The new federal government’s proposed student visa restrictions are raising concerns about the financial impact on higher education institutions in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, according to the Federation of Francophone Students (FEF).
The student union warns that suspending study visas for countries where this route is frequently used for migration purposes will affect the funding of higher education institutions. These restrictions will likely lead to a decrease in the number of international students attending Belgian universities and colleges, it says.
In October, the FWB government decided to cut the budget for higher education institutions by €6.5 million for 2025, and to offset this through a significant increase in additional tuition fees for non-EU students, which will jump to €4,175.
However, if the federal government allows fewer students, particularly from Africa, to study in Belgium, universities and colleges will collect less in additional fees to compensate for the budget cuts.
“The mechanism passed in November by MR and Les Engagés is failing, turning into a net loss for institutions,” the FEF says.
FEF President Adam Assoui criticised the approach, saying, “the MR and Les Engagés chose to refinance universities through the pockets of international students, who are already among the most vulnerable."
"The government needs to urgently invest in education,” he added.
