First Day of Classes, ESN Erasmus Card & Campus Setup (Before School Starts)
- The Big Picture: Your administrative battle with the town hall, banks, and insurance is over. Now, it is time to unlock your physical, digital, and social life inside your new Belgian university.
1. Pick Up your Physical Student Card
- What to do: On your very first day on campus, go directly to the university's central registration office (Secrétariat des étudiants / Studentensecretariaat).
- Why you need it: Your physical student card is your electronic key. It grants access to campus buildings, library research areas, and unlocks steep student discounts at the university canteen (Mensa).
- What to bring: Your official university letter of enrollment and your passport/ID card.
2. Connect to the Campus Internet (Eduroam)
- What it is: Eduroam is the secure, global roaming network developed for the international academic community.
- How to do it: Use the specific digital login credentials sent to your student email by your faculty IT department.
- Pro-Tip: Once configured on your phone and laptop, your device will automatically connect to secure, high-speed internet at any university campus or academic library across Belgium and the rest of Europe without needing a new password.
3. The Ultimate Erasmus Shield: Get Your ESNcard!
If you are an Erasmus+ or exchange student, your priority number one during your first week is to join the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) Belgium(https://esnbelgium.org/esncard)
- What is it? The official membership card of the Erasmus Generation. It costs around €15 and is valid for one entire year across all of Europe.
- How to get it: Visit your local university's ESN section office (e.g., ESN Leuven, ESN ULB Brussels, ESN Ghent) during their welcome days.
- What you must bring: A printed passport-size color photo, your physical ID/Passport, and your Learning Agreement or Acceptance Letter as proof of your exchange status.
- Don't forget: Once you buy the physical card, you must register it online at ESNcard.org to unlock the digital codes and vouchers.
Major ESNcard Benefits in Belgium & Europe:
- The Ryanair Deal: You get a 10% discount on 4 single flights (or 2 return flights) PLUS a free 20kg checked-in bag for each of those flights. This benefit alone saves you hundreds of Euros when traveling back home or exploring Europe.
- FlixBus & Flibco: Get a 10% discount on FlixBus journeys and special promo codes for Flibco shuttle buses connecting major Belgian student cities to Brussels Airport and Charleroi Airport.
- Local Events & Parties: ESN cardholders get free entry or massive ticket discounts on all local ESN trips, pub crawls, cultural events, sports days, and student cantusses.
- Tomorrowland Access: ESN partners officially with Tomorrowland in Belgium, giving registered cardholders access to an exclusive, limited international student ticket pre-sale at reduced prices.
4. Setting Up your Student Room & Tech (The Academic Essentials)
Belgian universities rely heavily on digital platforms like Moodle or Canvas for course materials, assignments, and exams. Furthermore, your "Kot" (student room) will need some basic comfort essentials from Day 1.
- Student Discounts: Before buying any software or hardware, check your university student portal. Most Belgian faculties provide free access to Microsoft Office 365 or deep discounts via local networks.
- Get Everything for your Kot on Amazon Belgium: Use your student status to unlock free delivery on essentials. Order your study desk lamps, bedding, kitchen utensils, and tech accessories (like local power adapters or external monitors) delivered straight to your door.
- Shop Local Essentials on Bol.com: Bol is the most popular online store in the Benelux region. It is the number one platform where local students order everything from textbooks and backpacks to room electronics with fast, next-day delivery.
