” to which, with a grin, I shot back the answer, “for the chocolate.” My reply offered time to dwell on a more earnest response such as “seriously though, having taken a module in European politics I was drawn to Brussels as it is at the core of European decision making.” Truthfully, as a young, carefree, and admittedly somewhat naive first-year student, the choice between Rome and Belgium had been difficult. Pizza or waffles? Pasta or chocolate? The allure of chocolate won out.

Now, however, I adore this charming little country (which could fit inside the U.S. 300 times), where some of the most famous “people” are TinTin and Hercule Poirot, and, arguably, their most famed landmark is a fountain of a urinating child. Yet the experience of studying, working, and living in Belgium taught me so much more; it was a passage of enlightenment, taking me from being a naive isolationist to becoming a true European.

Home Base: The University of Exeter in the UK

I chose to attend the University of Exeter as it was the only university in the UK where I could study Economics and Politics and still spend a year abroad. While all other universities required you to study (for example) Economics and Russian or Politics and Portuguese, this course allowed me to combine my passion for the social sciences (not languages) with an opportunity to experience another society and increase my cultural awareness. 

I am fortunate to be one of over 15 million students who has benefited from the Erasmus programme.The European Commission offers each student a grant to increase student mobility within Europe and promote transnational cooperation projects among universities across Europe. While the benefit to the European Union as a whole is unclear as of yet, the experience greatly benefits individuals, who return from their year abroad more confident, independent, and with an enhanced CV.

Vlekho Business School in Brussels

My home university is linked to Vlekho Business School in Brussels — a relatively small business school. Having met people studying at other educational establishments in Belgium, I realize that the business school has positive and negative aspects. As a “hogeschool” it does not have the prestige of other, more esteemed institutions. Yet, it does offer a more friendly and welcoming environment that other higher education organizations may lack. Students must assess what they expect from a university or college and research as much as possible before starting the program. Assume you are seeking a more prominent university in Brussels, for example. In that case, you should ask your home university if you can do an exchange with Universite Libre de Bruxelles, rather than simply accepting your placement at a hogeschool rather than simply accepting your placement at a hogeschool. I was thrilled at Vlekho, where I could take modules involving business management games — a very different approach from the theoretical and conceptual structures I had been taught at Exeter, leaving me with a better and more rounded knowledge base.

Which Language to Learn? French or Flemish?

Once I had decided to move to Brussels, I took up a course at Exeter in Intermediate French (Brussels is 80% Francophone), but, as it turned out, to little avail. Belgium is a small country with an identity crisis — it has three national languages (French, Flemish, and a small minority of German). I thought my year abroad would help increase my language skills. Nevertheless, unfortunately, my preparation and research failed to alert me that Vlekho Business School was indeed a Flemish school and that most students would speak Flemish rather than French. 

Finding a Place to Live in Brussels

Brussels is a large city, over 160 km2 (62 square miles), with a population of approximately 1,080,790, so finding a place to live was daunting. Once again, it is important to research and assess what you are looking for from your accommodations. Some students opted to live with a host family, which gave them a genuinely Belgian experience. In contrast, others rented an apartment (which had the downside of requiring a yearly contract even though we participated in a 9-month program). You can find apartments in newspapers such as Vlan or De Sreekkrant. Another drawback of living in an apartment is that even if it is fully furnished, you must provide your own mattress — something many students had not anticipated and which proved challenging to obtain without access to private transport.

Personally, I opted to live in Quartier Latin, Brussels International Students Center, which had only just opened. As the name implies, it offers accommodations to students from all over the globe. It is a fantastic way to meet new people. The lodging was set in a beautiful building, which was an old bank. Although the center was not wholly finished when I moved in, I saw many improvements throughout my stay, such as the addition of laundry machines and television rooms. The people who ran the center were helpful, and the rent was inexpensive. Being in the center of the city, It was also ideally located. In just a few minutes, you could jog from the center to Brussels Park (Parc de Bruxelles in French or Warandepark in Dutch), the largest urban public park in Brussels — which is bordered by the stunning buildings of the Royal Palace of Brussels, the Belgian Parliament, and the U.S. embassy. In the summer, free parties are organized at the park every weekend.

The author in the Parc de Bruxelles with some friends.

Making the Transition

Initially, I had no Internet connection. In hindsight, this was probably a good thing, as instead of spending spare time in contact with friends at home, I could immerse myself in a new life and concentrate on building new friendships. As I had left my university friends behind to graduate without me, I felt somewhat in limbo — not really part of the University of Exeter anymore, but not quite wholeheartedly throwing myself into this new experience. It is essential to embrace the experience of studying abroad with enthusiasm. Once the initial homesickness wore off, this is what I did.

Studying in Brussels gave me incredible opportunities to meet other students from Europe and Latin America who had come together in this multicultural and cosmopolitan city. You cannot truly understand a nation and its people unless you learn its language(s). When I return to the Benelux, I intend to complete an integration course to live as a Dutch rather than a foreigner. While it was a shame that my language skills did not improve during the year — as the common language between us remained English — there was a reward in that I learned about cultural differences, which shaped my understanding of the world around me. The opportunity to meet so many people from different countries also gave me the chance to confirm or challenge existing stereotypes.

Friends Philippa and Clare came to visit. The author is on the far right. We are standing in front of the Palace of Justice.

Living in Brussels: Practicalities

Whether you are an EU national or not, if you plan on staying in Belgium for more than three months, you must register at the local municipality within eight working days of arriving (usually, this can be done at the local Town Hall). 

