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Travora Student · 2027 intake

Study in Belgium from Congo-Brazzaville

For French-speaking Belgium, a Congolese student applying for a bachelier (bachelor's) first requests the équivalence (recognition) of their bac to the CESS (Belgian upper secondary certificate) (€150 at the reduced rate, from November 15, 2026 to July 15, 2027; Congo is not on the list of countries that must send their originals), then admission from each institution (around March 31, 2027 at universities). The D study visa is not applied for in Brazzaville: according to the official table of responsibilities, France represents Belgium there for short stays only, and the long-stay visa falls under the Belgian Embassy in Kinshasa, which means crossing the river and entry formalities for the DRC to check. Before submitting: €251 fee to the Office des étrangers (Immigration Office); at submission: D visa fee (€250 since July 1, 2026 according to the FPS Foreign Affairs, i.e. 163,989 FCFA at the fixed rate; payment currency in Kinshasa not found). Means of subsistence: €1,062 per month in 2026-2027 (696,626 FCFA), amount indexed for 2027-2028. A medical certificate from an approved doctor and a certified criminal record extract are required. At universities, Congolese nationals are exempt from the additional contribution (fees of €1,194 instead of €5,369), not necessarily at a haute école (university college). Service provider, appointments and processing times in Kinshasa: not found.

Updated October 12, 2026 · Reliability: medium · 33 sources

Known cost before departure
328,634 – 427,028 FCFApartial
excluding funds and tuition
Required funds
696,626 FCFA / month
€1,062 / month
Processing time
Processing by the Office des étrangers up to 90 days (non-binding), then about 15 days for issuance; processing times specific to Kinshasa not found.
Interview
Not specified
Before the visa

Admission route

Bachelier (bachelor's): équivalence (recognition) of the secondary diploma to the CESS (FWB Service des équivalences), then an admission application on each university's, haute école's or art school's online form; Master's: direct admission, the institution assesses the Licence. No central platform. PhD: admission through the doctoral school with a supervisor (promoteur).[3][4][5][6][7]

Admission procedure fees

  • Équivalence of the secondary diploma (reduced rate, diploma obtained in Congo)[1][2](bachelor's, short program)€150≈ 98,394 FCFA
  • Non-EU admission deposit (ULiège example)[3]€200≈ 131,191 FCFA

    Deducted from tuition if admitted, not refunded otherwise; doctoral candidates exempt.

The visa application

Where to apply

Where to file
Kinshasa; Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire (French Embassy) only for the short-stay visa
Authority
Belgian Embassy in Kinshasa (DRC) for the D visa; processed by the Office des étrangers (Immigration Office) in Brussels
Appointment
Not found: any service provider, appointment booking and service fees in Kinshasa could not be read (Belgian sites inaccessible to the tool on October 12, 2026).
Tip
The Office des étrangers advises submitting before July 1; get your admission by April-May and confirm the procedure with the Belgian Embassy in Kinshasa.
Processing time
Processing by the Office des étrangers up to 90 days (non-binding), then about 15 days for issuance; processing times specific to Kinshasa not found.[11][19]
Good to know
Official visa responsibilities table (January 29, 2024): « CONGO (REPUBLIQUE) Kinshasa FR (Brazzaville, Pointe Noire) »; a May 5, 2026 version exists but could not be read. Luxembourg, represented by Belgium, also sends long-stay visas for residents of Congo to the Belgian Embassy in Kinshasa.

Sources for filing[8][9][10][11]

In order

The steps

  1. 1

    Choose your institution and program[6]

    When: from fall 2026

    Universities (UCLouvain, ULB, ULiège, UMons, UNamur, Saint-Louis), hautes écoles (university colleges), écoles supérieures des arts (art schools); a student stay requires at least 54 credits or a preparatory year of at least 12 hours per week at a recognized institution. Courses in French with no general language test.

  2. 2

    Bachelier: apply for équivalence to the CESS[1][2][4][5][7]

    When: from November 15, 2026 to July 15, 2027Duration: at least 4 to 12 weeks

    Birth certificate, certified copy of the diploma and transcript, proof of access to higher education in Congo, cover letter, proof of payment. Congo is not on the list of countries that must send their original documents (2026 « tous pays » sheet): certified true copies. Reduced fee of €150 (criterion: country where the diploma was obtained), non-refundable. Submission by registered mail or by appointment in Brussels. Decision in at least 4 to 12 weeks.

