Admission requirements

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For the official information, please consult our Education and Examination code.

 

As a GENERAL admission requirement, students who intend to enrol in a Bachelor programme need to hold one of the following diplomas:

  • a secondary school diploma awarded by the Flemish Community;
  • a diploma of higher short-type education with a full curriculum;
  • a diploma of higher education for social promotion, with the exception of the Certificate of Teaching Competence;
  • a diploma of higher professional education ("hoger beroepsonderwijs");
  • a study certificate which, in accordance with a statutory standard, a European Directive or an international convention, is recognised as being equivalent to one of the diplomas listed above. 

Failing such recognition, the Dean may allow people, who have obtained a diploma or an educational certificate in a country inside or outside of the European Union, to enrol in a Bachelor programme, providing they hold a diploma or certificate that grants them access to university education in that country.

This counts for the following BELGIAN study certificates:

  • a secondary school diploma, awarded by the French-speaking or German-speaking Community in Belgium;
  • a certificate ("brevet") of complementary vocational education ("aanvullend secundair beroepsonderwijs");
  • a First Prize diploma, awarded by a School of Music or the Lemmens Institute, with the exception of a First Prize diploma in music theory;
  • a technical engineer diploma;
  • a diploma of first-grade higher music education with full curriculum, awarded by a School of Music;
  • a diploma of higher technical education of the third grade;
  • a certificate showing that the student has successfully passed at least two study years in one and the same study programme in higher vocational education, or (a) (partial) certificate of course units from one and the same study programme in higher vocational education which the candidate successfully completed with a total number of contact hours that equals at least two-thirds of the total;
  • a certificate showing that the student has successfully passed at least two study years with a full curriculum in a study programme resulting in the diploma of higher art education with a full curriculum of the second grade, a diploma of higher art education with a full curriculum of the third grade, a diploma of higher technical education of the third grade or the diploma of interior design architect;
  • a university candidature diploma (i.e. first university undergraduate diploma or "kandidaatsdiploma");
  • a bachelor diploma or equivalent;
  • a master diploma or equivalent.

 

This also counts for the following FOREIGN study certificates:

  • a legalised foreign Bachelor diploma or equivalent;
  • a legalised foreign Master diploma or equivalent;
  • a “European Baccalaureate” diploma, awarded by the European Schools in Belgium or abroad;
  • a “Diplôme du Baccalauréat International” awarded by the Office du Baccalauréat International in Geneva;
  • a diploma awarded by the SHAPE school (NATO);
  • a Luxembourg «Diplôme de Fin d’Etudes Secondaires or a «Diplôme de Fin d’Etudes Secondaires Techniques»;
  • a Dutch “Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs” (VWO) diploma or a Dutch “Middelbaar Beroepsonderwijs” (MBO) diploma of at least 3 to 4 years with qualification level 4;
  • a Dutch “Getuigschrift van met goed gevolg afgelegd propedeutisch examen” certificate;
  • a French «Baccalauréat» diploma (minimum score 10/20) ;
  • a German “Zeugnis der allgemeinen Hochschulreife/Abitur” diploma;
  • a legalised “High School Diploma” (USA) with a “transcript of records”, listing at least 4 Advanced Placements (APs);
  • a legalised diploma, which gives access to university education in the country where this diploma was issued, providing this country belongs to the member states of the Council of Europe that have signed the Convention of 1953.

 

If a prospective foreign student has a different study certificate then the ones mentioned above, the general rule is that only university diplomas or secondary school diplomas that give access to university education in the country where they were obtained, can be considered eligible for access to Howest University College - Digital Arts and Entertainment. Upon application, you will need to provide us with a legalised copy of the eligible diploma and its transcripts of records.


What is legalisation?

Before a public document (like a diploma) can be used in a country other than the one where it was issued, the origin of the document must be authenticated. It is required by the Belgian government to include a legalised copy of your diploma and transcripts in your application for a study programme at Howest University College.

Which documents need to be legalised?

  • For a valid application you need to submit a legalised copy of the eligible diploma and its transcripts.
  • The diploma and its transcripts must be translated by a sworn translator into either Dutch, French, German or English, if they were drafted up in any other language.  

Which legalisation is required for your documents? 

Please find in the following list (PDF) an overview of the types of legalisation needed for the country where your diploma was issued.
For several countries (currently: Cameroon, China, Ghana, Iraq, Nigeria, Syria and Yemen) specific procedures and additional requirements can be found here below:

 

Country-specific procedures and additional requirements

Cameroon and Nigeria

Unfortunately we regularly receive false documents from both countries, so we see ourselves forced to impose stricter conditions. In addition to the legalisation by the Belgian Embassy or Consulate, the institution where you have obtained your basic diploma must send us a copy of your diploma and transcripts under a stamped and sealed envelope.


China

An original APS certificate must be submitted in the application package. Then you are exempt from submitting a legalised copy of your basic diploma and transcripts, but will be required to submit a notarised copy.

 

Ghana

The legalisation is done at the Belgian Embassy in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Check the following website for more information and contact details: http://diplomatie.belgium.be/en/services/legalisation_of_documents/.
Unfortunately we regularly receive false documents from Ghana, so we see ourselves forced to impose stricter conditions. In addition to the legalisation by the Belgian Embassy or Consulate, the institution where you have obtained your basic diploma must send us a copy of your diploma and transcripts under a stamped and sealed envelope.

 

Iraq

  1. Legalisation of the original document by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Iraq
  2. Legalisation by the Iraq Embassy in Amman
  3. Legalisation by the Jordanian Foreign Ministry in Amman
  4. Legalisation by the Embassy of Belgium in Amman (with translation by a sworn translator in one of the national languages).

 

Syria

Information about the correct legalisation procedure can be found at: http://diplomatie.belgium.be/en/services/legalisation_of_documents/

  1. Legalisation of the original document by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Syria
  2. Legalisation by the Syrian Embassy in Beirut
  3. Legalisation by the Lebanese Foreign Ministry in Beirut
  4. Legalisation by the Embassy of Belgium in Beirut (with translation by a sworn translator in one of the national languages).

Yemen

Update 11 April 2017: The Belgian Embassy in Saudi Arabia has suspended the legalisation of documents issued in Yemen. Therefore the institution where you have obtained your diploma must send us a copy of your diploma and transcript in a stamped and sealed envelope.