Self-sponsored
Studying IMaNema as self-sponsored student (without a Belgian scholarship)
Check out the website of Ghent University about university life and this estimation of costs.
You are expected to arrive on 1 September 20xx to participate to the NemaPrep activities. When you arrive too late, you will not be able to enroll for the programme. Enrollment will only be allowed once you send us your flight ticket, visa and proof of accommodation.
Visa application (for non EU-students)
Apply for a visa type D Schengen (multiple entries). It is possible that the embassy will only give you a visa type D single entry. Please make sure the validity of the visa does not start earlier than 15 August. Find more info here. It may take up to 1 or 2 months to get a visa, so start the procedure well on time.
What will you surely need (please check with the consulate for the complete list)?
- Passport, valid for at least 1 year on the moment you apply.
- Admission letter Ghent University (provided by us, after you completed the application procedure, see above)
- Medical attestation from a doctor acknowledged by the Belgian Embassy.
- Proof of solvability/proof financial means.
- Attestation of good conduct of each country where you have had your residence.
- For Chinese students: APS certificate.
Please note that all documents you submit should either be in Dutch, French, German or English. If your documents need to be translated, this should be done by a sworn translator.
Housing facilities
There is a shortage of rooms in Ghent. Therefore apply on time and do not arrive in Belgium without having a place to stay. You will not find any accommodation in September.
Ghent University offers accommodation for international students in the student homes. Only when you have an admission letter you can start applying.
Apply as degree student > ICP student.
Students who prefer accommodation outside the UGent’s student homes have to look for accommodation themselves.
http://www.ugent.be/en/facilities/housing/market/rooms.htm
http://ikot.be/kot-gent
http://www.kotatgent.be/internationale-studenten
http://en.allekoten.be/kot-gent
Also OBSG offers student rooms for international students.
Studying and working
The combination of a student job and your IMaNema studies is not recommendable, since the time schedule is busy. It is possible to work during the summer holidays (half July – half September).
To have an idea of the time schedule of the 1st master year – 1st semester: https://imanema.ugent.be/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/TimeEdit_International_Msc_in_Agro-_and_Environmental_Nematology_2023_SEM1.pdf. You will see that there is no time to combine a job and studies. Presence in the lectures is recommended and all practical sessions are compulsory!
More info on jobs: UGent Job Service for students.
Insurance
Every citizen or person residing in Belgium should have a medical insurance. Once in Belgium we can assist you in connecting to a health fund. Before coming to Belgium, however, we advise you to take a travel insurance that will cover any medical care and/or damage during your travel and first month of stay in Belgium. The cost of the health fund is about € 100 per year. It will cover the basic health care. We additionally advise you to take an insurance for civil liability and repatriation. Find more info on insurances here.
APS screening (only for Chinese students)
Please find all details here.
Proof of solvability for self sponsored students
When applying for a study visa and when you do not have a scholarship, you will have to prove to the Belgian Authorities that you have sufficient financial means to sustain yourself during your stay in Belgium. If not, no visa will be issued. The minimum living wage per month in Belgium is € 1000 (for a family 2100€), which is very few to sustain yourself in Belgium and Europe in general, but is sufficient to get a visa for Belgium – please do inquire at the embassy in your country what they accept as minimum. To have an idea on what it costs to live in Belgium, click here.
There are several possibilities to prove that you have sufficient financial means, but if you do not have a scholarship and to avoid financial problems during your studies, we strongly advise to make use of the solvability account of Ghent University.
What is this?
You open a personal account at Ghent University on which you or your sponsor/donor pays a minimum of 12 months living allowance with a minimum of € 1000 per month (€ 12000 in total for one year) for your living expenses (food, accommodation, clothes, books, lecture notes,…).
Once you are in Ghent, the university will pay you a monthly living allowance on your Belgian bank account.
More info can be found here.
What should you do?
Contact solvencybama@ugent.be and inge.dehennin@ugent.be. Inform this office that you want to open a solvability account as a self-sponsored student at Ghent University for IMaNema and attach your admission letter to the e-mail. You will receive further instructions via e-mail. Once you have transferred the money, a proof of solvability will be sent to you to start your visa application.
After your arrival in Ghent, you should also pay your tuition fee.
If you succeed the first master year, a second transfer should be made in your solvability account in order to prolong your stay permit in Belgium.