    • Équivalence to the CESS (reduced rate)[1][2]€150≈ 98,394 FCFA
  3. 3

    Apply for admission[3][6][12]

    When: February-March 2027

    Each institution's online form; ULiège example: from February 18 to March 31 (2026), €200 deposit, answer no later than June 30. UNamur: complete file before March 31 for visa applicants. The admission certificate (final or provisional) is the core document for the visa.

    • Admission deposit (ULiège)[3](depending on profile)€200≈ 131,191 FCFA
  4. 4

    Prepare local documents[11][13][14][15]

    When: April-June 2027

    Criminal record extract less than 6 months old (over 18), medical certificate on the legal template issued by an embassy-approved doctor within 6 months, birth certificate. No apostille in Congo: certification at the Congolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then by the competent Belgian mission (not confirmed). No translation for documents in French. List of approved doctors for residents of Congo, place and cost of the criminal record extract: not found.

    • Criminal record extract, medical certificate, certifications[13]amount not found

      Fees not found (October 12, 2026).

  5. 5

    Prove your means of subsistence[16][17][18][19]

    When: before filing

    €1,062 net per month in 2026-2027 (696,626 FCFA), i.e. €12,744 per year (8,359,516 FCFA); 2027-2028 amount not published. Forms: scholarship, sponsorship undertaking (annexe 32) from a guarantor showing €3,235.88 net per month, sum blocked in an account managed by the institution (UNamur: €12,894 with a €150 fee), income or savings.

  6. 6

    Pay the fee to the Office des étrangers[6][20][21]

    When: before filing

    €251 for a public or subsidized institution, €242 for a private institution (2026 amounts, indexed on January 1); without payment, the application is inadmissible. Exemption for scholarship holders and those under 18.

    • Office des étrangers fee (public institution)[20][21]€251≈ 164,645 FCFA
  7. 7

    Get an appointment at the Belgian Embassy in Kinshasa[8][10][11][22][32][33]

    When: May-June 2027 (submission before July 1 recommended)

    Appointment procedure, any service provider and service fees in Kinshasa: not found. D visa fee: €250 since July 1, 2026 (FPS Foreign Affairs rate, previous value €180), Belgian cooperation scholarship holders exempt; currency and equivalent amount collected in Kinshasa to be confirmed.

  8. 8

    Cross the Congo River to Kinshasa[23][24][25]

    When: day of the appointment (and of collection)

    The D visa application is submitted in person in Kinshasa. The convention on the movement of persons between Congo and the DRC (signed in Kinshasa on June 3, 2014, ratified by Congolese law no. 49-2014) distinguishes two cases. Nationals living in the border zone (50 km, or « localités frontalières juxtaposées » (adjacent border towns), which seems to cover Brazzaville and Kinshasa though the text does not name them) enter with a passport or national ID card and an individual laissez-passer (travel pass), for 72 hours at most. Others (for example a resident of Pointe-Noire) are « voyageurs transnationaux » (transnational travelers): passport and entry visa. Yet a 2019 response from Canada's IRB cites the Kinshasa airport website: « Nationalités exemptées de visa : … Congo Brazzaville … » (visa-exempt nationalities), and the press announced in 2015 a visa exemption for cross-border travelers. Current rule, price of the laissez-passer, of any DRC visa and of the crossing (boat or plane): not found on an official source on October 12, 2026; check with the DRC Embassy in Brazzaville before booking the appointment. The passport is needed for the visa submission anyway; plan a round trip for submission and, unless the mission says otherwise, another for collection (collection arrangements not found).

    • DRC laissez-passer or visa, Brazzaville-Kinshasa crossing[23]amount not found

      Amounts not found on an official source (searched on October 12, 2026).

  9. 9

    Submit the D visa application[6][11][14][19]

    When: before July 1, 2027

    Passport valid for at least 12 months, form, proof of fee payment, admission certificate, équivalence (or proof of submission), means of subsistence, medical certificate, criminal record extract, photos, parental authorization for a minor; insurance optional at submission.

