Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

For 600 years, KU Leuven has been driven by unending curiosity and a search for knowledge. The result is cutting-edge research that attracts the foremost minds in academia, engages our diverse student body, and ignites partnerships with industry to benefit society as a whole. Discover our programmes. The full breadth of intellectual discovery is to be found within our walls. KU Leuven is home to 15 faculties offering hundreds of degree programmes, all of which are within the top 100 of the world rankings for their respective fields. No matter where our students' curiosity leads, KU Leuven reseachers are studying, analysing and pushing the boundaries of that field. All of which is conducted with the ethical rigour and financial resources necessary for true academic freedom. KU Leuven is home to a vibrant community of international students and staff members, with 23,8% of the university’s 63,774 students coming from outside of Belgium. Together, they represent over 150 countries, spread across our various Belgian campuses. The university also works with a select number of top-level partner institutions worldwide to stimulate purposeful international mobility and intensive research cooperation. And as our international students soon learn when they graduate, a KU Leuven degree offers a significant competitive advantage and is highly valued around the world. More on KU Leuven Global. Groundbreaking discoveries in the field, the lab, and the library go straight into the classroom and define our educational offering. Education and in research go hand in hand at KU Leuven, where study programmes are based on the latest research performed in our labs and libraries. This approach instils academic competences in our students whilst developing critical thinking skills and a research-oriented attitude. Flexibility and state-of-the-art technology are integral to each study programme. From Georges Lemaître's Big Bang theory to our revolutionary solar hydrogen panels, at KU Leuven curiosity is transformed into knowledge. Discover our research stories. KU Leuven's main campus is situated in Leuven, at about 30 kilometers from Brussels, the capital of Belgium and Europe. Studying in Belgium offers easy access to the best of European culture, with Paris, London and Cologne all accessible by a two-hour train ride. Furthermore, the University has campuses in nine other Flemish cities, including Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges. More on our campuses. Founded in 1425, KU Leuven will celebrate its 600th anniversary in 2025, making it one of Europe's oldest universities. Our institution has the double honour of being the oldest university in the Low Countries and the oldest extant Catholic university in the world. Learn more about our history.