The University of Leuven
Tradition in Excellence in the Heart of Europe
The University of Leuven has
over 33,800 students over 4,000 international students over 50 Bachelor's and 135 Master's programmes over 70 international programmes taught in English a university hospital system ranking among the European top 3 about 17,500 staff members (the university and the university hospitals combined) excellent facilities for students and staff (e.g. a medical centre, university restaurants, a housing office, a language centre) an annual research budget of over 275 million euro over 4,000 PhD students of which more than 25% international over 80 spin-off companies
The University of Leuven is
Belgium's largest university a comprehensive institution with 14 faculties organised in 3 groups: Humanities and Social Sciences; Science, Technology and Engineering; Biomedical Sciences one of the oldest in Europe; it was founded in 1425 an institution with a long tradition of high-quality interdisciplinary research and teaching a founding member of the League of European Research Universities (LERU) and the Coimbra Group twinned with the French-speaking Universit catholique de Louvain (UCL) consistently ranked among the top universities in Europe
A truly international experience
About 12% of the total student population is international, representing some 140 countries. Leuven is a multicultural town with a vibrant student community. The university offers over 70 English-taught international Masters and doctoral programmes. These programmes are often developed jointly with partners abroad and in some cases, such as the Erasmus Mundus Masters programmes, they lead to a joint degree. In the fields of philosophy and theology, the University of Leuven offers Bachelors degrees taught in English. Cooperation agreements for both staff and students exist with partners in Europe, the U.S.A., Latin America, Asia and South Africa. The University of Leuven chooses to support people-oriented sustainable development in the South through numerous programmes and development projects involving partners around the world. Membership of many high-profile international networks keeps staff abreast of new developments in education and research, both within the European Union and far beyond. For more than 20 years, Leuven has proven to be a particularly active participant in most of the European Commissions educational programmes. Each year, more than 300 Erasmus contracts lead to the exchange of about 1,325 students. www.kuleuven.be/international As a professor at the University of Leuven, I thoroughly enjoyed the tremendous intellectual freedom, the critical thinking, the informal interaction and the many international contacts that I experienced throughout my career. (Professor Emeritus Mark Eyskens, former Prime Minister of Belgium.)
The University of Leuven provides high-quality education. The infrastructure is good and the social atmosphere is very nice. Leuven is a beautiful city and Belgian beer is delicious! (a student from Ecuador)
High-quality education
The University of Leuven offers 3-year Bachelors programmes taught in Dutch and 1-year or 2-year Masters programmes taught in Dutch and English. Students can undertake PhD research in either Dutch or English in all fields of study. The University of Leuven is a comprehensive university, comprising 14 faculties: - Theology - Canon Law - Philosophy - Law - Business and Economics - Social Sciences - Arts - Psychology and Educational Sciences - Science - Engineering - Bioscience Engineering - Medicine - Pharmaceutical Sciences - Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences All faculties offer high-quality education. Study programmes are research-based and organised within an innovative interdisciplinary framework, thus enabling students to adopt a critical and research-oriented attitude. The educational approach, Guided Independent Learning, is student-centred and outcome-based. Leuven degrees offer a competitive advantage as they are highly valued throughout the world. Study programmes are flexible and use state-of-the-art ICT tools. The ECTS quality label guarantees that all credits obtained are transparent and fully transferable. Tuition fees are low thanks to the government-supported funding mechanisms for higher education in Flanders, Belgium. More information: www.kuleuven.be/admissions Applications are welcome from December onwards
UNIV CAMBRIDGE UNIV OXFORD UNIV COLL LONDON IMPERIAL COLL LONDON UNIV UTRECHT KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN UNIV HELSINKI ETH ZURICH KAROLINSKA INST STOCKHOLM KOBENHAVNS UNIV
Top-level research facilities
The University of Leuven is a hotspot for top-level international research. In Europe, it ranks 6th in terms of research publication output (Leiden CWTS Ranking). On average, Leuven researchers annually publish over 4,500 articles in international peer-reviewed journals. As far as academic reputation is concerned, K.U. Leuven ranks 7th amongst European universities in the Times Higher Education Supplement. World-class research is organised and supported through special funding schemes in several Centres of Excellence. Interdisciplinary and translational research is strongly encouraged. K.U. Leuven ranks 4th in terms of its involvement in the EU Framework research programme, receiving close to 75 million euro of additional funding. Doing a PhD at K.U. Leuven gives students from all over the world the chance to carry out research in an internationally competitive environment under the supervision of experts with strong international reputations. They strive to make original contributions to their field, guided by three doctoral schools: the Leuven Arenberg Doctoral School for SE&T, the Leuven Doctoral School for Biomedical Sciences and the Leuven Doctoral School for Humanities and Social Sciences. Doctoral programmes are offered in all disciplines, both in English and Dutch. On average, the University of Leuven awards over 500 PhD degrees every year. More than 6,400 researchers from over 120 countries, ranging from PhD students over postdoctoral researchers and junior faculty to full professors, pursue an Multidisciplinary research academic career at the University of Leuven. makes students aware of www.kuleuven.be/research the importance of sharing both knowledge and results.
Size-dependent Brute Force impact indicator of scientific publications 0 10.000 20.000 30.000 40.000 50.000 60.000 70.000
The close interaction between university researchers and university hospital physicians makes biomedical research at the University of Leuven particularly relevant. (Professor Jean-Jacques Cassiman, Head of the Centre for Human Genetics, University of Leuven)
Brute Force Index - CWTS Leiden Ranking based on scientific publications
You have access to courses in which students of different fields participate. In this way, you learn to handle different ways of thinking and that is what you really need in professional life. (a student from Germany) IMEC's splendid international reputation in microelectronics is a legitimate source of pride for the University of Leuven, which fostered the initiative and provided much of the superb manpower that made it a success. (Professor Frans Spaepen, Franklin Professor of Applied Physics, Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences)
Cutting edge innovation
Leuven researchers across all disciplines combine fundamental and translational research. They contribute to innovative solutions benefiting all sectors of society, in close collaboration with industry. All innovation activities are supported by Leuven Research and Development, the technology transfer office, established in 1972. lrd.kuleuven.be
University of Leuven International Office Naamsestraat 63 5001 3000 LEUVEN, Belgium international@kuleuven.be admission@kuleuven.be www.kuleuven.be/english
An exceptional location
Leuven, in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium, is a very safe, family-friendly and studentoriented town with a long and rich history, brimming with culture and leisure opportunities. Its unique location at the heart of Europe means that major European capitals such as Brussels, Paris, London, Berlin or Amsterdam are only a short train ride away. Flanders enjoys one of the highest standards of living and its social security, health care and education systems are among the best in the world. Thanks to Leuvens unique position at the crossroads of several European cultures, English is widely spoken.
