Universite Libre de Bruxelles - Solvay Business School

Belgium is a small, highly developed and densely populated country at the cross-roads of Western Europe with three official languages: French, Dutch, and German. It has three relatively autonomous regions divided by language. Belgium's capital, Brussels, is also the capital of the European Union.

Belgium has retained its old-world charm in the preservation of its ancient buildings and historical traditions. The country is known for its art, architecture, beer, chocolate, waffles, and french fries. Its rich history has left impressive churches, town halls, castles and works of art spread throughout the country.

Since 1989, the Brussels-Capital Region has been an autonomous region alongside the Flemish and Walloon Regions. In 1958, Brussels was chosen as the headquarters of the EEC, now the European Union. Brussels plays a role as a central location for European institutions and decisions. For many people in Europe, the term 'Brussels' has replaced the concept of 'European institutions' in everyday language. Brussels is a lively city with medieval buildings, contemporary art galleries, cafes, shops, and many other attractions.

The Solvay Business School is a proud part of the Université Libre de Bruxelles. It is a complete centre of learning, with more than 500 lecturers who teach about 12,000 hours of courses each year. Each year, the Solvay Business School welcomes 300 international students from 140 partner universities.

Lecturers are highly successful, comprising of full-time lecturers from Université Libre de Bruxelles, in addition to a number of external lecturers and leading specialists in the fields of business and economics. They practice teaching methods that are rigorously adapted to meet the needs of students, including advanced theory teaching, the extensive use of case histories, business game techniques and in-depth seminars. Students taking their Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Management have to spend six months in one of the fifty or so partner universities around the world.

Courses in English

The great majority of courses are taught in French, with only about five to seven English courses offered per semester. At a maximum, exchange students may be permitted to take one or two courses in English during their exchange semester. The remainder must be taken in French.

Courses include economics, law, accounting, finance, marketing, management, IT, and statistics. To view a complete list of courses offered to exchange students, click here and choose "courses list."

Language Courses

Solvay offers an optional pre-semester French language course from early August to mid-September for fall exchange students.

U of L students may currently only enroll in courses offered by the Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management.

The European academic structure varies from the North American system. Courses completed at a European exchange partner will not be transferred back to the U of L on a course-for-course basis. Rather, students will be required to successfully complete a certain number of ECTS (European Transfer Credit System) credits to earn U of L credit equivalency. Typically, a full course load is 30 ECTS, and 6 ECTS = 3 U of L credits.

Courses at Solvay Business School are 5 ECTS. Therefore, U of L students must combine courses within the same stream to transfer equivalent credit.

You are eligible for this exchange if you are:

• A full-time Dhillon School of Business student
• In at least the 2nd year of your program
• In good academic standing, with a GPA of 2.5 or higher
• Fluent in French (successfully completed at least three university-level French courses)

Students going to Belgium for an exchange must apply for a temporary residence "Visa for Students". There is an administrative fee of €228. As well, consular and legalization fees total CAD 330.

For more details on the visa application process click here.

The visa application process may have changed since this page was updated. Please email outgoing@uleth.ca for more information.

For detailed information about vaccination recommendations when visiting Belgium, please visit the Government of Canada's website.

There is no on-campus housing option for exchange students. ULB will provide a list of links to assist in finding accommodations once your online registration is complete. Rent typically ranges from €350 to €500 per month.

Local metro, tram, and buses provide the cheapest and most efficient way of traveling within Brussels. Students may purchase a pass for €12/year that provides access to all public transit in Brussels. For more information on purchasing a pass click here.

Students going on an exchange pay regular U of L tuition and fees. For up-to-date tuition information, visit the U of L's Financial Services website.

It is MANDATORY for students to have health insurance that is valid in Belgium. It is strongly recommended that such insurance be taken out before departing (private health insurance). An alternative is to participate in the Belgium's health insurance scheme once you are there. This will cover you as a student for the duration of your stay.

All exchange students have ULB accident coverage. This insurance will cover you for accidents on campus and during trips made as part of your university activities.

For an estimate of the cost of living prepared by ULB click here.