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2006 LIVING 2007 IN LEUVEN Contents 3 Contents ■ 1 Foreword 4 ■ 7 Student Organisations 44 1 K.U.Leuven 44 ■ 2 Introduction 6 2 KHLeuven 47 3 Group T 48 1 Belgium 6 4 Lemmensinstituut 48 2 Leuven 9 3 Higher education institutions in Leuven 10 ■ 8 Examination Regulations 50 ■ 3 Formalities upon arrival 12 1 K.U.Leuven 50 2 KHLeuven 55 1 Institutions of higher education 12 3 Group T 55 2 City of Leuven 16 4 Lemmensinstituut 55 ■ 4 Accommodation 20 ■ 9 Day-to-day life 56 1 International housing 20 1 Cultural Adjustment and Places to Meet 56 2 Practical information on renting 2 Money matters 57 student accommodation 23 3 Schools and Child-Care Services 57 3 City of Leuven 24 4 Language schools 61 5 Shopping in Leuven 63 ■ 5 Insurance and Health Care 26 6 Dining 64 7 Environment 65 1 Health insurance 26 8 Transportation 67 2 The Health Care System 30 9 Communications 69 3 Other Types of Insurance 32 10 Sports 73 11 Culture 75 ■ 6 Offices Providing Services 12 Libraries 81 for International Guests 34 13 Religion 83 14 Police and safety 85 1 K.U.Leuven 34 15 Births, marriages and deaths 86 2. KHLeuven, Group T 16 SOS/Emergency services and numbers 87 and Lemmensinstituut 39 17 Hospitals 87 3 City of Leuven 39 4 foreword 5 1 foreword The City of Leuven and the Institutions of Higher Education welcome you proudly to this city and its various educational institutions. We have joined Colofon forces and efforts to produce the booklet that you now hold in your hands. "Living in Leuven" has been written for all those who come to Leuven Publisher: Verantwoordelijke uitgever: to pursue studies, research or further teaching and training. It contains Denise Vandevoort, Alderman for Student Affairs, schepen van studenten- information concerning Belgium, daily life in Leuven and the various City of Leuven (Muntstraat 3) aangelegenheden, institutions of higher education in the city. email@example.com Stad Leuven (Muntstraat 3, 3000 Leuven) This brochure also contains information that will help you to deal with the Editorial team: Redactie: K.U.Leuven, City of Leuven, practical problems that everybody has to face when arriving in this country. KHLeuven, Group T, Stad Leuven, K.U.Leuven, It will also help you to better understand the Belgian idiosyncrasies and KHLeuven, GROEP(Hogeschool Lemmensinstituut T, life-style so that your day-to-day life here soon becomes a positive and voor Kunst en Wetenschap) Lemmensinstituut fruitful experience. (Hogeschool voor Contact person: Wetenschap & Kunst) en Marie-Thérèse Deloddere, Although "Living in Leuven" will not answer every specific question, this LOKO. International Office booklet will be of most help to you if you read it calmly and carefully. Contact: Naamsestraat 22 tel. 016 32 40 25 dienst onderwijs, While doing so, take account of all the cultural, administrative and practical firstname.lastname@example.com tel. 016 23 68 79 information contained in it. of 016 31 08 21, Lay-out: CRM Factory email@example.com Photos: K.U.Leuven Lay-out: CRM Factory Association, City of Leuven Print run: 4,400 copies Foto's: K.U.Leuven, We wish you every success and a very fruitful stay. KHLeuven en Stad Leuven Oplage: 11.600 ex. The Editorial Team Geheel of gedeeltelijk overnemen van tekst, illustraties of lay-out uit deze uitgave is verboden zonder schriftelijke toelating. Adverteren? Neem contact op met email@example.com 6 INTRODUCTION 7 2 INTRODUCTION 1. Belgium ■ Name Three Famous Belgians Before coming here, hardly anyone is able to name ■ Synopsis even three famous Belgians. We hope that, by the time you leave Leuven, you will be able to identify at least Belgium is a small, densely populated country (10,39 the following ten: million inhabitants with 339 people/km2), with three offi- cial languages: Dutch, French and German. Its capital, • Hieronymus Bosch Brussels, doubles as the capital of the European Union. • Pieter Brueghel and sons Belgians enjoy their "creature comforts": most own • Peter Paul Rubens their own homes and spend a lot of time and money in • Victor Horta constantly renovating, decorating and improving them. • Father Damian They tend their gardens meticulously, love good food • Jacques Brel and drink, benefit from an excellent social security and • Hergé (creator of Tintin) health-care system, and insist on having their roads and • Peyo (creator of the Smurfs) highways brightly lit at night (the illuminated "Belgian • Jean-Claude Van Damme The country entered the Industrial Era at an early