Belgium (French Community): Introduction of a progressive tuition fee system in July 2026
As part of its budget conclave, the Government of the French Community has decided to end the mechanism freezing tuition fees and to introduce a new progressive tuition fee system starting in the 2026–2027 academic year.
This new system is based on catching up with the indexation frozen since 2011 for the tuition fee currently applicable in universities and the ceiling applicable in university colleges and arts colleges. The new system reforms access to categories in which reduced tuition fees are paid to protect lower socio-economic categories form the impact of this financial adjustment.
The introduction of this progressive tuition system also provides an opportunity to implement commitments relating to administrative simplification :
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Ending the mechanism of “actual‑cost” ancillary fees for goods and services in university colleges and arts colleges.
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Clarifying which authorities are competent to grant the status of “student of modest means”.
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Strengthening the Study Grants Directorate to improve processing times for student applications and ensure automatic communication of data to higher education institutions.
The legislative process surrounding this reform is still ongoing, but the circular aims to already give all the developments relating to this progressive tuition fee system, the different conditions for benefiting from a special condition and the implementing rules.
For more information: http://www.enseignement.be/upload/circulaires/000000000004/FWB%20-%20Circulaire%209685%20(9940_20260317_145137).pdf
Source: Eurydice Unit Belgium (French Community)
