Tuition fees for non-EU/EEA students are rising sharply at several Flemish universities, a consequence of the Program Decree the Flemish Government approved in October 2025 alongside its 2026 budget, which strictly enforces a 2% cap on publicly funded non-EEA students and forms part of a broader package cutting higher education funding by more than EUR 80 million (see ACA Newsletter – Education Europe, February 2026). 

At the University of Antwerp, master's tuition for non-EU/EEA students will rise from EUR 5,800 to 7,800 next academic year, while bachelor's fees climb from EUR 3,100 to 4,300. KU Leuven is implementing a comparable increase, raising fees across its rate groups by roughly 20%. 

Both universities cite savings driven by Minister of Education Zuhal Demir's policy on limiting student aid for non-EU student as the reason for the hikes. Going forward, the Flemish government will only fund non-EEA students up to 2% of a university's total student body, leaving institutions to cover any shortfall themselves. UAntwerp spokesperson Peter De Meyer noted the university is not passing on the full cost to students, as that would push fees even higher. 

KU Leuven and UAntwerp currently have 9.6% and 2.9% non-EU/EEA students, respectively, while VUB leads with around 14%. VUB is also raising fees, with bachelor's students paying 400 to nearly 800 euros more, and most master's programs rising by around EUR 800, with some exceeding EUR 1,000. 

Education economist Kristof De Witte called the move "short-sighted," arguing international graduates often stay to work in Flanders and that higher fees risk pushing top candidates toward universities in the US or UK instead.