stage, and an excellent (almost free) educational system, universal Window" can apparently be seen from space). • Justine Henin-Hardenne is now firmly established primarily as a service economy health-care and social-security coverage, usually own • Kim Clijsters with over 70% of the working population employed their own homes, and have never started or engaged outside of agriculture and industry. The standard of living in an armed conflict, either internally or internationally, ■ Politics and Languages in Belgium is among the highest in the world. except for a futile attempt at self-defence against the ■ Rich Past, Thriving Present Germans in World Wars I and II. Despite its small size, Belgium has a unique and com- plex institutional and political structure. The country is Some Belgian towns, notably Tongeren and Tour- ■ "There Are No Belgians" This lack of pride in its own achievements contributes divided into three language groups: Dutch-speaking nai, date back to Roman times, when Julius Caesar largely to Belgium's indeterminate, or non-existent, (6 million), French-speaking (4 million) and German- declared ancient Belgians to be the "bravest of all "Your Majesty, there are no Belgians" – a Belgian politi- identity abroad. Chocolate springs most readily to speaking (70,000), each with their own administration Gauls", after conquering them of course. In the High cian once famously exclaimed to the king. This state- mind when foreigners are asked what they know of in charge mainly of cultural and educational affairs. In Middle Ages (1200-1500) many Belgian cities flour- ment exemplifies the attitude of many Belgians towards Belgium, an embarrassed silence usually follows fur- addition, there are three geographical regions, again ished and expanded. The ports of Bruges and Ant- their own country. Although the politician in question ther enquiries. Whereas other small countries, such as with their own governments: Flanders (in the north), werp were among the largest and busiest in Europe, meant to refer to the fact that Belgium is divided into the Netherlands, Portugal or Norway, have been suc- Wallonia (in the south), and Brussels. Lastly, the federal cathedrals rose up everywhere, elaborate town halls different linguistic groups, it also reflects the high cessful in projecting a coherent image of themselves to government mainly has authority over foreign affairs, proudly proclaimed the city-dwellers' new-found degree of self-criticism characteristic of almost all the outside world, Belgians have never really tried. immigration issues, social security and defence. freedoms and wealth. At that time, only Northern Italy Belgians. There is no such thing as a patriotic Belgian. could boast a similar level of development and cul- Attractively modest though this attitude might seem, Although seven governments might seem a touch ture. Many different countries ruled over what is now it does lead to a distorted image of Belgium abroad. ■ The Belgian Character exaggerated for such a small country, and the situ- known as Belgium, including the Spanish, Austrians, After all, who will take a country seriously when even ation is often derided by Belgians and non-Belgians French and Dutch. its own citizens deride it? The one thing that most non-Belgians would agree on alike, this system is a typical embodiment of one of when first confronted with the Belgians on their home the most attractive features of the Belgian character: Finally, Belgium gained its independence in 1830, drew As an international student or scholar in Belgium, you turf is that they are a reserved and introverted people. the art of compromise. When Belgians disagree, they up a constitution and imported a monarch from among will find that most Belgians will agree whole-heartedly This impression usually lasts until their first visit to a try and find the middle ground. No civil wars or ethnic the German nobility. Belgium is thus a constitutional with any criticism you have to offer of their country, Belgian's home, where they will be very cordially wel- conflicts have ever taken place between Belgians. Leu- monarchy. The present king and queen are King Albert customs or politics. To redress the balance, we would comed and fed large amounts of excellent food and ven is situated in Flanders, just above the language II and Queen Paola. 21 July is the Belgian national like to reiterate that the standard of living in Belgium is drink. A Belgian feels most relaxed and comfortable in border, and is part of the Dutch-speaking community. Feast Day. among the highest in the world, its citizens benefit from the midst of his close circle of family and friends. 