Funding

In principle, the mechanisms of primary and secondary education are also applied to higher education in the German-speaking Community. As the Autonome Hochschule in the German-speaking Community is the only university that not only provides initial education for students, but is also responsible for further education and research, the Autonome Hochschule (AHS) receives additional funds each year for government-approved further education and additional training. The AHS also has the option of converting some or all of its posts into financial resources for the purpose of employing guest lecturers. 

Financial autonomy and control

The Autonome Hochschule is subject to the financial regulations of the German-speaking Community and - like all other schools - must submit an annual budget to the government, which is approved by parliament..

Fees within public higher education

• A university degree program is only available for the first cycle and only at one higher education institution. All students must pay an enrollment fee of EUR 100 per academic year. In addition, the AHS may charge each student a tuition fee of up to EUR 370 per academic year. In practice, all students pay the same amount of 450 EUR, as this is the amount set by the higher education institution. 

• There is no official part-time student status. 

• There are no short study programmes nor second cycle courses. 

• International students, i.e. students from outside the European Union, pay the same fees as Belgian and EU citizens. However, no fee is charged for exchange students. 

Financial support for learners' families and/or learners

The awarding of study grants depends on the student's income and the income of their parents. The age of the student must not exceed 35 years. Students must submit their application annually. The annual grants, which depend on the parents' income and the student's academic performance, range between EUR 362 and EUR 2,710 and are paid by the Ministry of the German-speaking Community. In the 2022/23 academic year, 14.38% of full-time students in the first cycle received a means-tested grant; the most common amount awarded to students in the German-speaking Community was EUR 663. There are no merit-based study grants. 
The German-speaking Community of Belgium does not offer any publicly subsidised loans.

Financial support for learners

From the 2023-2024 school year, students can apply for an interest-free loan (the DuO training grant) if they are completing a course of study in a profession where there is a shortage of skilled workers. If the conditions are met, the student will receive a monthly sum of EUR 350 for the regular duration of the course. The loan does not have to be repaid if the student successfully completes the course and works part-time in the German-speaking Community for at least 5 years within 10 years of successfully completing the course. 

Private education

There is no private post-secondary education in the German-speaking Community.