International possibilities

This page is about the international options for students at our faculty. There are different options to discover new cultures abroad all varying in time and intensity. This page gives you a short overview:

GO GLOBAL 2023-2024

This academic year, from November 6th to 10th, is Go Global Week. Throughout this week, the entire campus is set up to promote international adventures. The entire week leads up to the application presentation on Thursday evening, where all the important information will be provided. Further information about this can be found on the Go Global website.

Erasmus

"Erasmus" is an exchange program for 1 or 2 semesters at a European university of your choice. Among all the possible programs, this is by far the most popular and common. Whether you can go on exchange (1st or 2nd Master) depends on your study program. The destination also depends on the specific master's program you are enrolled in.

The application process starts with registration on the online applicationplatform. This platform provides instructions on what you need to do. The deadline for this application is the second Tuesday of the second semester. You need to submit your study program, including a list of the courses you plan to take at the foreign university, to the exchange coordinator of your program. This should correspond to the courses you will not be taking at KU Leuven during that semester, typically equivalent to 30 study credits for a semester at our faculty. It's important to note that credit values can vary between universities. Your course program must be approved by the exchange coordinator of your program.

In March, you will find out if our faculty approves your exchange. The requirements for eligibility are as follows: a FULL Bachelor's degree, a minimum CSE (Cumulative Study Efficiency) score of 80%, and a weighted average of at least 60% after the January exams. After your application is approved, an Erasmus+ scholarship will also be applied for on your behalf. Then, the faculty will submit a Study Period Abroad application in KU Loket, and you will be able to make any necessary adjustments. After the faculty officially nominates you to your designated host institution, you will receive information from the host institution to complete your application with them.

Athens

If six months is too long, there is also the option to spend a week abroad. ATHENS is a program where you can take a 3-credit course during a week abroad within the semester and take an exam for it at the end of the week. ATHENS stands for Advanced Technology Higher Education Network. In the academic year 23-24, this week falls from November 18th to 25th for the 1st semester and from March 16th to 23rd for the 2nd semester. Unlike other options for a foreign study experience, it is not a requirement to have completed the full bachelor's degree here. However, you can only participate in this program once a year and a maximum of two times during your master's.

The application process begins with registering on the ATHENS website. After registration, you must choose your course. You will select the three courses that interest you the most. For these three courses, you must meet all the requirements, and none of them should be in Leuven. You can find all the information about the correct application procedure here. After submitting your online application, you need to sign and scan the registration form and the student commitment and send them to ATHENS.

Accommodation is not included in the program, but the host institution can often provide options. The costs for accommodation usually range from 250 to 500 euros. It's important to note that KU Leuven students do not receive scholarships for this program. All further practical information will be provided at least one week before departure. If you are not selected for the ATHENS program, you can ask your program director to replace the Capita Selecta course in your ISP with another elective.

Find out more: Athens

Interim Abroad

Some organisations such as IAESTE and Humasol provide you with the option to work as an interim abroad during a couple of weeks.

More info