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University Life

  Table of contents:

 


Academic calendar

For all students except PhD students, who can begin their programmes at any point during the year, and Erasmus students who can begin their programmes in either September or January/February, the academic year starts in mid-September and finishes and the end of June (thus a student can only start in September). Classes are spread over two terms: the first term starts in mid-September and finishes at the end of December, and is followed by an examination session spanning the first three weeks of January. The second term starts at the end of January and ends in mid-May. This is followed by an examination session throughout June. A third session is held in the second half of August and the first week of September so that students can resit exams they did not pass the first time.

Check the academic calendar.

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Language courses

All students, researchers and lecturers can take advantage of language courses at the UCL Language Institute (Institut des langues vivantes, ILV).

Individuals who want to improve their French can register for French classes at the UCL Language Institute (Institut des langues vivantes, ILV). Moreover, the university, in collaboration with the Louvain Language Centres (Centres de Langues de Louvain, CLL), offers intensive French summer and winter holiday programmes specially designed for international students. More information on learning languages.

The ILV teaches 15 languages: German, English, Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, French, Modern Greek, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Portuguese, Russian, Slovenian, Turkish and Belgian French sign language.

Erasmus+ exchange students can improve their knowledge of French before they arrive by taking a free interactive French course offered by the Online Linguistic Support (OLS) system. Students should contact their home university for more information.

Students can also improve their French by joining one of the student organisations that offer language-based conversation groups and knowledge exchange and writing activities.

Students, researchers and lecturers can also take advantage of CLL Language Centres, which offer several language courses, including intensive French language courses and a series of educational activities to learn about Belgian and French-speaking culture. CLL Language Centres are located in Louvain-la-Neuve, central Brussels, Brussels Woluwe, Namur and Liège. Complete information is available at CLL Language Centres.

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Internet / WIFI

All students and staff are entitled to a UCL email address and access to computer labs and libraries. Moreover, all UCL accommodations are equipped with a cable television connection with internet access.

The university also provides a uniform wireless network using the latest security and ID technology for universal use. WIFI service covers all lecture rooms, teaching rooms and libraries, plus meeting rooms and other areas. Access conditions are identical for every building.

In addition, UCL is a partner in the Eduroam project, permitting transparent access to the wireless networks of all partner universities. This covers a great many universities throughout Europe.

Check out the rapid configuration guides.

In case of problems/questions, contact the Service Desk by phone from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm weekdays at 010/47.82.82, or by email at 8282@uclouvain.be.

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Libraries

The UCL staff card or the UCL student access card entitles its holder to free access and borrowing privileges at all UCL libraries and learning commons.

UCL libraries hold 1.5 million books and 3,500 current paper journals, in addition to the resources located in research laboratories and specialised centres with subject-specific source documents.

UCL libraries offer access through their portal to more than 30,000 e-journals from all the major scientific publishers, as well as 80,000 e-books and some 100 bibliographical and factual databases, such as Bloomberg/Macrobond, Scopus and SciFinder. Paper and electronic resources are easily accessible on site as well as off-site through the Libellule library portal. In addition, Discovery helps users browse and search, via a single interface, all UCL print and digital holdings, databases and external references.

In addition, UCL offers DIAL (Digital Access to Libraries), a digital consultation and long-term storage tool for UCL and partner institution research publications. Digital versions of all research publications are definitively stored, and their online promotion and dissemination is assured. The institutional repository is flexible enough to host heterogeneous content and allow varied access and use. The main purpose of DIAL is offering the full publication text, not just bibliographic references.

Need help? Ninety trained librarians are on hand to help users in their reference work and literature search.

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Sport

The UCL Sport and Fitness Service offers more than 90 sports and fitness activities as well as modern fitness facilities. Gifted athletes can join the university teams and compete at inter-university level. Louvain-la-Neuve is home to French-speaking Belgium’s largest sport and fitness centre: 25 sport and fitness rooms, two pools and three hectares of outside pitches.

All students can register for the Sport Card, which for an affordable price provides access to all activities mentioned in the Sport and Fitness Service programme as well as sport-related insurance.

Researchers and lecturers can access sport and fitness activities by registering for the ASPU Card.

Belgian health insurance agencies (‘mutuelles’) might reimburse the cost of the card.

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Culture

Theatre, cinema, concerts, shows, exhibitions, conferences – cultural activities abound at UCL and throughout Wallonia and Brussels. Each year,² UCL features a cultural season and hosts an artist-in-residence.

For all students, the €12 Culture Card provides free or low-cost access to cultural activities in conjunction with some 100 cultural partners.

Researchers and lecturers enjoy advantages for cultural activities via their UCL Staff Card.

And students, researchers and lecturers can contact the UCL Culture service to:

  • get advice on organising a cultural project;
  • apply for project funding;
  • find a venue for an event;
  • practice an art form;
  • advertise an event as part of UCL’s cultural agenda;
  • participate in UCL’s thematic season;
  • learn more about Culture Card benefits.

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University Restaurant Service

The University Restaurant Service offers healthy, balanced meals designed in collaboration with a nutritionist for maximum benefit to students and staff.

