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Secondary School in Belgium

Live in the heart of Europe - Belgium!

Study Abroad with EIL
Non Profit Organization
Intercultural Learning
Personal Development
Improved Language Fluency

Belgium is a small but remarkably multicultural country in the heart of Western Europe, home to the European Union, NATO, and some of the most beautiful historic cities on the continent. With three official languages-French, Dutch, and German-Belgium offers Irish students a uniquely European experience. The country is particularly known for its great food culture, warm-hearted people, beautiful cities and architecture, vibrant student life, and wonderful contributions to European art. Beyond Brussels and the well-known cities, Belgium is full of charming small towns, green countryside, and a strong sense of community.

An extended stay in a Secondary School in Belgium Programme is an ideal opportunity for Irish citizens to become fluent French speakers at a young age and to experience life as an exchange student in Belgium within an authentic local community. Students are fully immersed in the Belgian way of life and culture through daily attendance at a Belgian secondary school and by living with a Belgian Host Family. This Belgian exchange program Ireland route is particularly popular with Transition Year students. As part of EIL Ireland’s Secondary School Abroad network, this is one of the most established routes for Irish-based students.

The experience is further enhanced by the support of local representatives familiar with cultural differences and cultural adjustment. Participating in our Secondary School Abroad Programme:

  • Paves the way to excellent exam results in Junior Cert and Leaving Cert French
  • Provides full immersion that allows students to become fluent at a young age
  • Encourages independence in young people
  • Broadens cultural horizons

Eligibility Requirements

In order to be considered for participating in the Secondary School in Belgium programme, students must:

  • Be between 15-18 years old
  • Have studied the French language for at least 3 years (A2 level CEFR – flexible, can be discussed)
  • Be mature and responsible

What's included in your experience

  • Airport Pick-up
  • Host Family Placement
  • Meals
  • School Placement
  • Individual Contact Person
  • Medical Insurance
  • 24/7 Emergency Support
  • Assistance with Application Process
  • Pre-Departure Orientation
  • Orientations during your time abroad

What you are responsible for

  • Airfare
  • Vaccinations
  • Field Trips
  • Domestic Transport
  • School Materials
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NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS!

Summary Information

  • Accommodation: Host Family
  • Duration: 8 weeks to a full academic year
  • Application condition: Students must have studied French for a minimum of 3 years in order to be considered
  • Students must be between 15 and 18 years old
  • Application Deadline – contact our Study Abroad Team for details

About the Secondary School in Belgium

The programme offers participants the opportunity to become fully immersed in Belgian culture and way of life by living with a carefully selected host family and attending a Belgian secondary school (école secondaire, also known as lycée or athénée) daily.

It is open to students aged 15 to 18 who are interested in attending a Belgian secondary school.

There are limited places on this programme to ensure that students have the greatest exposure to the language.

The program includes:

  • Placement  in a carefully  selected school, including application, registration, school insurance fees and tuition
    costs
  • Full  board accommodation  with a carefully selected volunteer host family
  • Return transfers to and from the nearest airport of the host community
  • Monthly contact from local coordinator
  • Local orientation within the first month
  • Group orientation in August and February
  • 24-hour emergency telephone service
  • Academic advice
  • Help with preparation for travel back to home country
  • Health insurance with CareMed International Travel Insurance

The programme does not include:

  • Flights – The organisation of flights is the participant’s responsibility
  • School books and material fees
  • Local transportation fees
  • Spending money

The Host Family Accommodation

Students are housed on a full-board basis by local, carefully selected volunteer Belgian host families. Living with a host family gives students full insight into how Belgian families really live and provides complete immersion in the language and culture. Host families are carefully screened and selected by a network of local AFS coordinators across Wallonia and are visited and regularly contacted throughout the student’s stay. As a member of the family, your child will share in the family’s daily life and take part in their normal day-to-day activities. Living with a host family is the heart of every secondary school experience in Belgium and the fastest way to become fluent.

Host families will provide:

  • A genuinely caring environment
  • Clean and comfortable surroundings
  • Convenient access to schools
  • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily
  • Single or shared bedroom

Please note that Belgian families host on a volunteer basis (they are not paid a hospitality allowance). The motivation for hosting comes from a genuine interest in learning about other cultures and the belief that hosting a student from Ireland is the next best thing to visiting Ireland itself. Most host families are middle-class, although placements with families of lower or higher income are also possible. Placements are mostly made in small towns and rural areas across Belgium, especially in the south, and very rarely in the centre of big cities. However, as Belgium is a small country, students are never far from a larger city, and the country is well connected by public transport (mainly buses and trains).

The evening meal is a treasured moment for Belgian families – everyone sits down together and shares the day’s events. Students are expected to take part in this daily ritual and be flexible with food, as Belgian cuisine features bread, potatoes, and meat several times a week. Vegetarian and vegan placements can be challenging, and students with dietary restrictions may occasionally need to prepare their own meals.

