Degree Students

Tuition & Finances Degree

Tuition fees 2024/2025

Start in FALL	EEA	non-EEA without scholarship**
Fixed cost*	€ 288	€ 4,500
Cost fall semester (30 credits)	€ 414	€ 2,250
Cost spring semester (30 credits)	€ 414	€ 2,250
Total tuition fee start in FALL (60 credits)	€ 1,116	€ 9,000

The tuition fee for students with an EEA-nationality starting in 2024/2025 is composed of a fixed component of € 288 and a variable component of € 13.80 per credit.
The tuition fee for students with a non-EEA-nationality starting in academic year 2024/2025 consists of a fixed amount of € 4,500 and a variable amount of € 75 per credit. An overview of the cost for a non-EEA national can be found here.

Start in SPRING	EEA	non-EEA without scholarship**
Fixed cost*	€ 288	€ 4,500
Cost fall semester (30 credits)	-	-
Cost spring semester (30 credits)	€ 414	€ 2,250
Total tuition fee start in SPRING (30 credits)	€ 702	€ 6,750

*The academic year always runs from September to August. If you start in the Spring semester (February) you pay the fixed amount for that ongoing academic year (that runs until August). Once you re-enroll in September, you will need to pay the total fixed amount again, this amount will then cover September to August.

**We do offer a merit-based scholarship. Please scroll down to find out more about our tuition fee waiver.

We do not ask an admission or application fee nor do we provide documents via email. Should you receive an invoice or document of which the authenticity is questionable, please contact admissions@thomasmore.be

Paying the tuition fee 2024/2025

First invoice
After your registration is processed, you will receive an invoice for the amount of the fixed part. The payment of the fixed part of the tuition fee can’t be cancelled after the start of the academic year.

Second invoice**
In the first weeks after your registration you will compile your individual study programme (ISP) and determine how many credits you take up. Once your study programme has been approved, you will receive a second invoice for the variable part. This invoice will be sent to your Thomas More mail address. You don’t pay for course units for which you are exempt.

** Thomas More offers the possibility to pay the second invoice in instalments. This can be done online via a standard distribution plan.

In the context of the calculation of the tuition fees, non-EEA students who fall into one of the right of residence categories determined by the Higher Education Code (Art.II.215) are given the same rights as people of Belgian nationality. Within these categories, the equivalence of rights for family members of EEA citizens, as described in Art.II.215.8°, is interpreted as an equivalence for people married to or legally cohabitating with EEA citizens, as well as direct ascendants and descendants of EEA citizens.
You have to be able to demonstrate that you meet at least one of these requirements by no later than 31 December of the relevant academic year.

Ukrainian refugee students who have the special temporary protection status in Belgium or who are in the process of obtaining this status will be considered as EEA members . Therefore they will fall in the regular tuition fee category instead of the increased category. You will also most likely be eligible for a scholarship of the government which may result in another reduction of the tuition fee.
More information for Ukrainian refugees can be found here.

First invoice
After your application has been approved you will pay the tuition fee of one semester in advance*, including the fixed part and the variable part of 30 credits.

*For postgraduate candidates: you pay the total tuition fee in advance (60 credits) and you do not get a second invoice.

Second invoice**
If you choose a non-standard individual study programme (ISP) your variable tuition fee will vary according to the total credits you enrolled for. If you start in the fall semester you will be charged for the variable amount of the spring semester as soon as your ISP has been approved.

Important!
Only transfer the tuition fee to the account number stated on the invoice
Always state the structured communication (e.g. +++000/0000/00000+++)

** Thomas More offers the possibility to pay the second invoice in instalments. This can be done online via a standard distribution plan.

Refund in case of visa refusal
You will be refunded the semester tuition fee and your blocked account (-250€ administrative cost) in case of a visa refusal.

Scholarships

Thomas More offers a non-monetary scholarship to international students. You can get a discount on the tuition fee via the merit-based scholarship or tuition fee waiver.

Tuition Fee Waiver 2024/2025

Non-EEA students who pay the increased tuition fee can receive a discount.
For students in their first year of enrolment, the discount is calculated on the basis of the study efficiency after their first semester:

If the student reaches 60% study-efficiency* at the end of the semester, he/she receives a discount for the course units of the next semester.

