The Faculty and What Makes It Different

Ghent University was founded in 1817 by King William I of the Netherlands. It's now one of the largest universities in Flanders. Its Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences is one of 11 faculties across the city, and it works closely with Ghent University Hospital, known locally as UZ Gent. Because of this close tie, teaching and clinical care sit right next to each other on the same campus.

Here's the thing most agent-style pages skip: this Faculty runs two separate tracks. One is a Dutch-medium Medicine and Dentistry program that trains real physicians for Belgian practice. The other is a small set of English-taught master's, built for research careers, not clinical licensure. Mixing the two up is the single biggest mistake international applicants make.

The Ghent Campus and UZ Gent

The medical campus centres on UZ Gent, one of the largest hospitals in Flanders. It holds more than 1,000 beds, employs around 6,500 staff, and treats roughly 75,000 inpatients plus 400,000 outpatients a year. Also worth knowing: the hospital is midway through a major redevelopment, aiming to become a fully modern health campus by 2029. Ghent itself is a compact, historic port city of about 270,000 people, the capital of East Flanders.

Course Structure and Practical Details

Belgium administers medicine and dentistry admissions through a single national entrance exam, organised by the government rather than by individual universities. In Flanders, that includes Ghent, this exam is offered only in Dutch. So, you need strong, certified Dutch before you even think about applying. Ghent University states this plainly on its website: dentistry and medicine are offered only in Dutch, not in English.

What about English, then? The Faculty offers two real options: the Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences (2 years, 120 credits) and the Master of Science in Global Health (2 years, 120 credits, run jointly with four other Flemish universities). Both stay genuinely open to international students. Neither leads to a medical licence.

Fees also vary by programme, not just nationality. One comparison sheet for non-EU applicants lists Biomedical Sciences at roughly EUR 6,672 per year. So don't assume one "Ghent Medicine" fee applies across the board; check the specific programme first.

Why This Faculty Deserves a Harder Look Than the Marketing Suggests

Search results for "Ghent University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences" are full of generic study-abroad pages. Several list a program called "Master of Surgery" here as if it were a real English degree. It isn't; no such English-taught programme appears on Ghent's own official study guide. That single error should make you double-check everything else these pages say.

The Dutch-Only Entrance Exam Isn't a Small Detail — Ghent's own Faculty page states outright that dentistry and medicine are Dutch-only. This isn't a rumour or a technicality. It's a direct admission from the university itself.

Ranking Numbers Conflict Across Sources — QS lists Ghent around the 162nd position for 2026, but another QS-linked directory lists 150th for 2027. THE, meanwhile, shows figures from 112th to 115th. Always check the ranking body and year before quoting a number.

Subject-Specific Rankings Tell a More Useful Story — By research output, Ghent ranks 2nd in Belgium and 179th globally in Medicine. That's more honest than a vague, institution-wide number.

Invented Programme Names Undermine Otherwise Decent Pages — Beyond "Master of Surgery," some pages list a generic "Medicine (Bachelor's Degree)" as an English option, without ever flagging the entrance exam.

Honest Assessment

Be clear about what you're signing up for. Practising as a doctor requires near-native Dutch before the entrance exam, plus a place in a heavily competitive national quota. Biomedical or global health research, though, remains genuinely open through the English-taught master's program.

So, who fits here? Students aiming at a research career in the life sciences or public health, comfortable with Belgium's cost of living, and clear on which track they're entering. Anyone assuming a full English-medium medical degree should double-check that first.

Student Safety Analysis

City-level safety — Ghent scores around 74.6 out of 100 on independent safety indices, with a comparatively low crime index of around 28. That puts it among the safer university cities in Belgium.

Areas to be mindful of — Locals commonly advise extra caution at night around Brugse Poort, Nieuw Gent, and Citadel Park. This isn't unique to Ghent; most cities have a few areas best avoided after dark.

Campus and hospital access — UZ Gent runs full emergency services around the clock, so students get access to a major hospital's emergency department close to campus.

Consular support — Indian students should register with the Indian Embassy in Brussels after arrival, standard practice across Belgium.