    • D visa fee[22][32][33]€250≈ 163,989 FCFA

      FPS Foreign Affairs rate since July 1, 2026; currency collected in Kinshasa not found. Previous value: €180 (118,072 FCFA), rate still displayed in Yaoundé.

  10. 10

    Processing by the Office des étrangers[11][14][19]

    When: July-September 2027Duration: up to 90 days

    Decision within 90 days of the acknowledgment of receipt (non-binding deadline); incomplete file: 30 days to complete it. Issued by the mission about 15 days after a positive decision. Refusal: application for suspension and annulment before the Conseil du contentieux des étrangers (Council for Alien Law Litigation) within 30 days (non-suspensive).

  11. 11

    Arrival in Belgium[6][19][26][27]

    When: September 2027

    Report to the commune (municipality) within 8 days (annexe 15, residence check, A card valid until October 31), join a mutualité (health insurance fund), finalize enrollment before September 30. University tuition: €1,194 (Congolese nationals exempt from the additional contribution at universities).

    • A card, federal share (after arrival)[26]€20.7 / year≈ 13,578 FCFA

      Municipal tax on top.

The application

Required documents

  • Passport[6][23]

    required

    Valid for at least 12 months.

    Local specifics: Also needed to enter the DRC without a border laissez-passer.

  • D visa application form[6]

    required

    Completed and signed.

  • Proof of fee payment (€251 or €242)[20][21]

    required

    Exemption for scholarship holders and those under 18.

  • Admission or enrollment certificate[6][19]

    required

    Final or provisional.

  • Équivalence to the CESS or proof of submission[4]

    requiredbachelor's, short program

    Bachelier; whether proof of submission is accepted to be confirmed by the mission.

  • Financial means: €1,062 net per month (2026-2027)[16][19]

    required

    Scholarship, annexe 32, institution's blocked account, income, savings.

  • Medical certificate (legal template)[11][14]

    required

    Embassy-approved doctor, less than 6 months old.

    Local specifics: List of approved doctors for residents of Congo not found.

  • Criminal record extract[11][13][14]

    required

    Over 18, less than 6 months old, certified.

    Local specifics: Certification at the Congolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs; issuance in Congo (place, cost) not found.

  • ID photos

    required

    Number and format set by the mission (not found for Kinshasa).

Depending on your profile

  • Legalized sponsorship undertaking (annexe 32)[17][19]

    Guarantor: €3,235.88 net per month in 2026-2027.

  • Health insurance[11][14]

    Optional at submission; without it, temporary permit of 4 months at most.

  • Parental authorization[11]

    For a minor.

Before departure

Detailed fees

  • Équivalence to the CESS (bachelier)[1][2](depending on profile)€150≈ 98,394 FCFA
  • Office des étrangers fee (public institution)[20][21]€251≈ 164,645 FCFA

    €242 (158,742 FCFA) for a private institution; indexed on January 1, 2027.

  • D visa fee[22][32][33]€250≈ 163,989 FCFA

    €250 since July 1, 2026, including the D study visa (FPS Foreign Affairs consular fee table, valid for all missions); currency and equivalent amount collected in Kinshasa not found. Previous value: €180 (118,072 FCFA), rate still displayed by the Yaoundé embassy (s22).

  • Service fee of any provider in Kinshasaamount not found
  • Medical certificate (approved doctor)[11]amount not found
  • Criminal record extract and certifications[13]amount not found
  • Crossing and DRC entry formalities[23]amount not found
  • Admission deposit (ULiège example)[3](depending on profile)€200≈ 131,191 FCFA

    Deducted from tuition if admitted; not counted.

Known subtotal328,634 – 427,028 FCFA

excluding funds; min (Master's, public institution) = €251 fee + €250 D visa = 328,634; max (bachelier) = same items + €150 équivalence = 427,028; fixed rate 655.957. Admission deposit not counted. Previous subtotals with the visa at €180: 282,717 – 381,111.

Items with no published official amount (not counted)

  • service fees in Kinshasa
  • medical certificate
  • criminal record extract and certifications
  • crossing and DRC formalities
  • currency and equivalent amount of the D visa (€250) collected in Kinshasa
For the visa

Funds to prove

696,626 FCFA / monthi.e. €1,062 / month

€12,744 per year in 2026-2027; fixed rate 655.957. Guarantor: €3,235.88 net per month.

