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Study abroad in
Belgium
A life-changing experience allowing you to step into the shoes of a Belgian high school student, living with a local family and attending a Belgian school.
Going with WEP is best
Since 1988, a wide choice of destinations and comprehensive assistance before, during and after your overseas program. WEP is the ideal partner for your adventure.
We also get to choose who we travel with: our schools, host families and overseas partner organisations are carefully selected.
We offer a custom-made insurance policy, specifically designed for our participants, and we have a solid network behind us.
Emergency assistance, overseas and from Australia, is available 7 days out of 7, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Allowing all our participants to live their desired overseas experience is a mission, a challenge we're thrilled to accept.
Why study in Belgium?
Studying in Belgium is a fantastic opportunity to discover a country that is the very emblem of Europe: a melting pot of cultures and languages ready to surprise you and provide endless learning opportunities.
Belgian people are known to be open and cosmopolitan, thanks to many different communities coexisting in harmony; by following their lead, not only will you improve your French language skills, but you will also improve your adaptability and your understanding of different views, beliefs, and ways of living life.
From the elegant, historical cities such as Bruxelles and Bruges, to the natural beauty of the Ardennes and the Flemish coastline, each region of Belgium will blow you away with its unique cultural heritage and stunning landscapes.
Studying in Belgium is an unmissable opportunity to combine personal enrichment and high-quality education, gaining skills that will help you stand out in today's global world and job market.
Study in Belgium with WEP
After an academic program in Belgium, you're bound to come back with a range of valuable cultural competences and language skills, as you will greatly improve your fluency in French.
You will immerse yourself in the Belgian way of life, stepping into the shoes of a local teenager: on your high school exchange program, you will attend a local secondary school and share your daily life with a Belgian host family, who will take you in as one of their own.
The Belgian education system
In Belgium, the education system is centrally managed at a national level, but there differences exist in each of the linguistic communities that make up the country.
Children begin their education journey at kindergarten (École Maternelle/Kleuterschool) at 2.5 years old, followed by primary school (École Primaire/Lagere School) which lasts six years, from the age of 6.
Secondary schooling (École Secondaire/Middelbare School) is divided into two cycles: the first stage lasts for two years, and the second stage - four years long - allows students to choose a specific stream or area of interest (generic, technical, artistic o vocational). At the end of the 6th and last year of secondary school, students graduate by obtaining the CESS diploma (Certificat d'Enseignement Secondaire Supérieur), to access tertiary education.
Tertiary education in Belgium can include university - divided into three cycles, bachelor (three years), master (two years) and doctorat - or Hautes Écoles/Hogescholen, offering technical and vocational programs.
The Belgian system is known for its high quality and flexibility, as it offers students a wider range of opportunities to personalise their educational path.
FAQ
To participante in a high school exchange program to Belgium, you need to be between 15 and 18 years old on departure, have a C grade average, be a non-smoker, and have positive personal traits, such as being motivated, curious, tolerant, open and adaptable. You also need to be physically and emotionally healthy - please discuss any specific conditions or requirements with WEP in advance.
Our high school exchange programs in Belgium can be of different durations: short-term (under 90 days), an academic semester, an academic year or a calendar year. The exact duration depends on the departure period - please contact WEP for more information.
To decide which program duration is best for you, you should reflect on what you would like to achieve through the program, and discuss your preferences both with your family, to make sure they are on board, and with your school, to ensure that you understand their policy regarding re-integrating into Australian schooling and any requirements to repeat school back home.
It's always best to check our website and/on obtain an online quote to see updated program prices.
We know a high school exchange program oversaes is a significant financial investment. We do our best to offer the best possible prices, which vary depending on the destination and chosen program, and provide discounts and special promotions to help towards the cost. As a not-for-profit organisation working with international partners to provide exchange programs in a variety of countries, our program fees are based solely on the cost of program components, both in Australia and overseas. The program fee is allocated between the overseas organisation, WEP Australia, travel and independent contractors for flights and insurance.
You will live with a Belgian volunteer host family, who may be located anywhere in the country.