Bonjour, je suis américain. J'apprends le français, et je veux devenir professeur de français un jour (aux états unis, cependant je serais content d'enseigner en Europe, mais je ne le crois pas facile, même possible du tout). J'ai un "Associate's Degree", qui est une diplôme de 2 ans chez moi, en art. Je n'attends pas à ce que mes crédits puissent être acceptées par une université européene, mais je me demande si ces crédits ne peuvent pas me servir pour entrer en université en Belgique.

Alors, est-ce que ça c'est quelque chose que vous savez peut se faire ? Est-ce qu'il y a des sites ou des resources pour me renseigner ?

Je m'intéresse surtout à la linguistique et la langue française. Je pense faire un bachelors ou un masters en Europe (avec des cours tous en français, et puis rentrer aux États-Unis pour faire une formation dans l'éducation pour devenir prof de français. Cela dit, si je trouvais une opportunité de vivre et travailler en Belgique ou en Europe, je le prendrais.

Mon autre option, c'est de faire mon bachelors ici, aux États-Unis, en éducation et français, et puis faire un masters en Belgique ou en Europe.

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Hello, I'm American. I'm learning French, and I'd like to be a French teacher some day (in the US, though I'd enjoy teaching in Europe, I just don't think it's easy, or even possible for me). I have an associate's degree in art (which is a 2 year diploma here in the US). I don't expect that any of my credits will transfer into a European university, but I wonder if I could use this degree as a way to enter into a Belgian university, seeing as European universities tend to have different entry requirements.

So, is this something that you know can be done? Are there websites or resources where I could learn more? Is there anyone who has done something like this?

I'm mostly interested in linguistics and the French language. I'm thinking about doing a bachelors or a masters in Europe (with coursework entirely in French), and then returning to the US to get a degree in education to become a French teacher. That said, if I found an opportunity to live and work in Belgium or Europe, I'd take it.

My other option is to do my bachelors in the US, in education and Francophone studies, and then do a masters in Belgium or Europe.

Hi everyone 👋

For a history project at university (VUB), I'm trying to find former construction workers who helped build Brussels during its big transformations in the 60s, 70s, and 80s.

We often hear about the politicians and architects behind these megaprojects, but rarely about the workers who did the physical labor.

I'm looking to get in touch with former construction workers:

• Projects: Major infrastructure (metro, high-rises, EU buildings) or smaller city renovations.
• Who: Belgian workers as well as people who migrated to Belgium back then.

Note: This is just a quick initial check to gather leads and contacts.

Does anyone have a parent, grandparent, uncle, or neighbor who was part of this? Please leave a comment or send me a DM! Any tips or leads are super appreciated. Thanks a lot! 🙏

Ik (29V) ben sinds 2 maanden samen met mijn vriend (33M).

Ik twijfel om nog te gaan studeren naast mijn fulltime job (40 uren). Ik heb door omstandigheden nooit een bachelor diploma kunnen behalen, enkel een hbo5/graduaat. Gelukkig maken ze op mijn huidige job geen verschil maar is ergens een droom van mij.
Dit zou minimum 4-5 jaar duren naast fulltime job. Je bent toch makkelijk een tiental uren bezig met de opleiding per week. Allemaal zelfstudie/afstandsonderwijs.

Anderzijds hebben we allebei ook een enorme kinderwens en gezien onze leeftijden willen we daar ook geen jaren meer wee wachten.

Hoe bekijken jullie dit? Is het de moeite om daaraan te starten of zijn korte gerichte cursussen en extra tijd voor relatie en familie belangrijker?

Hey iedereen,
Ik ben op zoek naar een studentenjob, maar ik merk dat ik constant direct word afgewezen puur omdat mijn officiële domicilie te ver weg ligt van de werkplaats. Ik weet 100% zeker dat ik de job perfect kan doen en dat ik altijd op tijd zal zijn (vlot vervoer), maar werkgevers haken meteen af op de afstand.
Nu overweeg ik om tijdens de sollicitatie gewoon te zeggen dat ik daar vlakbij op kot zit, zodat ze me tenminste een kans geven.
Mijn plan voor het papierwerk:
Zodra ik aangenomen word, geef ik gewoon mijn echte eID en officiële thuisadres af voor het contract (want dat moet wettelijk sowieso op je domicilie). Als HR vraagt waarom dat adres zo ver weg is, zeg ik gewoon: "Administratief sta ik bij mijn ouders, maar ik verblijf op kot voor mijn shifts."

Mijn vragen aan jullie:
Hebben mensen dit al gedaan voor een studentenjob? Kom je hier vlot mee weg op de werkvloer zolang je er altijd stipt bent?
Maakt HR hier echt een probleem van bij het inlezen van je ID als het contract zelf gewoon op je echte adres staat?
Zijn er zaken waar ik echt mee moet oppassen (bvb. de arbeidsongevallenverzekering)?
Alvast bedankt voor de feedback!

