VIVES University of Applied Sciences
Bruges
About
Entry qualification
Accommodation
VIVES – design your future by the Belgian coast
VIVES University of Applied Sciences is one of the largest universities of applied sciences in Belgium, with more than 20,000 students and seven campuses in West Flanders – including Bruges, Kortrijk, Ostend and Roeselare. Its motto is Design Your Future, and the numbers show it works: 96% of VIVES graduates find a job within a year – no university of applied sciences in Flanders performs better.
Education at VIVES is competence-based and hands-on: you learn by doing real projects with businesses, hospitals, schools and other partner organisations. VIVES is a member of the KU Leuven Association and of the European university alliance ARTEMIS, so your studies come with a strong international network.
Why students choose VIVES
- 96% employment – the best graduate employment result among universities of applied sciences in Flanders.
- Unique programs – including a Bachelor of Aviation with pilot and air traffic control tracks, and Hotel Management taught in a historic Bruges building.
- Hands-on learning – simulation labs, real projects and internships in every field.
- Student life – 14 student clubs and close contact between students and lecturers.
- West Flanders – Belgium’s province by the sea, with Bruges and the coast on your doorstep.
This is VIVES
What can you study in English?
VIVES offers English-taught Bachelor’s programs such as Aviation (Airline Pilot or Air Traffic Control), Hotel Management (Culinary Arts or Hospitality Management) and Business Management. All programs are practical from the first semester, with labs, simulations and internships built in. The exact list of study programs available through the Kastu platform can be found at the top of this university description, next to the logo.
Bruges, Kortrijk and the coast
Bruges is a UNESCO World Heritage city and one of the most beautiful places to study in Europe. Kortrijk is a compact, modern student city where the whole campus is in one place, ten minutes from the train station. Ostend puts you right on the North Sea coast. Wherever you study, Brussels is about an hour away, and Lille in France is even closer.
Quick facts about VIVES
| Students | More than 20,000 |
|---|---|
| Cities | Bruges, Kortrijk, Ostend, Roeselare and Torhout (West Flanders) |
| Employment | 96% of graduates find work within a year – best in Flanders |
| Specialty | Hands-on programs incl. Aviation, Hotel Management and Business |
| Network | Member of the KU Leuven Association and ARTEMIS alliance |
FAQ
Bachelor
Entry qualification
- Transcript of Records – If you have not yet completed Secondary School, you must upload a transcript showing your current grades. You can find the transcript template here.
- Secondary School Leaving Certificate – If you have already completed Secondary School, you do not need to upload a separate transcript. Simply upload your Secondary School Leaving Certificate to the application.
Important! View the full requirements on the university’s official website. Requirements may vary depending on your nationality and the country where you completed your previous education.
Note:
- Motivation Letter – A motivation letter is not a required document when applying to the programmes at this university.
English language requirements
You may not need to take IELTS or TOEFL. University usually allow you to prove your English proficiency in one of the following ways:
- TOEFL iBT*
- IELTS Academic
- A Cambridge English qualification
- A national English examination listed on your secondary school leaving certificate
- An English subject and grade on your secondary school leaving certificate that meet the university’s requirements
- Secondary education completed in English in a country or school qualification accepted by the university
- An International Baccalaureate (IB) or European Baccalaureate (EB) diploma
- Other
Important: Accepted methods and minimum results depend on study programme, your secondary school qualification and the country where you completed your education. Check the official requirements for your chosen study programme.
*Use the Kastu promo code LTU1000102 when registering for TOEFL iBT and receive a 5% discount.
Top-up
Entry qualification
- Transcript of Records – If you have not yet completed Secondary School, you must upload a transcript showing your current grades. You can find the transcript template here.
- Secondary School Leaving Certificate – If you have already completed Secondary School, you do not need to upload a separate transcript. Simply upload your Secondary School Leaving Certificate to the application.
Important! View the full requirements on the university’s official website. Requirements may vary depending on your nationality and the country where you completed your previous education.
Note:
- Motivation Letter – A motivation letter is not a required document when applying to the programmes at this university.
English language requirements
You may not need to take IELTS or TOEFL. University usually allow you to prove your English proficiency in one of the following ways:
- TOEFL iBT*
- IELTS Academic
- A Cambridge English qualification
- A national English examination listed on your secondary school leaving certificate
- An English subject and grade on your secondary school leaving certificate that meet the university’s requirements
- Secondary education completed in English in a country or school qualification accepted by the university
- An International Baccalaureate (IB) or European Baccalaureate (EB) diploma
- Other
Important: Accepted methods and minimum results depend on study programme, your secondary school qualification and the country where you completed your education. Check the official requirements for your chosen study programme.
*Use the Kastu promo code LTU1000102 when registering for TOEFL iBT and receive a 5% discount.
Housing at VIVES – university residences in three cities
VIVES has its own student accommodation in Kortrijk, Roeselare and Bruges. In Bruges, students live in The Crown – a brand-new residence right at the campus, opened in 2022. Students of the Ostend campus usually live in the Bruges residence and commute to the coast – the Bruges campus handles all housing applications for both cities.
The number of university rooms is limited and they are given on a first-come, first-served basis, so apply for housing as soon as you have applied for your studies. If all rooms are taken, VIVES helps you find alternatives on the private market.
Private market in West Flanders
For private rooms, VIVES recommends the regional student housing platform Kotwest, which lists student rooms across West Flanders. In Kortrijk, a room costs on average about €435 per month including energy – clearly cheaper than in big Belgian cities. In Kortrijk the student facilities service also runs its own housing overview at Stuvo Loods.
West Flanders is one of the most affordable regions to live in Belgium, and distances are short: in Kortrijk the whole campus is in one location, about ten minutes by bus from the train station, and in Bruges you live steps away from a UNESCO World Heritage city centre.
FAQ