8 INTRODUCTION 9 Family ties are very important – witness the weekly children's homes on the eve of December 5, and climbs exodus of Belgian students from Leuven, who routinely the roof seated on his white horse, accompanied by spend every weekend at home with their parents and his faithful servant Zwarte Piet (Black Peter) to sur- childhood friends. Friendships are enduring; once you reptitiously deliver presents through the chimney. The have made a Belgian friend, you will find that it is very Sinterklaas tradition is much older than any mention hard to get rid of him. of Santa Claus or Father Christmas, and dates back to a legend about the 4th-century Bishop of Smyrna Another attractive feature of the Belgian character is the (now Izmir in Turkey) who once miraculously saved trend towards egalitarianism. There are no obscenely some children from captivity and death. Extravagant wide gaps in income, the rich are never super rich, amounts of chocolate are consumed by both adults the poor are provided for, and the number of home- and children to celebrate the Sinterklaas feast. less people might well be the smallest in the entire industrial world. It is fashionable among Belgians An excellent opportunity to observe Belgians having and non-Belgians alike to complain about the level of fun in large numbers outdoors is on the occasion of bureaucracy in the country and the inordinate number a local kermis. A kermis is a typically Belgian type of of holidays that Belgians enjoy. In fact, economic pro- fair, complete with noisy fairground rides, bumper cars, ductivity is among the highest in the world, and the smoutebollen (a variety of doughnut), escargots (snails) anarchic streak in the Belgian character ensures that and frites (fries) stands, and the penetrating cries of bureaucrats never gain the upper hand. Despite the lottery ticket vendors ("Everybody wins!"). When you highly publicised Dutroux case, Belgium is a very safe arrive in Leuven during the first 3 weeks of September, ■ Hot Topics maal. The majority of the educational institutions and country, with a remarkably low crime rate. Brussels, you will witness what the 'kermis' is! student lodgings are either in Leuven or in Heverlee. according to some surveys, is the safest capital in the Though this introduction to Belgium has mainly high- world in terms of the murder rate. Though a kermis can be enjoyed by most people, it is lighted the positive side of the country, we would not Leuven has more than 90,000 inhabitants. If we add to quite a different matter to participate in a Belgian car- be Belgians if we did not feel the need to point out this the 35,000 post-secondary and 11,000 high-school Leuven, we can assure you from a lifetime of personal nival. Though hardly comparable to the bacchanalia in some of Belgium's problem areas. The budget deficit is students, it should come as no surprise that the streets experience, is without a doubt a very safe university Rio de Janeiro, carnival in Belgium can get very lively currently among the highest in the industrialised world. are filled with young faces and that the city lives at a town. Anyone, including unaccompanied women, can indeed. Some towns with a particularly strong carnival Worries about the growing number of elderly people, student's rhythm: hectic weeks at the beginning of the walk around town at all hours of the day and night, with tradition are completely taken over by noisy parades coupled with a low birth rate, have led to serious dis- academic year and, later, relative calm during vacation very little fear of molestation. The main crime element and rowdy drunks for two, three or even four days cussions about the future feasibility of the country's and examination periods. The centuries-long presence to watch out for are bicycle thieves. before Ash Wednesday, the official end of the carnival generous social-security system. of the university has also left its mark in other areas of season. For a more artistic experience, the carnival in city life. The population of Leuven has a high average ■ A Very Short Introduction Binche (Wallonia), famous for its colourfully clad Giles However, the biggest challenge facing Belgium level of education, probably because many students to Belgian Popular Culture with their eerie blank-faced masks, is highly recom- today, as in other European countries, remains the remain in Leuven after they