Higher education

Higher education in the Flemish-language region consists of:

• university education; and
• non-university education.

It is offered by different types of higher education institutions.

University education in the Flemish-language region follows a bachelor's-master's structure. This means that students enrol in a bachelor’s degree programme when they first start studying at a university. Flemish universities offer only academic bachelor’s degree programmes and master’s degree programmes.

Students can obtain the following degrees:

• Bachelor via an academic bachelor’s degree programme
• Master via a master’s degree programme
• Master via a master after master's degree programme
• Doctor/PhD

The main objective of academic bachelor’s degree programmes (academisch gerichte bachelor) is to prepare students for a master’s degree programme.

• Duration: 3 years (at least 180 ECTS).
• Content: scientific education and research, occasionally including an internship of several months depending on the specialisation.
• Admission requirements: the Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs, which may be followed by an entrance examination or a preparation programme (for students who do not hold a diploma that grants immediate admission). The Flemish government provides more information about the admission requirements for study programmes in higher education.
• Diploma: Bachelor.

The master’s degree programme is based on academic research and leads to a Master.

• Duration: 1 or 2 years (60 or 120 ECTS). Exceptions: (veterinary) medicine, 3 years (180 ECTS).
• Content: academic education, research and a thesis (15 to 30 ECTS), occasionally including a work placement of several months depending on the specialisation.
• Admission requirements: a bachelor obtained after an academic bachelor’s degree programme or a relevant master’s diploma, which may be followed by an entrance examination or a preparation/transition programme. A transition programme applies for students with a bachelor obtained after a professional bachelor’s degree programme. The Flemish government provides more information about the admission requirements for study programmes in higher education.
• Diploma: Master.

After obtaining their Master, students may elect to study a master after master's (master na master) degree programme to specialise further in their field.

• Duration: 1 or 2 years (60 or 120 ECTS).
• Content: research and a thesis (15 to 30 ECTS), occasionally including a work placement of several months depending on the specialisation.
• Admission requirements: a relevant Master.
• Diploma: Master.

Exception: master comparable to an HBO master's degree

As forementioned, a master's degree in the Flemish-language region is comparable to a master's degree in Dutch academic education (WO). But the content of some Flemish master's degree programmes are more similar to Dutch HBO master's degree programmes, for example in the field of visual arts or music. In those cases, the master's degree is comparable to a master's in higher professional education.

• Duration: 4 years.
• Content: academic research, writing and defending a thesis.
• Admission requirements: a master's degree, possibly other requirements. There is an admission procedure for candidates who do not hold a master’s degree.
• Diploma: Doctor (dr) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

Students receive non-university education at Flemish hogescholen. These hogescholen offer the following vocational degree programmes:

• graduate degree programmes (previously HBO5)
• professional bachelor’s degree programmes
• bachelor after bachelor degree programmes

Graduate degree programmes (graduaatsopleidingen) occupy a space between secondary education and professional bachelor’s degree programmes. They are mainly practice-oriented and less theoretical than the professional bachelor’s degree programmes.

From 2009 until 2019, Flemish higher professional education was known as HBO5. The term HBO5 was adopted in 2009 to avoid confusion with Dutch HBO bachelor’s degree programmes. This name was chosen because HBO5 degree programmes meet European education level 5 (associate degree), whereas Dutch HBO degree programmes cover both associate and bachelor’s degrees (education level 6).

As of September 2019, HBO5 degree programmes are known as graduate degree programmes (graduaatsopleidingen), with the exception of the nursing degree programme, which is still called HBO5 Verpleegkunde (Nursing).

The Centres for Adult Education (Centra voor Volwassenenonderwijs) provided the HBO5 degree programmes until academic year 2019-2020. The HBO5 Nursing degree programme is the exception. These degree programmes are taught at schools for secondary education. As of September 2019, the graduate degree programmes (formerly known as HBO5 degree programmes) are taught at hogescholen.

