University life
Cost of living in Belgium
How much does life in Belgium cost?
Housing facilities
Looking for a comfortable and high quality living unit to rent at a competitive price?
Accomodation for...
Restaurants
- Student restaurants
Ghent University has a wide range of student restaurants. Staff are also welcome.
They are all situated in the vicinity of the faculties. Service and food are of a high quality, the prices are the lowest in town. - Food and drinks in the city
Sports Centre
Ghent University boasts a fully-equipped sports centre (called "GUSB"):
- 3 large and 2 small halls for indoor activities
- A 25-meter swimming pool
- An instruction pool
- 2 saunas
- ...
Special attention is devoted to sports for disabled students. The university also offers individual supporting services and counselling for students who are actively involved in top-class sports.
Bicycle rent and transport
The car-free city centre is tailor-made for the pedestrian and the cyclist.
With bus and tram you can reach any part of the city quickly and easily (even on weekend evenings) and taxis are also readily available.
This university is not located in one campus, like many other universities. Most faculties have a building of their own.
Travel to Ghent
- How to get to Ghent
- Public transport in Belgium
- Video on how to travel from Brussels International Airport to Ghent Sint-Pieters Station
Job service for students
Ghent University has a job database in order to help students find a suitable student job.
Everyday life and family
- Child care and international schools
- Pregnancy
- Intending on bringing your family with you? Read more about the family reunification procedure
- Ironing service for staff (more info in the intranet for staff)
- Banking
- Taxes and other payments requests
For Ghent University-related administration, funding and fees, visit the pages for prospective students, current students, PhD or staff.
Culture and leisure
At Ghent University
- Culture and leisure facilities and student associations
- Keep an eye out for news items and planned events, e.g. Welcome Days for international students and PhD candidates
- Stay up-to-date via the different information media, e.g. join a Facebook group or follow us on Twitter
- Co-operation and cultural platforms: the regional platforms bring together all relevant expertise at Ghent University concerning a certain region of focus. They offer support, facilities and advice to Ghent University community to expand existing or set up new forms of cooperation.
- Africa Platform
- East Asia Platform
- ASEANplus
- CESAM Platform (Central and South America)
- Eureast Platform
- Looking for a Ghent University souvenir? Find clothes and gifts in the University shop.
In the city of Ghent
Ghent is a multicultural city which is home to nationals from all over the world. If you know where to look, you will find a lot of people and organisations offering all these newcomers a taste of home.
- International student in Ghent: culture, sports & leisure
- City of Ghent Integration Department: this department is responsible for policy on and support of Ghent's new citizens (website in Dutch).
- Multicultural centre: Since 1995, De Centrale has been growing as a unique international meeting place. Offering music, food and other activities at a wide audience.
- Expat community: InterNations
- Shopping