As of the second year of enrolment (new academic year), the discount is calculated based on the year-study efficiency of the previous academic year. If a student achieves 70% study-efficiency in the previous academic year, he/she receives a discount for all course units of the following academic year.

*this is also applies for students who start in February. They will receive a discount on their current semester instead of the next semester. The academic year always runs from September to August.


	Non-EEA start in September 2024	Non-EEA start in February 2024
Total tuition fee without scholarship	€ 9,000	€ 6,750
Total tuition fee with scholarship	€ 7,200	€ 5,850

Living costs 2024/2025

These estimates are based on research of the study and living costs by CEBUD (centre for budget advice and research), a research group linked to the Bachelor programme in social work of Thomas More. This information is provided to ensure that you are fully aware of the likely costs of your study. Therefore we advise you to consider them very carefully.

These are the likely living costs (accommodation, food, personal items, social activities, study cost without tuition fees and transport) for a single, full-time degree student:

for 1 month: between € 850 and € 1,150
for 7 months: between € 5,990 and € 8,000
for a whole academic year: between € 10,260 and € 13,590

Accommodation averages per month (for a student room):

Sint-Katelijne-Waver: € 367 - € 516
Geel: € 290 - € 430
Mechelen: € 386 - € 545
Antwerp: € 470 - € 503

The amounts mentioned above are the average rental prices of a standard student room with common kitchen and sanitary facilities. If you seek for a room which include kitchen and bathroom for yourself, you will have to pay more each month. The sooner you start your search for a room (we recommend at the end of Apil), the more options you have in finding what you want. Bear in mind that the cheapest rooms are taken very quickly. Allow an average € 30 - € 60 per month for utilities, depending on the type of student home.

You can read more information about renting a student room on this page.

The overview gives you the average rental prices at the private rental market. Take into account increased rent, due to rising energy costs and possible extra index adjustments.

Blocked account 2024/2025

Thomas More requires a blocked account procedure to prove your financial solvency when applying for (the extension of) a student visa (sufficient means of subsistence). You make an advance payment of your monthly living expenses (13 months for FALL semester, 8 months for SPRING semester) into a blocked account managed by Thomas More. When you arrive in Belgium you open a Belgian bank account in your name into which you receive monthly payments during your studies. You will receive a double payment (€ 1,700) the first month to cover all extra costs such as rent deposit etc.. At the end of the academic year you are fully reimbursed, apart from € 250 administrative fee. The minimum amount to cover your living expenses is € 850 per month and is set by the Belgian government.

Blocked account Fall 24/25: € 850 x 13 months + € 250 administrative fee = € 11,300
Blocked account Spring 24/25: € 850 x 8 months + € 250 administrative fee = € 7,050

You will receive detailed information on the procedure as soon as your application has been approved. Be aware that the monthly amount is set by the Belgian Government and is subject to change at any given time. If any changes should occur we will notify our students.

Sponsorship (annexe 32) is only allowed if the sponsor is a first degree relative (proven by birth certificate).

Should your visa be refused, the blocked account will be fully refunded (-€ 250 administrative fee 23/24) onto the account where the money originally was transferred from.

A student visa/residence permit is valid for 1 academic year (end date is usually 31st of October). You will need to extend your visa/residence permit each year. A blocked account can be requested by the commune as one of the options to proof your financial solvability in your second/third year. If you wish to use this procedure again, please contact student administration.

Additional study costs

Books and study material
These are not included in the tuition fee and will need to be purchased seperately upon arrival.

Laptops and software
A computer is a necessary support for your studies. You can access the digital learning environment with it, follow online lessons, do exercises… This is why we advise you to foresee a good computer and software for the start of your new academic year.
Once you are enrolled, you will get access to the software platform of Academic Software. Here you will not only find all kinds of useful software tools you can use for your degree programme, but you will also get technical support on the phone during the installation and usage of the software. All students get access to this bundle, it costs 30€ (for 23/24).

Other
You may need to make additional provision for costs such as a student visa, international travel to and from your study location and internships.
For some of our programmes you'll also need to purchase specific study materials:
Automotive Technology