2026-2027 amount (€835 in 2025-2026), indexed every year; the amount for the September 2027 intake is not published as of October 12, 2026.[16][17][18][28]

Accepted proof

  • scholarship or loan certificate
  • sponsorship undertaking (annexe 32)
  • money blocked in an account managed by the institution
  • income from a side job
  • savings
2027 intake

Timeline

  1. November 15, 2026

    équivalence applications open[4]

  2. March 31, 2027to be confirmed

    usual non-EU admission deadline (universities)[3][6][12]

    March 31 in 2026 (ULiège, UNamur)

  3. June 30, 2027to be confirmed

    ULiège answer at the latest[3]

    same period every year

  4. July 1, 2027to be confirmed

    visa submission recommended before[11]

    Office des étrangers advice

  5. July 15, 2027

    équivalence deadline (postmark)[4][5]

  6. September 30, 2027to be confirmed

    final enrollment[29]

    same date every year

Specifics Congo-Brazzaville → Belgium

Differences and pitfalls

What differs from the general rule

  • Submission in another country: D visa at the Belgian Embassy in Kinshasa; the French Embassy in Brazzaville only represents Belgium for short stays.
  • Équivalence at the reduced rate of €150; Congo is not on the list of countries that must send their originals to the Service des équivalences.
  • Universities: nationals of Congo-Brazzaville exempt from the €4,175 additional contribution (annex 2 « IDH bas » (low HDI) of ARES circular 2026-001); at a haute école, the exemption may be limited to least developed countries.
  • UGent (political and social sciences): Congolese students pay rate B with no increased fee.
  • ARES international training scholarships and VLIR-UOS scholarships are closed to Congo-Brazzaville.
  • No apostille: criminal record extract and civil documents legalized at the Congolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs; no translation needed for documents in French.

Pitfalls to avoid

Leaving for Kinshasa without checking DRC entry requirements[23][24][25]

The Congo-DRC agreement requires a laissez-passer (pass, 72 hours maximum) for border residents and a passport with a visa for everyone else; public sources contradict each other on the visa exemption. Check with the DRC Embassy in Brazzaville, keep a valid passport, and plan the time and cost of two crossings (submission and collection).

Believing the French Embassy in Brazzaville accepts the D visa[8]

For Belgium, it only handles short-stay visas; the student visa must be submitted in Kinshasa.

Missing March 31 or July 15[3][4][11]

Non-EU admission often closes at the end of March, équivalence (recognition) by July 15 at the latest, visa recommended before July 1.

Budgeting on €835 per month[16][28]

The threshold is €1,062 in 2026-2027 and will be indexed for 2027-2028.

Choosing a haute école (university college) counting on the exemption[27][30]

The exemption from the additional fee applies at universities; a haute école can charge a Congolese student €5,369.

Non-refundable fees[3][4][6]

Équivalence, admission deposit and fee are not refunded if refused.

Failing or changing programs often[31]

Since June 1, 2026: 60 credits after two years of bachelor's, then 40 per year, or the permit may not be renewed.

Figures

Statistics

D study visas applied for, granted, refused for Congolese nationals (Brazzaville)
No official figure found: Not found; the Office des étrangers report cited only details Cameroon and Morocco.

Travora does not issue visas.

Travora is not affiliated with any embassy, consulate or service provider (Campus France, TLScontact, VFS Global, BLS…). Rules and amounts change: check the official website before any payment or filing. Page updated October 12, 2026.

Checked on

Sources

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  2. [2]Liste des pays dont les frais administratifs s'élèvent à 150 € — Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, Service des équivalences, accessed October 12, 2026
  3. [3]Outside EU student — Université de Liège (ULiège), accessed October 12, 2026
  4. [4]Équivalence de diplôme — Bruxelles-J, accessed October 12, 2026
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  10. [10]Congo (République démocratique) — missions diplomatiques et consulaires (modifié le 03/10/2025) — Ministère des Affaires étrangères du Luxembourg, accessed October 12, 2026
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  18. [18]Démarches administratives et mutuelles (22/07/2026) — Université de Namur (UNamur), accessed October 12, 2026
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