Students can obtain the Diploma van Gegradueerde (Graduate Diploma) through the following degree programmes:

• graduaatsopleidingen (graduate degree programmes)
• HBO5 Verpleegkunde (the HBO5 Nursing degree programme)

Graduate degree programmes

Graduate degree programmes are (graduaatsopleidingen) professional degree programmes at higher education level. As such, they are included in the Flemish Higher education register.

• Duration: 2-2½ years (120 ECTS).
• Content: practically-oriented daytime or evening classes.
• Admission requirements: the Diploma van Secundair Onderwijsor an equivalent diploma – see the information on the Onderwijskiezer website.
• Diploma: Diploma van Gegradueerde.

HBO5 Verpleegkunde (HBO5 Nursing degree programme)

Although the HBO5 Nursing degree programme is considered part of higher education, it is only taught in schools for secondary education.

• Duration: 3 years (6 semesters).
• Content: practically-oriented education and internships.
• Admission requirements: the Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs or an equivalent diploma – see the information on the Onderwijskiezer website.
• Diploma: Diploma van Gegradueerde.

Professional bachelor’s degree programmes (Professioneel gerichte bachelor-opleidingen), which are taught at hogescholen, prepare students for a particular profession. Once they have completed such a degree programme, they are ready to enter professional practice straight away.

• Duration: 3 years (at least 180 ECTS) or 4 years (240 ECTS) for nursing.
• Content: practically-oriented daytime classes with an emphasis on developing skills and doing an internship.
• Admission requirements: the Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs. For admission to higher arts education, additional requirements (artistic aptitude tests) apply. See also the admission requirements of the Flemish government.
• Diploma: Bachelor.

Bachelor after bachelor’s degree programmes (bachelor na bachelor-opleidingen) offer students the opportunity to specialise further in their field. The programme does not lead to a higher degree. Students obtain a bachelor's degree equivalent to the bachelor's degree obtained after a professional bachelor's degree programme.

• Duration: 1 year (at least 60 ECTS).
• Content: in-depth study within a field.
• Admission requirements: a bachelor's degree obtained after a professional bachelor's degree programme and specific requirements.
• Diploma: Bachelor.

The Flemish-language region has various types of higher education institutions:

• Universiteiten (universities) for university education, which is mainly academic.
• Hogescholen for non-university education, which is professionally-oriented.

Universities

Universities offer an academic education that may lead to an bachelor’s or master’s degree. The main objective of the academic bachelor’s degree programmes is to prepare students for a master’s degree programme.

Hogescholen

The hogescholen offer professional degree programmes, such as graduaatsopleidingen (graduate degree programmes, previously HBO5) and professionally-oriented bachelor's degree programmes. The main objective of these degree programmes is to prepare students for a particular profession.

Exceptions

There are exceptions within professionally-oriented arts or maritime degree programmes. The Hogere Zeevaartschool (Higher Maritime Academy) and the hogescholen that provide degree programmes in arts also offer academic bachelor's and master's programmes (in addition to professional bachelor's programmes).

More information about different types of higher education institutions can be found on the website of the Flemish government.

Recognised degree programmes and institutions

The Higher education register (Hogeronderwijsregister) lists all recognised Flemish degree programmes and institutions. More information about degree programmes and institutions is available on the website Onderwijs.vlaanderen.be (of the Flemish government).

Degree programmes in figures

On its website, the Flemish government also maintains an overview called opleidingen in cijfers (degree programmes in figures). You can find information on more than 600 degree programmes. For example, about their duration of the institutions where students can follow these degree programmes. But there are also figures about how many students attended a degree programme and obtained a diploma.

Pupils conclude secondary education with the Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs. This diploma grants admission to all forms of Flemish higher education, regardless of the type of specialisation (ASO/KSO/TSO/BSO).

The Flemish government provides more information about the admission requirements for degree programmes in higher education.