All you need to know about the practical aspects of life in Belgium: cost of living, housing, transport, telephone, internet, medical services, etc.
Practical Information
Accommodation
UCLouvain Accommodation Office offers 5,725 university units (rooms in shared flats, studios, flats, and family apartments) on the Louvain-la-Neuve and Brussels Woluwe and Mons campuses, primarily...
Budget / Cost of Living
Naturally, planning a budget depends on specific situations. Generally speaking, a single person should plan on an annual budget of approximately €13,200. Families and shared households...
Driving in Belgium
Belgium has a dense network of motorways, none of which are tolled. Road conditions are excellent, service stations are plentiful. Traffic congestion in Brussels can be heavy. Signs can sometimes...
Postal Services
The Belgian postal service, bpost, operates post offices Monday to Friday from 8:30 or 9:00 am to 4:00 or 5:00 pm. Some are open late Fridays and Saturday mornings....
Banks / Payments
Several banks have campus branches, which are generally open from 9 am to 3 pm on weekdays and have 24-hour ATM service:
Smoking
Smoking is prohibited in any public building in Belgium, including all university buildings, student accommodation, pubs and restaurants (though separate smoking rooms are permitted under strict...
Waste Management
Recycling is important in Belgium. Rubbish is sorted at the source – in other words, in the household – into specific coloured sacks that must be purchased at local supermarkets, or into similarly...
Doctors, Hospitals and Pharmacies
Belgium’s health service functions well. Financed by the state and national and private insurance, its many hospitals are modern, well managed and offer high-quality care and treatment. Bills are...
Religions
Freedom of religion and separation of church and state are guaranteed by the Belgian Constitution. Belgium’s religious tradition is Catholic, although Protestant churches, mosques, synagogues and...