When you arrive, setting up a bank account will also be necessary. Be aware that there may be a charge for opening and closing an account, though this might be dropped if you are a student. I banked with ING, as it was just opposite my school. One reason it is so important to have a bank account is that you will find that many stores, parking meters, vending machines, etc.,

For the student, another money saving tip is to register for a yearly travel card (at only 25€), allowing you to really get to see and know the city. However, this card is subsidized by the Flemish government, and therefore is only available for students studying at Flemish universities and hogeschools. Be aware that — as there are only a limited number available — they are only offered to students who are planning to stay in the city for a year, and therefore the station officials are required to see an annual renting contract. There are also only so many obtainable per day, and so it is important to start queuing early. I spent two days getting up at 5.30 a.m. to go to the station to get a ticket; on the third day I simply stayed up all night!

Regardless of the country you move to, you may have many small and seemingly unimportant yet frustrating questions. Discovering the answers to these is all part of the journey, from a rhetorical “Why is nothing open in a capital city on a Sunday?” to “Where oh where can I go to get some ‘proper’ milk?” (for example, if in Brussels try a GB Supermarket).

Studying in Brussels

Unlike those who take a particular course, foreign exchange students have much more freedom to choose their modules, which I was used to, given the nature of U.K. syllabuses. However, I was accustomed to choosing four modules each semester instead of needing to make up 30 credits in many modules, offering as few as two or three credits, as some classes would last as little as four weeks. I started taking Dutch lessons initially, but unfortunately, this clashed with a class I needed to take as it offered more credits. It was challenging for students to ensure that they obtained the correct amount of credits, so fortunately, the tutor at my home university was very accommodating and allowed students to make up the difference with language classes or to take an extra exam after they returned to Exeter. My advice would be: if in doubt, ask questions. It was essential to ensure that my home university was happy with any decisions so that I would fulfill the requirements to pass the year. So, I emailed my home tutor reasonably regularly. However, I found that my best source of information came from fellow students, who were also trying to master the irregularity of their timetables. 

I also found that examinations differed utterly from those taken in the U.K. They ranged from an open book exam where you could take your study materials and notes into the examination to an oral exam where it was imperative to remember all aspects of the course. This variation was reflected in my marks, from 100% for the open book exam to nearly failing the oral. If you are unfamiliar with spoken exams, I suggest practicing with questions from a classmate. My nerves hindered my performance since I had never experienced a spoken examination.

An Internship in Brussels

In my second semester, I completed an internship to provide valuable work experience, which would enhance my employability and offer a chance to experience Brussels from a worker's perspective rather than simply from that of a student. In the first semester, I had settled in, took every opportunity to socialize and create new friendships, and learned about Business Studies from an academic point of view (something which was a pleasant change from the Economics I studied for the past two years). Now, I wanted to experience the business world for myself. 

In the summer before I left for Belgium, I bought the book Live & Work in Belgium, The Netherlands & Luxembourg, which listed some of the major employers in Brussels. As I knew I sought a career within the financial sector, I sent my C.V. and cover letter to one of the large American banks listed in the book to enquire about internships. I also visited my host tutor, who offered contact details for alums from Vlekho working in banking, whom I subsequently contacted. Completing this internship has given me “the edge” when applying for entry-level jobs. In addition to increasing my knowledge of the banking markets and products, it has demonstrated my proactive attitude as I have sought out and undertaken a voluntary internship. 

Work Ethic in Belgium

There appeared to be a different work ethic in Belgium than in the U.K. Lunchtime is a time for socializing and eating, not sitting at your desk. If you are a 9-5 worker, that is what you are. Belgians are recognized as the most productive workers in the E.U., making them very efficient and effective at work. Compared to the hours worked by Brits, the actual hours worked by Belgians are significantly less.

Traveling from Belgium

A significant advantage of living in a small nation such as Belgium is that it allows visiting neighboring countries easily. I took the coach from Brussels to Amsterdam to meet up with a friend, and I also took the train through Germany to Austria to attend my sister’s wedding. Moving so freely between countries has changed my concept of “Europe.” Previously, I had thought of it as separate nations comprising a continent, but when there are no checkpoints on the roads between countries, and by train, you may be in Belgium one minute and Germany the next; it is difficult to physically see where one country ends and another starts. 

Although there is free movement of Europeans between countries, mainland European countries are more united than the U.K. to its counterparts (Editor's note: with BREXIT, far more!). Geographical differences (when cycling in the south of Holland, you do not know when you have passed the border of Belgium) and language differences (English cannot be mistaken for another language in the way that Flemish and Dutch overlap) are less noticeable. This distinction between defined countries blurs even more on the mainland as it uses a single currency. Meanwhile, we obstinate and unyielding Brits continue to use the pound and drive on the “wrong” side of the road. Nevertheless, I now see Britain as part of Europe rather than simply as part of an open trade market. Having been born in the U.K., I consider myself fortunate to be able to have the opportunity and freedom to live and work in a continent that offers such a diverse variety of cultures — from the friendly and laid-back “siesta then fiesta” southern Europeans to the generally shy and more introverted northern Europeans. I began my journey of a year abroad as an uninformed and naïve student who thought she was “going to live in Europe for a year.” Now, I consider myself a European with a greater global awareness. 

I went to Belgium knowing only of its chocolates, waffles, beer, and TinTin. The country does encompass these things, but it is also so much more. Brussels radiates a calm sense of craziness, where visitors go on pilgrimages to seek out a statue of a boy that urinates, where cartoon characters line its walls, and fully grown men read comic strips on their way to work, and where the citizen’s jobs require them to debate how straight a banana may be or to deliberate what constitutes butter. This eccentric city expanded my understanding of the world around me, broadened my horizons, and taught me to be more socially accepting (in my final year at university, I mentored incoming Erasmus students).  Brussels is the political heart of Europe, and while there, I learned to better define my own. 

Helena Bond graduated from The University of Exeter with a degree in Economics and Politics. She both studied and interned during her year abroad in Brussels.