Admission criteria

for the Bachelor in Urban Sustainability Studies

Diploma requirements

You can apply for the Bachelor in Urban Sustainability Studies if you have at least a secondary education degree which entitles you to enrol in a comparable programme in a university of the country in which the degree was conferred.

For Belgian students this is a secondary education diploma of the Flemish-speaking, French-speaking or German-speaking communities in Belgium.

Following situations for your degree can be applicable:

I have a degree from the EEA*

You meet the diploma requirements if you have (or will have before the start of the new academic year) one of the qualifications in the table below :

Country	Qualification	Additional qualification conditions
Austria	Reifezeugnis (allgemeinbildend) Reifeprüfungszeugnis (allgemeinbildend) Reife- und Diplomprüfungszeugnis (Berufsbildende Höhere Schule (BHS))
Belgium	Secondary education of the Flemish (level 4), French-speaking or German-speaking communities
Bulgaria	Diploma za sredno obrazovanie	State Matriculation Examination (Durzhavni zrelostni izpiti)
Croatia	Svjedodžba o državnoj maturi
Cyprus	Apolytirion + Pancyprian exam
Czech Republic	Vysvědčení o maturitní zkoušce
Denmark	Studentereksamen Højere Forberedelseseksamen Højere Handelseksamen Højere Teknisk Eksamen
Estonia	Gümnaasiumi loputunnistus Loputunnistus kutsekeskhariduse omandamise kohta	State Entrance Examinations (Riigieksamitunnistus)
Finland	Studentexamenbetyg Ylioppilastutkintotidistus (Matriculation Examination) Ammatillinen perustutkinto Yrkesinriktad grundexamen
France	Baccalauréat (Général, Technologique, Français, International, Professionel)
Germany	Allgemeine Hochschulreife Abitur
Greece	Apolytirio Genikou Lykeiou Vevaiosi Prosvasis of the Panellinies Exetaseis
Hungary	Érettségi Bizonyítvány (Matura)
Iceland	Studentsprof
Ireland	Leaving Certificate Established Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (Level 5) LCA is not accepted	Leaving certificate with at least 6 courses including English or Irish and Mathematics. At least 2 subjects with min H5, 4 subjects with min O6 or H7 and min CAO of 350.
Italy	Diploma dell' Esame di Stato conclusivo dei Corsi di Istruzione Secondaria Superiore	Minimum mark: 60/100
Latvia	Diplom par profesionālo vidējo izglītību Atestāts par vispārējo vidējo izglītību
Liechtenstein	Berufsmaturitätszeugnis Maturazeugnis	Minimum mark: 4
Lithuania	Brandos atestatas
Luxembourg	Diplôme de fin d'études secondaires Before 2017: Diplôme de fin d'études secondaires/classique/générales/techniques Brevet de technicien supérieur / Brevet de Maîtrise
Malta	Matriculation Certificate (MATSEC)	Minimum mark: C
The Netherlands	VWO HBO propedeusegetuigschrift
Norway	Vitnemål for videregående opplæring
Poland	Świadectwo dojrzałości
Portugal	Diploma (Certificado) de Nível Secundário de Educação	Proof of registration for a similar programme at a Portuguese university or an official statement from the "Direccao Geral do Ensino Superior" (DGES) that you have access to Portuguese higher education (including the study field and your overall 'nota de candidature')
Romania	Diplomă de Bacalaureat	Minimum mark: 6
Slovakia	Vysvedčenie o maturitnej skúške
Slovenia	Matura (Maturitetno spričevalo)
Spain	Título de Bachiller (Bachillerato)	EvAU, EBAU, PAU certificate or a proof of registration for a similar programme at a Spanish university
Sweden	Slutbetyg Från Gymnasieskola Högskoleförberedande Exam Gymnasieskola Yrkesexamen(program)
Switserland	Maturitätszeugnis/Certificat de Maturité
NATO Shape school - Belgian section	NATO Shape school diploma - Belgian section

I have an International or European Baccalaureate Diploma

You meet the diploma requirements if you have one of the qualifications in the table below

School	Qualification	Additional qualification conditions
European school	European Baccalaureate diploma
International school	International Baccalaureate diploma, accredited by the Office du Baccalauréat International in Genève	The diploma must be present on https://ibis.ibo.org for verification

My degree has been recognised by NARIC

If your degree was already recognised by NARIC as being equivalent to a Flemish diploma that gives direct access to a bachelor programme, you also comply with the diploma requirements.

