Higher education
There are 2 types of higher education in the French-language region of Belgium:
- enseignement supérieur de type court, higher professional education.
- enseignement supérieur de type long, academic education.
There are different types of higher education institutions that offer professional and/or academic education.
Higher professional education
In the French-language region, higher professional education is called enseignement supérieur de type court (higher education of the shorttype). Students can follow professional programmes at:
- hautes écoles;
- écoles supérieures des arts;
- établissements d’enseignement de promotion sociale (institutes for adult education).
In professional higher education, students can obtain the following degrees:
Brevet de l’enseignement supérieur
Grade de Bachelier (professionnalisant/de type court)
Grade de Bachelier professionnalisant (professionalisant/de type court) programmes 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 (180 ECTS), but 4 years (240 ECTS) for obstetrics (sage-femme) and nursing (soins infirmiers).
- Content: profession-oriented subjects and possibly an internship.
- Admission requirement: the Certificat d’enseignement secondaire supérieur.
- Diploma: Grade de Bachelier (professionalisant/de type court).
We compare a Grade de Bachelier (professionnalisant/de type court) to an HBO bachelor’s degree.
Bachelier de spécialisation
After obtaining the Grade de Bachelier (professionalisant/de type court) , students can obtain a 2nd bachelor's degree. Bachelier de spécialisation degree programmes 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 Grade de Bachelier (professionalisant/de type court).
- Duration: 1 year (60 ECTS).
- Content: in-depth study within a field.
- Admission requirement: the Grade de Bachelier (professionalissant/de type court) in a relevant field.
- Diploma: Bachelier de spécialisation.
We compare a Bachelier de spécialisation to an HBO bachelor's degree.
Academic education
In the French-language region, academic education is called enseignement supérieur de type long (higher education of the long type). Students can follow academic programmes at:
- universités;
- hautes écoles;
- écoles supérieures des arts;
- établissements d’enseignement de promotion sociale (institutes for adult education).
In academic education, students can obtain the following degrees:
Grade de Bachelier (de transition/de type long)
The bachelor's programme is an academic degree programme which leads to a bachelor's degree, Grade de Bachelier. The main objective is to prepare students for transitioning to an academic master’s degree programme. Therefore the academic bachelor's degree programme is also referred to as Bachelier de transition or Bachelier de type long, to indicate that the degree programme is not finished until after completion of the master's degree programme.
- Duration: 3 years (180 ECTS).
- Content: research and theory.
- Admission requirement: the Certificat d’enseignement secondaire supérieur.
- Diploma: Grade de Bachelier (de transition/de type long).
We compare a Grade de Bachelier (de transition/de type long) to a WO bachelor's degree.
Exception: Grade de Bachelier (de transition/de type long) as HBO bachelor's degree
Bachelor's programmes of ‘the long type’ are always focused on theory andacademic research. In terms of level, we therefore compare Belgian bachelor's programmes with bachelor's programmes in Dutch university education (WO).
There are a few exceptions. In terms of content, some Bachelier de type long programmes (e.g. in the area of visual art or music) are, however, more similar to Dutch HBO bachelor's degrees. In those cases, the bachelor's diploma is comparable to a Dutch higher professional education bachelor's degree (HBO).
Grade de Master
The master’s degree programme is based on academic research and leads to a master’s degree, Grade de Master.
- Duration: 1 year (60 ECTS), 2 years (120 ECTS), 3 years (180 ECTS) for the medicine/veterinary medicine degree programme.
- Content: 3 different specialisations are offered in the 2-year Master (120 ECTS) programme: the professional specialisations (la finalité spécialisée);
the study programme for teachers in secondary education (la finalité didactique); the preparation for academic research (la finalité approfondie). - Admission requirement: Grade de Bachelier (de transition/de type long), in a relevant field. There is also a transition programme (passerelle) for students holding a Grade de Bachelier professionnalisant (type court).
- Diploma: Grade de Master.
We compare a Grade de Master to a WO master's degree.
Master de spécialisation
After obtaining a Grade de Master students can pursue another master’s degree programme: Master de spécialisation. It is an opportunity for students to further specialise within their field. The programme does not lead to a higher degree. Students obtain a master's degree equivalent to the Grade de Master.
We compare a Master de spécialisation to a WO master's degree.
Exception: Grade de Master as HBO master's degree
In Belgium, higher professional education master's degree programmes are not offered. A master's degree programme is always focused on theory and academic research. In terms of level, we therefore compare Belgian master's programmes with master's programmes in Dutch university education (WO).
There are a few exceptions. In terms of content, some Belgian master's degree programmes (e.g. in the area of visual art or music) are, however, more similar to Dutch HBO master's degrees. In those cases, the master's diploma is comparable to a Dutch higher professional education master's degree (HBO).
Grade de Docteur
The doctoral programme takes place at universités (universities).
Types of higher education institutions
In the French-language region, there are 4 types of (funded) higher education institutions that are allowed to award nationally-recognised degrees:
- universités;
- hautes écoles;
- écoles supérieures des arts;
- établissements d’enseignement de promotion sociale (adult education).
All recognised higher education institutions are listed on the website of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles.