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Preparing your stay

Once you have successfully applied for admission at one of our study programmes, you can start preparing your journey to Ghent. 

  • Make sure your application for your study programme is completed in OASIS. We strongly advise you to upload all important documents, it may serve as back-up in case documents get lost.
  • Register for BEPrep preparatory course (highly recommended for self-supporting students and compulsory for scholarship students).
  • Book your accommodation beforehand as soon as possible!

What to pack

 We suggest to pack the following:

Hand luggage:

  • Passport
  • Travel ticket(s)
  • Proof of scholarship or affidavit of support
  • Appr. 300€ in cash (to pay expenses at the airport, train ticket to Ghent, sim card for mobile phone,… )
  • UGent admission letter (printed pdf)
  •  All original documents mentioned on your admission letter (!)
  • Mobile phone (you can purchase a European sim card upon your arrival)
  • Laptop
  • Face mask and hand sanitizer (flask of < 100 ml)

Checked in luggage:

  • Sufficient clothes and shoes (winter and summer proof), towels and personal care products
  • A lab coat – NOT FOR IMRD & IMAQUA students
  • Safety goggles – NOT FOR IMRD-students
  • A spare face mask
  • Blankets and sheets: only if you are accommodated in a private room, in a university student dorm these are provided

Kitchen utensils and room decoration can be purchased at moderate prices in a recycling shop (www.dekringwinkel.be).

Arrival in Brussels Airport

Brussels International Airport is situated in Zaventem, near Brussels. Once you arrive at Brussels Airport, go to the luggage hall to collect your luggage. In case your your luggage did not arrive, claim it at the 'lost luggage' desk. If you are asked for an address where to send the luggage, you can provide one of the following addresses:

For delivery during office hours:

  • Universiteit Gent / Ghent University
  • Faculty of Bioscience Engineering (FBE)
  • International Training Centre (ITC)
  • International Information Desk (room A0.037)
  • Coupure Links 653
  • B-9000 Gent
  • Belgium
  • Phone: +32-9-264 6100 (save this phone number in your mobile in case of emergency)

For those who booked a room in one of the UGent halls of residence (delivery also outside office hours):

  • Home Vermeylen, reception desk
  • Stalhof 6
  • B-9000 Gent
  • Belgium
  • Phone:+32-9-264 7100 (available 24/7)

Information on corona measures at Brussels Airport can be found here.

Get to Ghent from the airport

After having collected your luggage, you will have to travel to Ghent by train. Note that wearing a face mask on all public transport (trains, buses, metro) and in crowded public places (airport and train station) is mandatory.

  • read here for last updates on corona measures on trains and public transport.

The main railway station in Ghent is called Gent-Sint-Pieters. The airport train station is located below the terminal (basement level -1). Follow the exit and train pictogram in the airport. There is a direct train service to Ghent until 11 pm. The fare for a single trip (one way, second-class: Brussels Airport – Gent-Sint-Pieters) is € 16. You can check the train schedules and purchase your ticket through the following options:

  • through the b-rail website
  • through the b-rail app
  • before boarding the train at a ticket booth in the airport station
  • a surcharge of € 7 will be due if you haven’t purchased a ticket before you get on the train and you have to buy your ticket on the train!

Trains with final destination Knokke or Oostende have a stop at Gent-Sint-Pieters (and three intermediate stops in Brussels North, Brussels Central, and Brussels Midi) and will take 55 minutes. The train with final destination Gent-Sint-Pieters is a regional train and has 11 intermediate stops. The trip will take 1 hour and 25 minutes.

Once you arrive at Gent-Sint-Pieters station, take the main exit of the railway station (direction nearest to platform 1). Currently major construction works are taking place; if in doubt ask other travelers how to reach the front of the railway station.

Get to your student room

University student dorms

In case you have booked accommodation in one of the university halls of residence, first go to the Reception Desk of Ghent University's Housing Department in 'Home Vermeylen', where you can retrieve your key (it will be indicated where to register exactly when you arrive at the housing department).
At Gent-Sint-Pieters train station you can take (or share) a taxi to the housing office; just follow the taxi signs (taxi fare € 8-15). For housing department address, see below.
You can also take the bus (look for bus platform 15 or 16), in that case choose a bus that starts with number 7.
Ask the bus driver to stop at 'Heuvelpoort' (most likely the bus will stop there anyway - it's less than 5 minutes driving). To get a bus ticket, you have the following options:

  • through the ‘De Lijn’ app: android and apple (m-ticket at € 1.80)
  • at the ticket vending machine near the tram stop (€ 3, only cash)

Walking from train station Gent-Sint-Pieters to the university halls of residence takes approximately 30 minutes (1.5 km) and is not recommended with heavy luggage.

The housing office is located at :

  • UGent Housing Department Reception Desk
  • Home Vermeylen
  • Stalhof 6
  • 9000 Gent
  • Phone: +32 9 264 71 00

 

Student rooms on private market

Students renting a private room must contact their landlord before leaving home, so as to make the necessary arrangements concerning key retrieval, tenancy agreement, etc.

Student life at Ghent University

  • read more on our housing, sports, leisure and many other facilities for students

Arrival administration

Upon arrival, you will have to take care of some important administration regarding enrolment at Ghent University, registration at the city's migration office, necessary insurances. 

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