Belgium—together with Ireland and Italy—is part of the three-year EU Passworld pilot project (2022 - 2024), which offers refugee students the opportunity to continue their studies in a third country in a safe, legal, and sustainable way. In Belgium, the project is run by Fedasil, Caritas International, and KU Leuven and is supported by UNHCR. It is funded by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) of the European Union.

In 2023, refugee students from Egypt were selected for this program in Belgium. After replying to a call for applications from their first host country, their file was examined by the KU Leuven. The Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGRS) was charged with carrying out an initial analysis of the needs for international protection of the students selected. Fedasil, Caritas and the KU Leuven then chose the three successful students after a selection interview focusing on their competencies, motivation and social skills. The refugee students were supported upon their arrival in Belgium by a group of volunteers set up by Caritas to guide them through their studies.

While the EU Passworld runs until the end of 2024, other universities have shown their interest in these legal and sustainable migration pathways by committing to welcoming more refugee students as of this year. New refugee students can thus start a master’s degree at the KU Leuven and UCL Louvain this new academic year. Soon, other universities such as UNamur and ULiège will also open university corridors to offer more opportunities and welcome new profiles.

For further information, please read this press release from Fedasil.