Admission to the study of medicine in Belgium

Abstract

In Belgium access to university studies and to medical studies in particular is open to those holding a diploma of complete secondary education (humanities) together with a certificate of capacity for higher education confirmed by the ad-hoc National Committee. This certificate sanctions a ‘maturity’ examination organized by institutions of secondary education duly entitled to do so. The Committee ascertains, among other things, that the candidate has satisfactorily completed the entire 6-year cycle of secondary studies, that the last 2 years have been done consecutively and that he or she has obtained at least 50% of the total marks in the final year. In the last 20 years, with a view to making higher education more democratic, the law has modified the conditions of access to university for students graduating from institutions conferring diplomas of primary school teachers, of complete secondary technical studies, etc.