Please note that a NARIC equivalence does not exempt the holder from other requirements (e.g. language).

I have a degree from outside the EEA*

In this case, besides the diploma requirements, you will always have to follow an additional application procedure for admission.

If favourable, a letter of acceptance will be issued, which is also required to apply for a student visa, if you should need one.

Apart from the secondary education degree, additional requirements (like grades and/or entrance examination scores) can be applicable, as shown in the list below of some common degrees:

Country	Degree and additional requirements
Cameroon	General Certificate of Education Advanced Level mentioning 3 A levels each with a minimum grade C or Baccalauréat de l’Enseignement Secondaire Général with at least mention 'bien'
Ghana	West African Senior Secondary School Certificate mentioning at least 6 subjects (of which at least 3 core subjects) each with a minimum grade B3
India	Standard XII diploma (academic - no commerce stream) with a minimum of 71% (=B1) obtained on each of the 5 courses
Morocco	Attestation du Baccalauréat with at least mention 'bien'
Nigeria	West African Senior Secondary School Certificate mentioning at least 5 subjects (of which at least 2 core subjects) each with a minimum grade B3 and an UTME score of at least 300
Pakistan	Intermediate School Certificate and having obtained all courses of the first year of a bachelor programme with a minimum score of 60%. The university of the bachelor programme should be accredited by the HEC. or Higher Secondary School Certificate and having obtained all courses of the first year of a bachelor programme with a minimum score of 60%. The university of the bachelor programme should be accredited by the HEC.
Turkey	Lise Diplomasi and a certificate of the general university admission test TYT and YKS with a minimum score according to Ösym.
USA	High School diploma (college preparatory curriculum) with the additional requirements: • 4 Advanced Placements (AP) on the Transcript of Records or • SAT college readiness test (mininum score 1300) or • ACT (minimum score 28)
Vietnam	Bằng Tốt Nghiệp Phổ Thông Trung Học with a minimum score of 7 in each of the 4 national exams

Please note

The degree requirements listed above are minimum requirements. Meeting them therefore doesn’t automatically guarantee admission.
You can already start your admission application if you did not yet obtain the degree but are in your graduation year. For enrolment, the necessary degree always needs to be obtained.
States/state actors have to be internationally recognised before we can take degrees and certificates from these states into account.

_{*EEA =}_{European Economic Area}_{or other nationalities who become EEA-nationals before 01/01 of the academic year concerned or with a valid permanent Belgian residence permit dated before 01/01 of the academic year concerned, this means either valid for at least 5 years in the case of}_{type B, C, D, E(+) F(+), M cards or type A card with the following reasons of stay: refugee, family reunification, humanitarian visa, victim of human trafficking or subsidiary protection}

Language requirements

Since the programme is taught in English, applicants with a prior degree issued outside Belgium, the Netherlands or Luxembourg are required to demonstrate their proficiency in English.

Evidence of English language competence

Evidence of English language competence at level B2 or higher on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), as documented in educational policy records from the relevant country or educational authority.

Language certificate

A valid language certificate, not older than two years at the time of application, with the following minimum scores:

TOEFL iBT (test center only)	80
IELTS Academic	6.5 overall, 6.0 per component
ITACE	B2
Cambridge English	B2 First (score 176 or higher)
PTE Academic	59

Alternative qualifications and tests with equivalent scores may also be considered.

Exemptions

Exemption from providing language proficiency proof is granted to applicants who have:

Obtained a diploma from an English-taught programme in Australia, English-speaking Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, or the United States;
Completed an English-taught programme elsewhere, provided the language of instruction is clearly stated on the educational documents.