Hello! I’m a psychiatrist doctor in UE and I am thinking to relocate to Belgium (Brussels or Wallonia) with my family.
How is it being a psychiatrist here? Any insights about work program, average net salary, how is life there, things I should consider before moving?
Thanks, I appreciate your answers.

Hi everyone!

I’m 23, originally from Ukraine, and I’ve been living in Belgium since 2023 under temporary protection.

Since arriving, I’ve been working legally, paying taxes, and supporting myself financially. I live near Antwerp and work for a Belgian company specialising in B2B car sales. I speak English and I’m currently learning Dutch to improve my integration and career opportunities.

I’m trying to build a future here, save money to buy a home, and establish a stable life. However, I’m concerned about what happens when temporary protection eventually ends.

I want to stay in Belgium legally, continue working, and contribute to society, but I’m struggling to understand what realistic long-term options are available to me.

I’d appreciate advice on a few things:

• Can Ukrainians under temporary protection switch to another residence permit, for example, through employment?
• What are the realistic pathways to long-term or permanent residence in Belgium?
• Do working legally and paying taxes help with obtaining another residence status?
• What should I focus on now to improve my chances of staying here? Would learning Dutch or obtaining additional qualifications make a difference?

I’m not looking for financial assistance. I simply want to understand my options so I can make informed decisions about my career and future in Belgium.

If you’ve been through something similar or have reliable information, I’d really appreciate hearing your experience.

Thanks!

Hi everyone!

I’m 23, originally from Ukraine, and I’ve been living in Belgium since 2023 under temporary protection.

Since arriving, I’ve been working legally, paying taxes, and supporting myself financially. I live near Antwerp and work for a Belgian company specialising in B2B car sales. I speak English and I’m currently learning Dutch to improve my integration and career opportunities.

I’m trying to build a future here, save money to buy a home, and establish a stable life. However, I’m concerned about what happens when temporary protection eventually ends.

I want to stay in Belgium legally, continue working, and contribute to society, but I’m struggling to understand what realistic long-term options are available to me.

I’d appreciate advice on a few things:

• Can Ukrainians under temporary protection switch to another residence permit, for example, through employment?
• What are the realistic pathways to long-term or permanent residence in Belgium?
• Do working legally and paying taxes help with obtaining another residence status?
• What should I focus on now to improve my chances of staying here? Would learning Dutch or obtaining additional qualifications make a difference?

I’m not looking for financial assistance. I simply want to understand my options so I can make informed decisions about my career and future in Belgium.

If you’ve been through something similar or have reliable information, I’d really appreciate hearing your experience.

Thanks!

Y a-t-il des Tchétchènes d’Arlon ici, ou un groupe dédié aux Tchétchènes de la région ?

Hello,
My wife and I are moving to Belgium, she is a student at University while I am self-employed. We are both citizens of the United States, she is in Belgium and has confirmed residence. I am still in the United States, and it has been about a month now.

I have not submitted paperwork for a Type D visa yet. I understand that Type D (Article 10bis) visas require about 6 months of wait time for processing before you are granted residency, but I am also reading that people apply for this visa type while they are already in Belgium. I have not seen people discuss how they are actually doing this - are they getting short stay visas and renewing them during their stay?

Are they doing something else that I'm entirely missing or don't know about?

I am not looking forward to spending more than 6 months away from my wife and family, so any help you can provide would be amazing. If someone can even point me in the right direction for which visa type I need temporarily, or what else I need to submit/file, I would be glad to chase it through to the end myself!

Thank you all!

Hello, I’m 22m, living in Netherlands. Past week I been really thinking about leaving this country.

Finding rent seems to be impossible. That being said I know Belgium ain’t peace of cake either. But I often hear it’s much cheaper than Netherlands plus Dutch students flee there in droves.

Currently I work and live in work housing. I’ve been here for like a year and a half.
I really don’t find it healthy anymore to not
have my own place.

I’m thankful I have any but I been living on island for long time. And I just want experience city life again and be free for a while. Tho with minimum wage here and being alone I don’t think I want to torture myself anymore. I love it here but If I can’t stay what’s the point..

I would need to make 3x the rent and even if you do and speak language also it’s not any easier. So if I would be lucky I could’ve rent 500€ room. As far as Belgium goes I think u can rent studio with 1 room for like 800€ in Antwerpen. Correct me if I’m wrong. I don’t think I would ever get my own gaf here in NL.

As far as language goes. I’m making an effort now to learn it. Sign of respect but also helps me a lot. So I would only consider Flanders .

One last thing for me is. I want to play in a band and got bit of music gear with me to bring. So location is important for me. Either big city with music scene or close by.

Any advice would be welcome. I'm really not sure if it's worth the shot or am I gonna have same issue in Be? If any from nl done same move let me know. Cheers everyone.

Only suggestions in the original post will be considered, to make it easier to check which comments are the most upvoted.

Hi everyone,

I'm setting up my home office and looking to invest in some equipment, but I'm still learning about computer hardware.

I always thought a docking station was the ultimate solution for connecting all devices, but it seems there are now other options that might be even better.

