Annual allocations reduced
Here’s what he’s planning. From the 2025 budget year, an amount of 3 million euros will be withdrawn from the FWB’s annual allocation to universities for additional allocations granted for the registration of students from modest backgrounds.
According to the same mechanism, the Wallonia-Brussels Federation will also withdraw 3 million euros from the annual allocation to higher education institutions (HE). If we add the 500,000 euros taken from the annual allocation to higher arts schools (ESA), we arrive at a total of 6.5 million savings imposed on higher education establishments.
Defunding higher education: let’s stop blaming the closed envelope
A dead loss
These planned cuts in the annual allocations of universities and colleges contrast with the position displayed by the Degryse team when it took office. The community policy declaration (DPC) of July 11, 2024, promises that the government (MR-Les Engagés) “will put an end to the structural defunding of higher education by leaving the closed envelope mechanism” (on page 6). This is not exactly the path chosen today.
To compensate for this deadweight loss of 6.5 million for establishments, the program decree substantially increases specific registration fees for students from countries outside the European Union.
An amount of 4,175 euros to be paid each year
According to the circular (from December 2022) in force, a foreign student concerned currently pays 2,505 euros to enroll in a French-speaking university; 1,984 euros in a high school or a long/masters type higher education school of the arts; 1,487 in a long/bachelor type HE or ESA and 992 euros in a short type HE or ESA.
What will change from the next academic year (in September 2025) for new international students? The government now sets the “additional contribution” at 4,175 euros for the foreign students concerned, whatever the sector (short type, long type, master). That is an increase of 1,670 euros (+ 67%) at university, of 2,191 euros (+ 110%) in long type HE and up to 3,183 euros (+ 321%) for the short type. This amount will be payable each year of study.
Foreign students who are currently already enrolled in a bachelor’s or master’s degree remain in the old system if they continue the same course.
An exemption mechanism
Not all foreign students are affected. An exemption mechanism is provided for nationals of the poorest countries. Students from one of the 46 countries on the list of Least Developped Countries established by the UN are thus exempt from paying these increased fees. These include, for example, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Madagascar, Rwanda and Sudan.
Ditto for the 20 additional countries identified by the Academy of Research and Higher Education (Ares) because they are ranked at the bottom of the list based on the human development index. This is particularly the case of Cameroon, Pakistan and Syria.
On the other hand, students from Algeria, Morocco, Lebanon, Ecuador, Palestine or the Philippines, among others, will have to pay this “additional contribution”.
New method of financing for higher arts schools: tuition capped at 835 euros
Will the hole be filled?
Will the substantial increase in fees for foreign students be enough to fill the gap of 6.5 million? In the absence of budgetary tables associated with the draft program decree, it is difficult to measure the impact of the measure in terms of revenue for establishments. Will this new system dissuade certain international students from choosing Belgium as a place of study? Time will tell.
The government text provides that each establishment is free to lower the registration fee of 4,175 euros. But this would constitute a serious shortfall for universities and colleges when part of their endowment is being withdrawn.
The consultation is underway. The various opinions are expected by the end of the week. The French-speaking government will then proceed to a second reading. The objective is to quickly send the draft program decree to parliament.
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