City profile
What this city tends to offer Erasmus students — not a ranking, just its character.
Typical all-in cost for an Erasmus student in Brussels, including rent, food, transport and going out.
Overview
Brussels offers a deeply international Erasmus experience as the political capital of the EU, with multilingual environments and great access to the rest of Europe. The downside is a more fragmented student scene than Ghent or Bologna.
Perfect For
- Students interested in EU politics or international careers
- Those who plan to travel widely across Europe
- People who enjoy multilingual environments
- Students looking for a serious international internship market
- Those who like cosmopolitan cities
Not Ideal For
- Students who want warm weather
- Those looking for a tight student community
- People who prefer compact, walkable cities
- Students seeking Mediterranean lifestyle
- Those who want cheap housing
- Extremely international
- Excellent rail connections to London, Paris, Amsterdam, Cologne
- Strong professional and internship opportunities
- Wide cultural offer
- Multilingual environment
- Grey, rainy climate
- Fragmented student community across neighbourhoods
- Cost of living relatively high
- Less iconic atmosphere than Ghent or Bruges
- Bureaucracy across language regions
Student Vibe
Brussels' student life is spread across multiple universities and very different neighbourhoods. The international scene is huge thanks to EU institutions, but the Erasmus community feels less unified than in true university towns.
What Students Say
"Brussels is amazing if you care about EU careers."
"Take the train — Paris, Amsterdam and London are next door."
"Less charming than Ghent, more opportunities than anywhere."
Compare Brussels with another city
See how Brussels stacks up against other Erasmus destinations side by side.
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