Check-in

Welcome to the University Halls of Residence!

Please find all relevant information about your check-in in this FAQ.

On this page:


Coronavirus measures and guidelines

Quarantine

As an incoming international student, you will have to follow the necessary guidelines. 
You might need to quarantine or get tested, depending on your vaccination and current country you are residing in. Please let us know in case you need to quarantine: we can provide necessary cutlery and a microwave oven for the period of your quarantine.

Coronavirus measures and guidelines may be in force in the University Halls of Residence.

Keep yourself up to date about possible measures at our residences.

When?

  • You can check in from the starting date (mentioned in the confirmation of accommodation e-mail that you received), from 2 p.m. onwards.

Please note that it is not possible to check in any earlier that day.

  • Check-in after the starting date is of course possible, but only possible during opening hours:

Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. till noon & 1 p.m till 8 p.m.

Good to know! In February and September only, our reception desk is open till 10 p.m. and every Saturday and Sunday continuously from 10 a.m. till 10 p.m.

In case you would arrive earlier, a limited number of lockers are available for a few hours, but strictly on a "first come first served" basis.

On the 8th of February 2023, a luggage drop-off point will be available from 10 a.m.

What do I need?

Your passport (or National ID card) and your tenancy agreement number.
You received a confirmation email from us, containing your future tenancy agreement number in the subject (30000xxxxx). It will definitely speed up the check-in process to have that number ready.

Terms and conditions?

Please note at all times our terms and conditions, mentioned on our webpages as well as our tenancy agreement and our internal rules and regulations.

My address?

The specific address of your living unit is not known beforehand since changes are possible until the last moment (due to unforeseen circumstances such as a quarantine of the current tenant for example).

The final address will be mentioned on your tenancy agreement, which you will receive upon check-in. Only once you signed your tenancy agreement (which is not possible before your check-in), you can notify the Migration Office of the city of Ghent by completing the Online Arrival Form.
An English translation of our contracts is already available.

You can use the general address of our Housing Office as your reference address for the Passenger Locator Form:

Stalhof 6
9000 Gent

In case you expect an invitation letter for elections, also feel free to use our general address. The reception desk will keep your letter at the front desk and will notify you by email to pick it up.

In case you are expecting (large) parcels from your home country while you have not yet arrived in our residences, please have the parcels delivered to a pick-up point nearby. As we do not have storage space, we cannot store the parcels before your stay.

Payments?

On arrival, we will explain to you how to pay the rent (and deposit). Please note that there is no need to pay anything pre-arrival, nor upon your check-in.

A monthly invoice will be sent to you by email, the deposit will be charged on your first invoice (if applicable). You should settle each invoice within 30 days.
Even to pay the first invoice, you'll have plenty of time to open a Belgian bank account (in case you would need one).

My room?

Please find some pictures and an inventory form of your future living unit below:

Check out the location of the major campuses of Ghent University on this map of Ghent.

Some tips 

  1. Please note that booking a cheaper flight in the days before your check-in is not always a good idea:

- check-in earlier than the starting date on your agreement is not possible.

- many ho(s)tels will be completely booked, you might have to spend more on your accommodation for these couple of days than the discount of your flight.

  2. One set of bed linen (sheet, pillow, cover and blanket) is provided upon check-in, but please note that towels are not included.

  3. Don't immediately buy a lot of new stuff to cook:

- the SwapShop might have stuff you could use for free

- many students get together in the kitchens and share the costs of (for example) a water kettle... Get to know your neighbours first!

  4. Prepare your stay by reading our practical guide (NL-EN).

  5. Speed up your check-in by reading your tenancy agreement (translation in English) and our internal rules and regulations before arrival

More information?

Even after reading our practical guide (NL-EN), you still might have some questions regarding your stay in the University Halls of Residence specifically.
To answer your questions, we organize non-obligated pre-arrival Q&A sessions with your future Home Manager.
Feel free to join us on Microsoft Teams (no download required) by clicking on the button below: 

Thursday 12.01.2023 at noon (CEST)

Thursday 26.01.2023 at noon (CEST)

More information regarding your stay in Ghent and your experience as an international student, in general, can be found on the webpages of the International Support Team.

How to get to the Housing Office?

Transport

The ESN network will provide buses to pick up students at the main airports on the 21st of September and drive you to the train station of Ghent and from the train station of Ghent (even if you're coming from another airport or by train) to the Housing Office. You'll get updates on the webpages of the International Support Team.
  • From Brussels International Airport to Ghent train station?
    By train to train station GENT SINT-PIETERS (IC trains run every hour). You'll need to buy a ticket in advance, at a machine or at the front desk.
    Good to know: in case it is not automatically included in your ticket, you'll also need a DIABOLO Brussels Airport Supplement to enter the train platform. It's not a scam.
    Watch the instructional video on how to travel from Brussels to Ghent.
    Or you can search for a bus ticket with one of the partners of the ESN-network.
  • From Brussels South (Charleroi) Airport to Ghent train station?
    By bus (TEC) and then train to train station GENT SINT-PIETERS (IC trains run every hour). You'll need to buy a train ticket in advance, at a machine or at the front desk.
    Or you can search for a bus ticket with one of the partners of the ESN-network.
  • From Ghent Sint-Pieters station to the Housing Office
    You can take any of the buses on platforms 14, 15 or 16 next to the train station and get off at the stop 'Heuvelpoort'. You can buy a ticket at bus stop 15 (in case the official "De Lijn Shop" is not open) or via the official application.
    Good to know: although it is a very popular bus stop, the bus doesn't automatically stop. Use the official app from De Lijn or Google Maps to get notified when you are near and should request a stop.
    The Housing Department is only 300m away from this bus stop, but you need to cross the big intersection.
    Watch the (admittedly, rather old) instructional video of one of our previous tenants on how to travel to the University Housing Office to visualise the area where our Halls of Residence can be found.
  • Check-in for a room, room plus, studio or flat in one of our Halls of Residence are all handled at our reception desk of home Vermeylen.
    In case you have a room in home Boudewijn, you'll need to take bus 8 (both stops, near the Housing Office and Home Boudewijn, require only 200 meters of walking).

  • From Brussels South (Charleroi) Airport to Bruges?
    By bus (TEC) and then train to train station GENT SINT-PIETERS (IC trains run every hour). You'll need to buy a train ticket in advance, at a machine or at the front desk.
    Or you can search for a bus ticket with one of the partners of the ESN network.
  • From Brussels International Airport to Bruges?
    By train to train station GENT SINT-PIETERS (IC trains run every hour). You'll need to buy a ticket in advance, at a machine or at the front desk.
    Good to know: in case it is not automatically included in your ticket, you'll also need a DIABOLO Brussels Airport Supplement to enter the train platform. It's not a scam.
    Watch the instructional video on how to travel from Brussels to Ghent.
    Or you can search for a bus ticket with one of the partners of the ESN network.
Good to know: in case you have a place reserved in Bruges, you need to contact the local Home Manager to make an appointment for your check-in. No appointment or missed your appointment means no check-in that day!
You do not need to pass by our reception desk in Ghent. Please find all information in our previous correspondence.

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