From nursery schools to universities, Brussels has a wide choice to offer young people. Belgians are particularly proud of their educational system, not only because of the quality of teaching but also because of the wide range of choices it offers parents and students.
 
There are many alternatives open to the parents as the nursery, primary or secondary school level: including local, European and international schools.

If you prefer to choose a local school for your children, most communes are able to provide lists of addresses and advice.

All local schools in Brussels provide education in either French or Dutch (the two official languages in the Region) and each one teaches basis of the other language. 

» Educational System in the local communities ( nursery, primary, and secondary level  )

There are 3 networks of education:

1. Official state education- organized by the three communities: no fee required
   
2. Free schools- subsidized by the provincial and municipal authorities: minimal fee is required (most are Catholic schools) 
   
3. Private Schools- fee required. These schools fall outside the Belgian system mentioned above and they include the International Schools, as well as religious schools, or other foreign schools operating under different language system.

» International and European schools

Belgium has a number of International schools, from which three are European schools located in the capital. International Schools provide education along American, British, French, Dutch, German, Scandinavian or Japanese lines. 

European Schools also teach in the child’s mother-tongue plus one other language which is introduced at primary level. A second foreign language is studied from the second year of senior school with up two more languages from the fourth year. These schools are mostly oriented to children of EU employees and they cover through kindergarten to the baccalaureate.

» Special schools

Belgium has several schools offering special education programmes, such as the International Montessori Schools. One of the best known Montessori schools in the world is located in Tervuren.

Here children are educated following a specific method, which allows them to discover the joy of learning and develop their potential. These schools offer a complete bilingual English/French program.  
 

» Higher Education & Universities

 Belgium has some of the best universities in Europe and the widest ranges of course studies.

• Higher education 

Brussels city network education, named Francisco Ferrer, provides higher education is the areas of economics, translation and interpretation, paramedics, etc.   
 
They also offer specialised post graduate evening courses in economics, and are known for their excellence in teaching International Trade, Human resources and other subjects.  

EPHEC offers 5 graduate courses in law, marketing, accounting, and foreign trade and computer technologies.

For training in interpretation and translation, ISTI offers an outstanding curriculum, including linguistic workshops in the evening.

The city also has six other higher education establishments that offer vocational and technical education operating at the campus known as CERIA. Here one may find training in several areas such as: industrial engineering, chemistry, bio-chemistry, culinary arts, hotel management, landscape gardening, etc. 

• Universities

Brussels has three highly regarded universities, notably the French-speaking University Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) , the Flemish-speaking Vrije Universiteit Brussels (VUB) - which offers postgraduate degrees in English - and the University Catholique de Louvain-la-Neuve (UCL), with its faculty of Medicine. 

Located just outside Brussels, the university UCL, which teaches in French, attracts students from all over the world and is known for its high level of teaching and research. UCL is a participant in the Erasmus programme.

• Business Schools

Brussels also has several and regarded business schools including Solvay Business School and Boston University of Brussels, which maintains close links with the VUB and provides graduate courses in English. 

There is a choice of  nine major Business Schools which provide a high quality standard of training and education. 

With its U.S. style programme, the Vesalius College, also tied to the VUB, attracts students from over fifty countries. Britain’s Open University has study centres in Brussels offering MBA degree programs.
 

• Language schools
  
  Brussels region also has a wealth of specialised language courses offered by 24 major schools which can help you to integrate with the local communities.

To find out more, please visit www.siep.be,  www.xpats.com, www.brusselslife.be