If you are a national from a non-European Union country, you may need a visa to enter Belgian territory. A visa should be applied for at the Belgian Embassy or Consulate well in advance (preferably 90 days before your planned arrival).
For questions regarding visa and related matters, you should contact the Belgian embassy or Belgian consulate in your country or a neighbouring country. Check the contact details of all Belgian embassies and consulates worldwide.
Please note that visa applications are the responsibility of the incoming student.
For more information check the website of Belgian Foreign Affairs.
Need a proof of financial solvency?
The embassy can ask you to proof you have sufficient financial means to cover the costs of your stay in Belgium. More info.
Blocked account procedure
If, in order to obtain the visa, you must submit proof of solvency, it's possible to use the 'blocked account procedure'. This implies that you transfer the appropriate amount of money (for 2024/2025 this amount is 803 €/month + €50 administration fee) to the bank account of PXL, that will in turn forward this amount on a monthly basis to your personal bank account in Belgium. You'll receive a document from us, certifying that we have opened a blocked acount for you, necessary to apply for your visa.
Please be aware that opening a Belgian bank account can take some time.Therefore, we recommend you bring enough money to support yourself during your first weeks in Belgium, as you will only receive your monthly payments once your Belgian account has been opened.
If you cancel your blocked account and you have already provided us with your Belgian bank account, the amount will be refunded to you to that account in euros. Otherwise, the amount will be refunded to the account from which the original transfer was made. Any exchange or transfer fees will be charged to you and will be deducted from the total amount to be refunded.Administrative fees are not refundable. If you cancel your blocked account, your solvency certificate will no longer be valid.
Contact our international office at international@pxl.be (exchange students) or student administration at studievoortgang@pxl.be (degree students) for more information about the procedure.
Proof of your scholarship
You can also provide a document certifying that you have been granted a scholarship, sufficient to cover your expenses (for 2024/2025 this amount is 803€/month).
Students carrying a scholarship issued by a Belgian Authority are exempt from the visa retribution fee. If you receive a sholarship from PXL, the international office can give you a 'Visa exemption form'. If you hand this in with your visa application you don't need to pay the retribution fee for visa applications.
