Top Universities in Belgium for 2025

As the home of the EU and NATO headquarters, Belgium has established itself at the centre of international politics and culture. As such, the country’s historic universities attract thousands of students from across the globe each year.

The Belgium higher education system benefits from this diverse and multi-lingual population of international students and staff.

But how does Belgium fair in the academic ranking tables? Which of its universities from the Flemish and French communities come out top?

This page summarises the performance of Belgian universities in the three most prominent global university rankings.

The following table gives the eight best universities in Belgium in 2025, according to global rankings.

This information is based on the latest rankings tables, researched and published by Times Higher Education, QS and the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU).

Each ranking system uses its own methodology, with different factors having more or less influence on a university's result.

Read our guide on how to use international rankings as a postgraduate student for more information see our guide.

With several universities in the top 200, Belgium stands strong in the international rankings and a postgraduate degree from one of its universities is likely to introduce you to a wealth of employment opportunities.

Its oldest and largest institution, KU Leuven, ranks in the top 50 of the Times Higher Education list and is a world leader in subjects such as Dentistry and, perhaps unsurprisingly, Politics and International Relations.

The Belgian higher education system is credited with preparing its students for the job market, and it's universities are also recognised for its excellent graduate employability rates.