International students give Belgium more than they cost, study finds
Oct 15, 2026
Category: Belgium International Students News
International students contribute much more to Belgium than they cost, according to research by Kristof De Witte, a KU Leuven professor and Vice-Dean at the Research & Impact Faculty of Economics and Business. His study found that direct benefits exceed costs by a factor of 2.6 to 3.3.
Belgium’s governments are looking to cut costs and crack down on migration, and tuition fees for students from outside the European Economic Area (non-EEA) are rising sharply.
Billions on table
Researchers found that international students contribute between €3,072 million and €4,408 million to the Belgian economy. That equates to a net contribution of €465 to €613 per inhabitant in Flanders.
The study, “The economic impacts of internationalisation in higher education” (2020), also counted costs. These covered public funding for higher education and social and health expenditure.
“Yet these students generally contribute much more than they cost,” De Witte told The Brussels Times. Possible indirect costs, such as pressure on capacity, were considered too.
Spending now, taxes later
While studying, international students pay tuition fees, rent rooms, buy food and clothing, use public transport and spend in cafés and restaurants. Visiting family and friends also spend money in Belgium, De Witte noted.
The largest gain comes after graduation. “If an international student stays here, finds work and pays taxes and social security contributions, that contribution can continue for decades,” he explained.
Indirect benefits are harder to price. De Witte pointed to universities’ international networks and reputation, trade and investment, contacts and a more diverse learning environment.
Ratios that vary by degree
The cost-benefit ratio changes with the level of study. It runs at about 1.2 to 1.6 for PhD students, 3.7 to 4.6 for undergraduates and 5.1 to 6.3 for postgraduates.
De Witte argued that headcounts matter less than who arrives, whether they graduate and what they do next. He would not advocate “as many international students as possible”, he said, preferring a focus on the quality of the intake and on retention after graduation.
Capacity is the stated downside. Extra students can strain accommodation and certain degree programmes when places are in short supply.
Fees up, visas tighter
Fees have reached €17,500 per year in some cases. The Federal Government is also tightening rules for non-EU students.
From this academic year, they must achieve certain grades to keep their visas or risk deportation. Authorities said before the summer that they aim to combat the “abuse of student status without closing the door to international talent”.
De Witte described the direction of travel as the opposite of what his study supports. He said the research points toward “simple and swift” procedures for residence and work permits.
In the study, a significant simplification of the visa procedure raised the likelihood that a non-EEA student stays after graduation by up to 23.99 percentage points.
Numbers hold, for now
Intake has not fallen so far. OECD figures show Belgium hosted approximately 52,100 international students in 2019 and approximately 57,000 in 2023.
As a share of all students, the picture is flat: 10.5% in 2019 and 10.4% in 2023. De Witte said recent intake figures from third countries show no decline despite the fee rises and tighter rules.
He still sees a risk. He said the chance that steep fees scare students away “certainly” exists, to the detriment of the Belgian treasury.
The research found that higher fees reduce a university’s appeal for around 55% of students. Around 45% give fees much less weight and focus on career prospects.
Both groups rate reputation highly, De Witte said, which explains why higher fees do not cut numbers straight away.
Smoother school-to-labour transition
De Witte wants the move from university to the labour market smoother. His list covers work placements, matching with employers, career guidance and removing language and administrative barriers.
His simulations suggest better labour market opportunities alone could generate tens of millions of euros in extra annual benefits through higher retention.
On fees, he favours targeted scholarships or waivers over purely uniform pricing, so that high-achieving but price-sensitive students are not lost. He also wants continued investment in quality and reputation, which he says makes international students willing to pay more.