Your future in Flanders
Want to stay in Belgium after you graduate? Yes, you can!
You can apply for an orientation year residence permit to extend your stay in Belgium with an extra 12 months to find a job or start your own business.
Looking for some real life reviews? Watch our videos below to see what our international alumni have to say about their current careers in Flanders.
What is an orientation year?
An orientation year is an opportunity for non-EEA citizens to receive a 12-month residence permit to look for a job or start their own business in Belgium after graduation. This gives you some breathing room after your studies to apply for jobs, network, or even get your own business started.
If you want to listen to some real life experiences first, scroll down further on this page and hear what our alumni have to say about their job experiences in Belgium.
Interested? Click the button and find out which documents you'll need and how to start your application!
Requirements and application
Find out which documents you need to prepare and where to submit your application.
Rights and obligations
What rules do I have to follow? Can I already start working during the orientation year? What is an Annex 15?
We'll answers these questions and more!
Finding a job
How do you find a job? Or how do you start your own business? Find out here alongside some additional useful resources!
Get ready to meet our alumni
Curious to hear what the job market is like in Flanders? Watch this compilation video or discover individual testimonies below - no better place to learn about real-life experiences first hand!
MEET CHÂU FROM VIETNAM 🇻🇳
Châu studied Game Graphic Production at Howest University of Applied Sciences in Kortrijk and works at the world-famous Larian Studios in Ghent.
During the last year of her studies, she did an internship at Larian Studios which gave her a lot of insight in the industry. Aftwerwards, Larian Studios gave her her first job out of school where she got to work on some exclusive projects.
Watch the video and discover which opportunities Châu got in Belgium!
MEET MADELI FROM SOUTH-AFRICA 🇿🇦
Madeli studied visual arts, specialising in jewellery design at PXL university of applied sciences and arts in Hasselt.
She found a lot of inspiration during her internship in Antwerp - the refined city of diamonds.
Watch the video and discover which opportunities Madeli got in Belgium and Europe.
MEET ISHAN FROM INDIA 🇮🇳
Before Ishan decided to study in Flanders, he worked on an oil tanker for over 10 years. For his work he visited the port of Antwerp multiple times.
He was always fascinated by the Port of Antwerp because it is very big and has a large petrochemical cluster. Therefore he was thinking about working at the port of Antwerp someday.
To be able to fulfill this dream he decided to study Maritime and Air Transport Management, a joint programme organized by the University of Antwerp and the Antwerp Management School.
Watch the video to discover which opportunities Ishan got in Belgium.
MEET ADRIANA FROM ECUADOR 🇪🇨
Adriana is a chemical engineer and studied a master in Environmental Sanitation at Ghent University.
After her studies she decided to do a PhD as a researcher in biofuels at Ghent University. At the same time she has a start-up in Ecuador called ‘Terracoco’. This organization focusses on reusing coconut waste in Ecuador.
Watch the video and discover which opportunities Adriana got in Belgium and Europe.
MEET FON FROM CAMEROON 🇨🇲
Fon is a transportation planner and studied Transportation Sciences and Management at Hasselt University.
After his studies he decided to follow a second Masters programme to further develop his knowledge about management. He combines his studies with a job at Tailormade Logistics in Genk.
Watch the video and discover which opportunities Fon got in Belgium.
MEET HAMZA FROM SYRIA 🇸🇾
Hamza is a refugee from Syria. He studied International Business Management at KdG University of Applied Sciences in Antwerp and works in football statistics in the Belgian Pro League.
Hamza arrived in Belgium as a refugee without a degree and without any knowledge of the Dutch language. However he managed to get a degree and achieve his dream of working in the football business.
Watch the video and discover which opportunities Hamza got in Belgium.
MEET MARTYNA FROM POLAND 🇵🇱
Martyna studied Biomedical studies at KU Leuven. After her studies she decided to follow a PhD as a researcher on transplantation at the Rega Institute.
In Poland, there weren’t many options to study Biomedicine or do research after her studies. Therefore, one of Martyna’s Polish professors recommended KU Leuven as a study destination for a masters programme in Biomedical studies.
Watch the video and discover which opportunities Martyna got in Belgium.
Official information
Information concerning requirements and application documents can be found on the website of the Belgian immigration office. We urge you to always check this page for the latest information.