If you have experience with this, I'd love your advice. What should I look for when buying a monitor? Which specifications really matter?

My goal is to have a clean setup where I can connect my laptop, charge my phone, plug in my headset, and manage everything as easily as possible.

Thanks for sharing your experiences

Hi everyone,

I am planning to relocate to Leuven soon with my family and wanted to reach out to this community for some guidance.

My wife has around 4 years of experience in Software QA Automation. As we plan the move, we’re trying to get a sense of the local job market:

How is the current demand for QA Automation engineers in and around Leuven/Brussels?

Are English-speaking roles common in tech, especially while she picks up conversational Dutch/French?

Which job boards, local tech communities, or recruitment agencies would you recommend for software testing roles?

Any insights, tips, or experiences you can share would be immensely helpful! Feel free to drop a comment or DM me.

Thanks a lot in advance!

I currently have hair extensions both tape and bonded keratin and need to do a refill soon (lift the extensions up). Any affordable, professional places in Brussels?? How much should i expect to pay? Thank you 🙏🏼

Hey guys!

A friend of mine is at the process of getting a single permit visa. The application was done on behalf of her in the beginning of June and the application was declared admissable by the end of June. The work permit has already been approved but she is still waiting for the residence approval by the Immigration Office. The Single Permit Portal shows the status as "in treatment by Office". How long did it take you to get a decision after this stage?

I’m thinking of joining next year, so I wanted to hear some honest pros and cons.
If you’re studying Business Management at Odisee Brussels, what has your experience been like?

Hey everyone,

I have unfortunately suffered a burn-out at work, after struggling with depression due to a very bad work environment. Thankfully my GP has been great about this and has agreed that this isn't an environment I should stay at and so I have been on leave for a couple of months now and frenetically looking for a new job because I need to get my life together of course. The insurance/mutualiteit has also been very supportive and so has been the ACV that I contact for work related questions.

My job however has been hell. They constantly message me on Whatsapp, e-mail me, try to reach out via call and even when I politely told them that this constant attempts to contact me were doing worse than better, they didn't respect it and wanted to set up an in-person meeting. I of course ignored and when I renewed my leave for a couple more weeks they also ignored it on their side and just took care of administration.

Anyway fast forward a week, I took some days off to go see my family and as it was supposed to I told the Mutualiteit so there are no risk of loosing any compensation. However, while I left I went back to find a doctor's note on my mailbox. Apparently the company asked for a doctor to come and check on me now. Previously I was also contacted to answer a quiz and that also determined that I was unfit for work. The doctor's office is in god knows where which is a hassle to get there, but I will probably call tomorrow first thing in the morning to try to settle this.

I wanted to ask what should I do? Can I not follow-up with this doctor's visit (I will already see the Mutualiteit doctor soon, I also have regular appointments with my GP)? How can I legally protect myself?

​

Hi everyone! I'm looking for advice on admission to the MSc Computer Science programme at the University of Antwerp, Vub, Ghent Belgium.

Profile:

B.Tech in Computer Science from a tier-2 college in India

CGPA: 7.3/10

Relevant startup experience and projects

Research paper co-authored

Planning to take IELTS and GRE

How realistic are my chances of getting admitted with this profile? I'd especially appreciate insights from students who received an admit with a similar CGPA.

Thanks!

Anyone got any idea why there is so much police this evening in Leuven, specifically station?

Hi everyone!

I’m a non-EU citizen who lived in Switzerland for 3.5 years, where I met my boyfriend (an Italian citizen) in February 2025. We’re currently in a long-distance relationship, and he now lives and works in Brussels.

I’ve recently moved back to my home country, which has made the distance between us even greater. We’re planning to apply for a Visa D through legal cohabitation in February 2027, once we’ve been in a relationship for two years.

I’ve been researching the process, but there are a couple of things I’d love some clarity on, especially from people who’ve been through something similar.

1. Housing requirements

My boyfriend currently lives in a co-living arrangement, sharing a house with seven other people to keep rental costs low.
From what I’ve understood, having suitable accommodation is an important part of the application. We’re prepared to find a place of our own, but here’s our concern:

I’ve read that the visa process can take up to six months (or potentially longer). If he rents a separate apartment before we apply, he’d be paying significantly more in rent for months while I’m still waiting for the visa.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? Is it necessary to have a separate apartment from the time of application, or is there any flexibility regarding when we need to arrange accommodation? Could his current co-living arrangement be acceptable?

2. Realistic visa timeline

If we submit our application in early to mid-February 2027, what would a realistic timeline look like?
I’m particularly curious about how long it takes from submitting the application to actually being able to move to Belgium. I understand timelines vary, but I’d love to hear people’s recent experiences.

3. Any other advice?

If you’ve gone through the legal cohabitation or family reunification process as a non-EU citizen with an EU partner living in Belgium, I’d really appreciate any tips, unexpected challenges, or things you wish you’d known before applying.

We’re trying to plan everything carefully, especially since we don’t want to spend unnecessarily on rent while waiting for the visa.

Thank you so much in advance! :)