Unlike an exchange programme, there will not necessarily be other children of the same age in the family. Host families come in all shapes and sizes: single parents with children living in the house, nuclear families, older couples whose children are no longer at home, and young couples who may not have children are all considered potential host families. Our main criterion is a warm, caring, and comfortable home environment in which students can be nurtured and thrive.

N.B. Students and parents cannot reject a host family placement in favour of a new one. Once host family details are sent to the student, they are final; students and parents must agree to accept them without prejudice and enter the programme with an open mind. Cancellations will incur loss of deposit.

The School in Belgium

Students will attend a Belgian secondary school chosen by the local AFS coordinator. Schools in Wallonia are administered by the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles and may be public, private, Catholic or non-religious. Most exchange students are placed in the 5th or 6th grade – the last two years of secondary school – based on age, language ability and academic background. Required subjects include French, mathematics, geography, history, physics, biology, chemistry, physical education, and religion or morality.

Important Conditions

Important terms and conditions about going to school in Belgium

  • Please note that friends will not be placed together. This is a programme designed for individual placement. Emphasis is placed on full language and cultural immersion. If friends apply together, they will be intentionally separated and placed in different communities and schools.
  • Students may not return home for the duration of their programme. This includes Christmas and Easter holidays, and mid-term breaks. Likewise, all family visits must be limited to the end of the student’s programme, not at the beginning or in the middle. After years of experience, we find that such visits disrupt the adjustment process and can lead to further homesickness and integration problems. Students cannot go on international family holidays while on the programme. Of course, if an emergency, family bereavement or special circumstances arise, this will be null and void.
  • Please note that EIL may request students to take a French aptitude test, which will be organised after receipt of the application. Should a student not be accepted onto the programme, deposits will be refunded.
  • EIL and our partner organisation in Belgium reserve the right to send home any student whose health requires it or whose conduct is considered improper or offensive to the host family, community or school. Such conduct includes drug use, vaping, unacceptable sexual behaviour, excessive drinking, violation of the law or failure in schoolwork. In the event that the student is returned home, either alone or accompanied, parents or guardians are responsible for all expenses above those covered by the fee. In such cases, no refunds will be available. If a student chooses to end the programme early on his or her own accord, for reasons including travelling home for a holiday or during mid-term, no refund will be given.

Transportation

Students will be collected by their host family from the nearest airport or railway station to the host community, or any alternative one agreed upon by the host organisation and host family. Brussels Airport (BRU) and Charleroi Airport (CRL) are the most common arrival points for international students. Some students may not be able to take a direct flight from Ireland and may need to connect at another airport or take a train to their host community. Students will need to make this journey on their own and unassisted. Once a placement has been made, EIL will inform you of the specified airport or railway station and confirm the official dates of the programme. Most often, the best recommendation for how to arrive will come directly from the host family once you contact them. Flights and local transport to the agreed station or airport are not covered in programme fees and should be booked by the participant and parents.

Belgium is a small country with excellent public transport, mainly buses and trains, so students placed in small towns or rural areas are never far from a larger city. Local and international transportation is not included in the programme fees. Students may need to take a bus or train to school and should ask their host families if they need to budget for this in their spending while on the programme.

Prices

For further details on the Belgian secondary school exchange programme fees, please contact our Study Abroad team at [email protected]

  • Flights, school books and materials, local transportation, personal items and spending money are not included in the price
  • Late application fee: € 250
  • Deposit: 50% of the programme fee

How do I apply?

To apply please contact us and we will send you an application form to complete for the Belgian secondary school exchange programme.

The application needs to include the following:

  • Non-refundable deposit
  • Copies of 3 most recent school reports
  • 4 passport photos plus at least 4 informal photos with family and friends
  • Medical/parental release forms
  • Health certificate, if undertaking treatment
  • Certificate of vaccination
  • Dear Host Family video not longer than 1 minute, in French
  • Dear Host Family Letter in French

Failure to include any application materials, as well as incomplete applications, will delay or inhibit your acceptance into the programme. Please make certain that all signatures are completed by student, parents, teachers, and physicians before sending to EIL.

Applications in full must be received at least 3 months in advance, or else you will be charged a €250 late fee.

Other Secondary School Abroad Destinations

Looking for a different country? Explore our other Secondary School Abroad programmes for Irish students:

FAQs

I’m sure you have lots of questions and we will do our best here to answer the most common ones, but if you have any specific questions a member of the Study Abroad Team would be only too happy to answer them for you.

Call me back - Study Abroad

You can fill out this form and a member of the Study abroad team will get in touch as soon as they can

  • :
    We will endeavour to call you at the time you specify. Please note that the office hours are Monday to Friday 9 Am to 5:30 PM
    We would like to send you some updates from time to time including programme offers & newsletters.

No, this is a one-way exchange. You will not have to host a Belgian student. Some Irish students remain friends with the host family and siblings and stay in contact, but there is no obligation to have them come to Ireland unless you make a personal arrangement amongst yourselves.

Further Information

  1. Contact Us