Education and schools for expats in Belgium | KOCH Moving Logistics

Moving to Belgium presents families with many challenges, especially when it comes to their children's education. The Belgian school system differs from the German education system in many ways – above all through the responsibility of the three language communities (Flemish, French and German-speaking Community), early school enrolment, and the strong emphasis on multilingualism. Unlike in Germany, where educational sovereignty lies with the federal states, the Belgian school system is organised according to language regions, leading to different curricula and qualifications in Flanders, Wallonia and the German-speaking Community. In this article, we take a look at the Belgian education system, the best international schools in cities such as Brussels, Antwerp, Liège and Eupen, as well as options for younger children, so that you can emigrate to Belgium well‑informed and prepared.

For families moving to Belgium, international schools offer an excellent opportunity to provide their children with a high‑quality and familiar education. International schools in Belgium generally teach in English and offer globally recognised qualifications such as the International Baccalaureate (IB), British (IGCSE, A‑Levels), American (AP) or French curricula. Especially in Brussels, there is a particularly high density of international schools.

Brussels, the heart of European politics, is home to most of Belgium's international schools, located in an arc about 20 to 30 minutes' drive from the city centre. The International School of Brussels (ISB) in Waterloo is considered the flagship of international education in Brussels and offers the full IB continuum (Primary Years Programme to Diploma Programme) with a community of over 50 nationalities; school fees range between approximately €28,000 and €38,000 per year. The British School of Brussels (BSB) in Tervuren is the city's leading British school with a strong reputation for IGCSE and A‑Level results, with annual fees between about €22,000 and €33,000. The Brussels American School (BAS) in Sterrebeek offers an American curriculum with AP courses for about €20,000 to €30,000 per year. The St. John‘s International School in Waterloo offers the IB in a smaller, community‑oriented environment for about €18,000 to €28,000 annually. The BEPS International School in central Brussels is a respected smaller international school with a British curriculum and IB options, with fees between about €16,000 and €24,000 per year. The . The International German School Brussels (iDSB) in Wezembeek‑Oppem is a special recommendation for German‑speaking families. As the oldest international school in Brussels (founded in 1803), it offers an excellent education based on German curricula from kindergarten to the Abitur and is an officially recognised German overseas school with a school community of 30 nations.

Outside Brussels, there are also high‑quality international educational institutions. In Antwerp, which is home to numerous international corporations Antwerp International School (AIS) offers the full IB programme with annual fees between about €14,000 and €22,000. In Antwerp, there is also the German School Antwerp (LiFE ASBL), which as a recognised German overseas school offers the German educational pathway. In the greater Liège and Brussels area is the European School of Brusselsand the European School of Brussels , designed as a European school for children of EU employees, but also accessible under certain conditions to other international families. In the German‑speaking Community of East Belgium, where German is the official language, there are no international schools in the classical sense, as the regular public school system teaches in German. Here, pupils are part of a full‑fledged German‑language education system with its own school structure. For parents, this is an excellent opportunity to integrate their children into the public school system without language barriers.

The Belgian education system is known for its consistent multilingualism, its inclusiveness and its flexible structure. Compulsory schooling in Belgium begins at age five (for children who turn five by 31 December, from the following 1 September) and ends at age 18 (or earlier if the pupil has successfully completed secondary school). In fact, most children already attend kindergarten (école maternelle / kleuterschool) from the age of two and a half, which facilitates early education and childcare. School education is divided into several levels:

 

– Pre‑school (enseignement maternel / kleuteronderwijs, 2.5–6 years): Playful development of basic social, motor and language skills. Attendance is compulsory from age five; in fact, the vast majority of children already start at 2.5 years.

– Primary school (enseignement primaire / lager onderwijs, 6–12 years): Six years of primary education, divided into three cycles of two years each. From the 2026/27 school year, Dutch will be compulsory for all children in the French‑speaking education system from the third year of primary school. Primary school ends with the CEB certificate (Certificat d'Études de Base).