Self-service restaurants offer daily specials, pastas, and snacks at reasonable prices:

In addition, sandwich shops offer reasonably priced fresh homemade sandwiches, soups, desserts, and salads:

A catering service is also available in Brussels Woluwe, Louvain-La-Neuve, Mons.

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Student activities

The university encourages student involvement in extracurricular activities, whether social, sport, environmental or cultural, and provides venues, equipment and subsidies. Student associations have formed around four types of activities:

  • Student representation is assured by the Louvain Student General Assembly (AGL) at the university level; student offices at the faculty level; and the General Coordination of International Students (CGEI).
  • An original idea that involves students sharing a flat and working together on a social, cultural or sport-related project in which they have a special interest, the so-called ‘kots à projet’ are home to nearly a thousand students each year.
  • Regional organisations (‘Les Régionales’) reunite students of the same geographical region and promote their local folklore on campus.
  • Faculty groups (‘Les Cercles’) bring together students of the same faculty.

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Student support

The university cares about its students. This includes physical health and psychological well-being in every context: the classroom, the laboratory, accommodation, social life.

Whenever students encounter difficulties that hinder their studies or personal life, they should contact the university’s Student Support Service. Dedicated teams of some 50 professionals – social workers, doctors, psychologists and nurses – are ready to help. Whatever difficulty they may be experiencing, they can ask any question or confide any problem. For example:

  • Finding it difficult to adapt to student life?
  • Having trouble financing studies?
  • Dealing with a disability that requires specific support?
  • Questioning choice of studies or educational direction?
  • Experiencing family, relationship, flatmate or personal difficulties?
  • Suffering from a health, stress, diet, sleep, alcohol, drug, mood, sexual or any other issue?

Students should not hesitate to contact the Student Support Service.

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Persons with disabilities

UCL is committed to supporting persons with disabilities to pursue their higher education dreams.

Any UCL student with a disability, severe illness or learning disorder can apply for the status of a ‘Student with a specific profile’, or, using the French acronym, ‘PEPS’ status. PEPS status assists students with disabilities to pursue an academic programme of study with all the necessary support, including what’s most important: an inclusive environment. Academic demands and degree value are identical to those of any other UCL student, but learning and daily living arrangements, such as accommodation, are adapted not only to meet the student’s specific needs but to help the student thrive. (PEPS status also applies to high-level athletes, artists and entrepreneurs.)

The 'Aide Handi Unit’, part of UCL’s Student Support Office, supports students with a disability. Students can make an appointment with a social worker, who will help answer all their questions about everyday life. A psychologist also coordinates educational support.

 

Aide Handi professionals inform disabled persons about specific services, organise welcome events and educational assistance, and provide information on study choices, ensuring that tailor-made teaching aids are supplied and helping the student gradually acquire a working method that meets academic requirements. They can also provide information about financing studies and discuss health-related challenges.

 

More information (fr)
 

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Religion / Spirituality

While the ‘C’ stands for ‘Catholic’, UCL, with its more than 120 nationalities, includes just about every creed, secular or religious, practising or not. Students, researchers, faculty and staff are Muslims, Jews, Protestants and other Christians (including Catholics), Buddhists, Hindus, atheists, agnostics and other persons who would describe themselves in any number of ways.

Louvain-la-Neuve is home to a mosque and Islamic cultural centre as well as a Protestant church. Brussels Woluwe hosts an ecumenical centre.

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Insurance offered by the university

1. For students:

Students enrolled at UCL benefit from accident cover while pursuing academic activities (including when travelling between accommodation and the university, during study trips and internships, etc.) and third-party liability cover while they are pursuing academic activities. There is no coverage providing emergency assistance relating to any accidents that happen in Belgium (repatriation to home country in the event of an accident). This kind of insurance must be taken out privately.

Concerning exchange students, their home university should continue to insure them against accidents and against the consequences of third-party liability while they are pursuing academic activities. Therefore they should contact their university to find out the limitations of its insurance policies.

2. For researchers and lecturers:

The university subscribes to many insurance policies for its staff:

Group insurance, workplace accident insurance, complementary health insurance, university-organised athletic activities, liability insurance, work-related property damage insurance, comprehensive fire insurance, comprehensive electronic and laboratory insurance, auto insurance, civil liability insurance, objective liability fire and explosion insurance, objective liability human experimentation insurance, third-party agreements (research agreements, equipment use, etc.).

For more information, visit the intranet page ‘Working at UCL’.

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Intellectual property law

Ownership of research conducted at UCL by PhD students, researchers and lecturers is governed by UCL intellectual property and copyright regulations and Belgian intellectual property law. Intellectual property protection covers copyright, patents, trademarks and corporate names. Researchers and lecturers should consult the related steps involved in contract signing.

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UCL emergency and security numbers

For emergencies:

  • in Louvain-la-Neuve: 010 47 22 22
  • in all other UCL locations: first dial 112, then 010 47 22 22

To report suspicious, malicious, disturbing, noisy or violent behaviour (fights), theft, inappropriately open doors or windows, damaged or degraded public infrastructure, or some other security concern:

  • in Louvain-la-Neuve and Charleroi: 010/47 24 24
  • in Brussels Woluwe and Brussels Saint-Gilles: 02/764 93 93
  • in Mons: 065/32 35 55