HOUSING

The advantage of studying in a smaller city like Kortrijk is that the student room offer is higher than the demand. This results in fairly low rental prices compared to other student cities like Ghent, Antwerp and Brussels. Depending on your needs and the timing (the sooner, the better) you should easily find a room within most budgets.

Where to find a room? Students can rent a room on the private market. Belgian and international students are referred to the website www.kotwest.be. If, after a thorough search, you can’t find suitable accommodation, STUVO Howest Student Services can assist you in your search.  

GETTING AROUND

The most efficient way to go around in Kortrijk is by bike. The non-profit organization Mobiel rens bikes to Howest students for only €5 per month. More information: www.mobiel.be
All Howest students are entitled to free bus transport of De Lijn in the whole of Kortrijk. You will receive your bus pass for free, togheter with your Howest International Student Card.
 
MEALS
At The Level, you can buy snacks and drinks at very democratic prices.
The student restaurant ‘Obee’ is located nearby at the Graaf Karel de Goede Campus. In the ‘Obee’ you can buy a hot midday meal, snacks, soup, bread roll and drinks. Here are some prices to give you an idea: fresh soup €1, a hot plat du jour €4 and warm snacks cost around €2,5
 
PRACTICAL INFORMATION PACKAGE
Howest has bundled a lot of practical information in the following brochure. Be sure to check it out.
For even more information on Flanders, living in Flanders, its education system and study, visit the Study in Flanders website.
 
HEALTHCARE
Everyone needs to have health insurance, either through private insurance  or through a healthcare fund ('mutualiteit' in Dutch).
The compulsory annual health insurance (via mutual fund) comes to €60 per year. Note: this insurance provides refunds for the majority of consultation costs, as well as covers the major share of basic hospital costs.
Some examples of providers of healthcare funds: http://www.socmut.be/, http://www.CM.be, http://www.euromut.be, http://www.lmvlg.be, http://www.vnz.be/index2.htm,...
 
COST OF LIVING
Living standards are quite high in Belgium. Therefore all international guests are advised to make sure that they have the financial means for a stay in Belgium, before they leave their home country.
 
The average monthly cost for a single person in Belgium is +- €800:
- €350 monthly housing costs for accomodation and energy
- €450 monthly living costs for food, social life, transport,...

Below you can find some prices to give you an idea of the costs of living in Belgium:

Goods

How much money you actually spend will of course depend on your lifestyle and spending habits. The costs for housing, for example, may differ considerably. If you plan to travel a lot during your stay here, you will of course need budget for extra expenses.

Also, remember that during the first month of your stay there may be extra expenses for insurances, temporary accommodation and deposits, clothing, equipment (kitchen utensils, furniture, etc. ) and others.

You can keep a lid on these costs by shopping in cheap supermarkets and visiting student-friendly places. Moreover, students enjoy reductions on many sports events, culture and leisure activities and in some shops.