– Secondary school (enseignement secondaire / secundair onderwijs, 12–18 years): Divided into three stages (observation, orientation and determination stages). In the second stage (from 14/15 years), pupils choose between different streams: General (GSE), Technical (TSE), Artistic (ASE) and Vocational (VSE) education. Secondary school ends with the CESS (Certificat d'Enseignement Secondaire Supérieur), which entitles students to higher education.

– Higher education: Bologna structure (Bachelor, Master, PhD), possible both at universities (research‑focused) and at university colleges (practice‑oriented).

 

A special feature of the Belgian system is the strong multilingualism: in the German‑speaking Community, German is the language of instruction, while French is the first foreign language. In the French Community, French is the main language, and Dutch is compulsory from the third year of primary school. In Flanders, Dutch is the main language, and French is a compulsory subject from the fifth year of primary school. This consistent multilingualism is an advantage for integration, but can also be a challenge for newly arrived children.

Compared to Germany, some differences are particularly noticeable:

 

– EARLIER SCHOOL ENROLMENT: Children in Belgium start kindergarten at two and a half years and become subject to compulsory schooling at age five – in Germany, compulsory schooling generally begins at age six, and nursery school attendance is not compulsory. This early childcare significantly facilitates the compatibility of work and family life.

 

– LONGER COMMON PRIMARY SCHOOL PERIOD: Primary school in Belgium lasts six years (up to age 12), while German primary school lasts only four years. The division into different school types therefore occurs later, giving children more time to develop.

 

– CONSISTENT MULTILINGUALISM: While in Germany foreign languages usually begin in the third or fifth grade, in Belgium the second language (Dutch for French‑speakers or French for Dutch‑speakers) is already an integral part of primary school lessons.

 

– DECENTRALISED ORGANISATION: Educational sovereignty lies with the three language communities (Flemish, French and German‑speaking Community), not with the state. Curricula and qualifications therefore differ between Flanders, Wallonia and the German‑speaking Community.

For families with young children planning a move to Belgium, there is a wide range of childcare facilities. In Belgium, most children already attend kindergarten (école maternelle / kleuterschool) from the age of two and a half. Public kindergartens are generally free and are operated by the municipalities and language communities. For children under 2.5 years , day‑care centres (crèches / kinderdagverblijven) are available, organised by the municipality, by private providers or by employers.

SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE GERMAN-SPEAKING COMMUNITY: For children between 2.5 and 5 years, kindergartens are organised and subsidised by the German‑speaking Community. For children resident in the German‑speaking Community, access free of charge , and they have a legal right to a kindergarten place. Early childhood education in East Belgium is therefore particularly family‑friendly.

The bilingual day‑care centre of the International German School Brussels (iDSB) in Wezembeek‑Oppem is a special facility for German‑speaking expats with children from three months to six years of age. It offers German as the primary care language with English and French components and is one of the few facilities in Brussels with a consistently German‑speaking orientation..

One of the greatest strengths of the Belgian education system is its multilingualism. In the German‑speaking Community, German is the language of instruction, and French as the first foreign language is already playfully encouraged in kindergarten. In the French Community, from the 2026/27 school year, Dutch will be compulsory for all children from the third year of primary school. For families whose mother tongue is German, the iDSB offers a familiar environment with German as the language of instruction. For integrated families, it is recommended that they provide their child with additional extracurricular language courses in French or Dutch to accelerate integration.

TIP FOR PARENTS: Most municipalities offer language support courses (FLE – Français Langue Étrangère for French) for newly arrived non‑French‑speaking children. The Goethe‑Institutes in Brussels and Liège also offer German courses for children to deepen their mother tongue.

Moving to Belgium requires careful planning, especially with regard to your children's education. It is important to find out about the various options early on – depending on the region (Flanders, Wallonia, Brussels‑Capital, German‑speaking Community) and the individual needs of your family. KOCH Moving Logistics is at your side to make the transition to the Belgian educational landscape for your children a positive experience.