Type of housing: KOT (flat shared with 8 other student)

Arranged by: Independently - I had no other choice

If returning, I would choose: The same: KOT

Why? Because i like living with other student. Community life is xonderful, even if you can meet some problems (cleaning...)

Personal comments:
Community housing in Belgium is very different from the one in Sweden : shared rooms are not that clean (rapid cleaning is done once a week by a private firm), dish washing is not done systematicaly... Still, i really enjoyed it because people are nice and you can benefit from the real student life in this particular city : amazing!

Type of housing: Apartment/House

Arranged by: Host university

If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House

Why? I shared the apartment with native students (which helped me improve my French), we had a little garden, spacious rooms and rooms shared with others (such as the kitchen, living room...). In fact, I had both independence and social interaction with the flatmates.

Personal comments:
The service was fine but it was difficult to find. I know that some people had had some troubles with flatmates (for example) and that they were relocated, which means it worked properly.

Type of housing: Apartment/House

Arranged by: Independently - I had no other choice

If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House

Why? Because the standard of living is much more better in a private appartement then in one of the "kots" as provided by the UCL

Personal comments:
If you would like to benefit of a cheap accomodation you should adress yourself as soon as possible to the Service de Logement of the UCL. At least 6 or 7 months in advance, otherwise it will be diffucult to find a cheap accomodation;

Type of housing: A room exchange

Arranged by: Independently - I had no other choice

If returning, I would choose: A room exchange

Why? BEcause my past experience in a room exchance was very confortable and I had the possibility to study very well and have my privacy

Personal comments:
It is organized very well but I know from my friends of there that in those last years It is must difficult to find an accomodation in Louvain and needs to stay there a lot of time in advance

Type of housing: On campus

Arranged by: Independently - My choice

If returning, I would choose: On campus

Why? it is exiting to live with other international students, it gives a lot of unique experience.

Personal comments:
Students have to arrange their accomodation themselves immediately after the arrival, so it's helpful to get some information in advance. but then there is no problem to find a suitable accommodation.

Type of housing: On campus

Arranged by: Host university

If returning, I would choose: On campus

Why? It is the less expensive choice and yet, the nearest

Personal comments:
The campus houses in UCL are very full of tradition which is nice for the relationships among the host students. However it could be sometimes very noisy and disturbing places.

Type of housing: Apartment/House

Arranged by: Independently - My choice

If returning, I would choose: With a family

Why? Living independently is a good choice, but the ambiance of family is sth I appreciate most.

Personal comments:
1. Best way to learn the local language(s), culture, ideology of the people. 2. Convenience for studies. 3. Colser to a student life.

Type of housing: Apartment/House

Arranged by: Host university

If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House

Why? I have enjoy the expirience of sharing an apartment with some belge girls.

Personal comments:
The main problem is that the classes end in juin and the contract is 12 months long (until september), everything else with out problems.

Type of housing: On campus

Arranged by: Independently - I had no other choice

If returning, I would choose: On campus

Why? Although there were some problems concerning my integration with the belgian students, it was a good experience and developped my cross cultural competence

Personal comments:
There was huge bureaucracy but generally, quite good

Type of housing: Kot

Arranged by: Host university

If returning, I would choose: Kot

Why? Because, it provides a collective life that makes you to learn lots of things. Especially, it is great for learning the language.

Personal comments:
It was a little bit expensive. Otherwise, everything was ok..

Type of housing: A room exchange

Arranged by: Host university

If returning, I would choose: A room exchange

Why? Possibility to live with other student in the same apartment

Personal comments:
Good, apartment made available by the university not too expensive. Single room and shared bathroom and dining room

Type of housing: Kot

Arranged by: Host university

If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House

Why? I think you can live your own life, with a stily of living that lead you do what you want

Personal comments:
It is easy to get some kots, and there is no problem if you come after september

Type of housing: On campus

Arranged by: Independently - I had no other choice

If returning, I would choose: On campus

Why? I like being together with other exchange - and belgian - students so that I can know more about their home country - and at the same time can practice the language.

Personal comments:
none

Type of housing: Apartment/House

Arranged by: Independently - My choice

If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House

Why? it's confortable

Personal comments:
i lived in a university residence for 3 years and i think that it's very good for knowing and doing friends

Type of housing: On campus

Arranged by: Host university

If returning, I would choose: On campus

Why? Louvain-la-Neuve is more or less a big campus, no matter where you live.

Personal comments:
Most appartments dont have internet access.

Type of housing: On campus

Arranged by: Host university

If returning, I would choose: On campus

Why? The campus is alright, but it's big, and some places are much nicer than others

Personal comments:
Watch out ! The accomodation in this university is almost entirely in the hands of private investors. Their agencies own a great number of apartments (individual or collective). Students who can afford to go to Louvain during the summer or in early September can choose flat location and accomodation, but most foreign students have no choice. Local accomodation agencies tell them they had to book them a room (a "kot", as they say in Belgium - a Flemish word for "corner"), and it's too late to change, even if your classes are a 40-minute walk away from your "kot" - and classes usually start at 8 in the morning. (Cars or buses are not allowed in the city - Bring your bike, roller-blades, or donkey).Or you may be at ground level on the busiest street of Louvain, unable to sleep before 3 AM or after 7 AM (night life is rather busy there, except during week-ends). So tell the agency from the beginning what kind of accomodation you expect (find out in wich part of the city your classes will take place, it depends on your academic area) and make sure you can change if your "kot" is not suitable for you. If they refuse, DO insist. They seem to be used to consider foreign students a handful tribe to fill in the lousiest "kots", and they ask you to send up money to book the kot long beforehand. The whole thing seems to be a hell of a money-making business, but it's not very honest. And the university itself will be of no help, as they're not in charge.

Type of housing: friends

Arranged by: Independently - My choice

If returning, I would choose: On campus

Why? It was a really alive campus.

Personal comments:
"Cotes" are the great opportunity to meet people.

Type of housing: A room exchange

Arranged by: Independently - My choice

If returning, I would choose: On campus

Why? Less expensive

Personal comments:
The Kots provided by University are good and well positioned

Type of housing: On campus

Arranged by: Host university

If returning, I would choose: On campus

Why? There are many people living

Personal comments:
Easy to find a room but too expensive

Type of housing: With a family

Arranged by: Independently - My choice

If returning, I would choose: On campus

Why? to have more freedom

Personal comments:
not so bad, could have been better