Monthly Cost of Living (Approximate, International Students)

Hidden and Additional Expenses

•      Dutch-language certification for anyone attempting the entrance exam route

•      Mandatory Belgian health insurance, sometimes quoted separately from tuition

•      Student visa and residence permit fees for non-EEA applicants

•      Housing deposit, typically one to two months' rent

•      Document translation and legalisation for non-EU transcripts

•      Proof-of-funds requirement for the Belgian student visa

•      Return airfare, since most non-EU students fly rather than commute regionally

•      Lab or fieldwork costs tied to specific Biomedical Sciences majors

2026 Admission and Regulatory Updates

Deadlines differ by programme, so confirm the current one directly. Several aggregator pages quote a blanket 15 January deadline, but Ghent's own English-taught master's pages list their own separate timelines each year. The national medicine and dentistry entrance exam schedule is set by the Flemish government, not Ghent University, so check that timetable on the official exam site.

Belgium's numerus clausus system for medicine and dentistry continues to cap national intake. Because this cap applies across all Flemish universities, seat numbers can shift slightly year to year based on national policy rather than university-level decisions.

City and Student Life

Ghent combines a well-preserved medieval centre with a large student population; roughly 15% of residents aren't Belgian nationals, many of whom are students. The city is compact, bike-friendly, and well-connected by train to Brussels, Antwerp, and Bruges. The cost of living is lower here than in Brussels or Antwerp, which is one reason students often prefer it.

Academic Environment

Teaching blends lectures, seminars, and lab work, with a strong translational-research culture linking basic science to clinical practice. UZ Gent and the Faculty jointly prioritise four research areas: oncology, genetics, immunology, and neuroscience. That focus feeds directly into teaching content.

Clinical and Research Training Structure

Dutch-medium Medicine students complete clinical rotations through UZ Gent's 1,000-plus beds. Biomedical Sciences students, by contrast, mostly train through lab research placements and thesis projects instead.

Common Myths vs Reality

Admission Schedule (Master Programme in English language version)

1.       Determine which programme is suitable for you, i.e., Biomedical Sciences or Global Health, depending on your academic background.

2.       Consult the present deadline for programme-specific applications on Ghent’s official study guide.

3.       Collect all necessary documents like transcripts, recommendation letters and motivation letter if you want to write one.

4.       Fill in the application form on the website of Ghent University.

5.       Wait for the announcement from the faculty regarding successful applications (this takes around two months).

6.       Locate your location and begin the steps for payment and registration.

7.       Get started on the application process for your student visa 6 months in advance of arriving in Ghent.

8.       Fulfil all financial and medical requirements to apply.

9.       Get to Ghent and go to the Student Registrar's Office to register. Register with the Indian Embassy in Brussels after arrival.

Document Checklist

•      Valid passport

•      Certified, translated academic transcripts and diplomas

•      Dutch language certificate for the Dutch-medium entrance exam route

•      English proficiency certificate (IELTS/TOEFL) for English-taught programmes

•      Motivational statement and references (for applicable master's programmes)

•      Proof of sufficient funds for the student visa

•      Belgian student visa application and supporting documents

•      Mandatory health insurance proof

•      Passport-size photographs

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Ghent University offers general scholarships for international students, as well as interuniversity funding tied to programmes such as Global Health. Funding stays competitive and programme-specific, so check the scholarships database directly rather than assume automatic eligibility.

Why Students Actually Choose This Faculty

Set aside generic "study in Europe" marketing, and three factual reasons stand out—first, direct integration with a 1,000-plus-bed teaching hospital. Second, a research-led culture focused on oncology, genetics, immunology, and neuroscience; third, a lower cost of living than in Brussels or Antwerp.

How It Compares

Expert Opinion

On the facts alone, Ghent's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences suits students aiming to pursue biomedical or global health research in English, backed by a research-led hospital system. However, in practice, it isn't an accessible route to a clinical medical degree without near-native Dutch, no matter how the faculty's name appears in search results.

Quick Overview

Fee Structure