have graduated. Employ- mended, and was recently elevated to the status of a so-called immigration issue. In addition to a large ment is primarily in the tertiary and quaternary sectors, Some aspects of Belgian popular culture hardly need an UNESCO World Heritage tradition. number of "Eurocrats", who drive up real-estate though Leuven's global image is also influenced by the introduction. Most students will not need any encour- prices in and around Brussels, but are not other- city's other large employer, Inbev (Beer brewery). agement to try out the hundreds of delicious Belgian wise resented, Belgium hosts a number of minori- beers. According to one commentator, Belgian beer ties from outside Europe, mainly descendants from Although the city of Leuven has had a university for is "a heavenly liquid which Belgians have perfected "guest workers" invited in the sixties to work in Bel- over 575 years, it is only recently that students were thanks to centuries of intense contemplation by silent gian coal mines and industries. Many Belgians feel given a place on the local political agenda. In 2001, an orders of monks. Beer is the very essence of the land, uncomfortable with these minorities, and are strong alderman responsible for student affairs was appointed the blood of the nation, heaven served in a variety of supporters of the "Fortress Europe" policy of tighter and the Education, Citizenship and Student Affairs peculiarly shaped drinking receptacles." border controls. Committee began to discuss the trials and tribulations of student life in Leuven. Relations between the city A lesser-known attraction, and one that routinely cre- Read more on www.belgium.be and the students were given a fresh start. ates confusion among non-Belgians, is the figure of Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas). Affectionately known as 2. Leuven One result of which is the brochure you are holding in your de Sint, he is often described as the Belgian (and Dutch) hands, which we hope will answer some of your questions version of Santa Claus. However, he has no connection The city of Leuven is an agglomeration of five commu- about the city in which you now live and study. The City of with Christmas. Dressed in magnificent red robes and nities: Leuven, Heverlee, Kessel-Lo, Wilsele and Wijg- Leuven is assuming half of the cost of this brochure. a bishop's mitre, Sinterklaas visits Belgian (and Dutch) 10 10 INTRODUCTION 11 3. Higher Education Institutions KHLEUVEN ■ Rega Department graduate teacher-training programmes, at present in Leuven ➟ Departement Rega in Dutch only. Katholieke Hogeschool Leuven i Sint-Maartenstraat 55d, B-3000 Leuven Leuven Anticipative Continuing Education focuses Tel. 016 29 85 11 • Fax: 016 21 44 17 on professional programmes in continuing educa- K.U.LEUVEN i Abdij van Park 9, B-3001 Heverlee email@example.com tion. English programmes include the English-lan- Tel. 016 39 86 60 • Fax: 016 39 86 66 guage Advanced Certificate in Enterprising, the pro- Katholieke Universiteit Leuven email@example.com Bachelor of Bio-Medical Laboratory Technology, Phar- fessional programme in Information Technology www.khleuven.be maceutical and Biological Techniques, Bachelor of and the professional programme in Enterprising i Oude Markt 13, B-3000 Leuven Nutrition and Dietetics, Bachelor of Chemistry, Bio- Communication. ACE-GROUP T also offers a wide Tel. 016 32 40 10 • Fax: 016 32 40 14 The Katholieke Hogeschool Leuven was founded in chemistry, Environmental Protection, Process Tech- selection of language courses with a strong focus firstname.lastname@example.com 1995 as a merger of six existing Colleges of Higher Edu- nology, Bachelor of Applied Information Sciences, on communication skills (Dutch, Spanish, English, www.kuleuven.be cation. Its headquarters are housed in the Park Abbey. Bachelor of Health Care Office Management French, Italian, German, and Chinese). Its various departments operate on several campuses The Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (K.U.Leuven) is in and around the city. ■ Department of Nursing and Obstetrics GROUP T has forged partnerships at home and in Asia, the oldest university in the Low Countries (founded The Katholieke Hogeschool Leuven has one clear objec- ➟ Departement Verpleegkunde en Vroedkunde resulting in exchange programmes with key universi- in 1425). Throughout its six centuries of existence, tive: it wants to prepare its students for the job market i Kapucijnenvoer 39, B-3000 Leuven ties in China and in the countries of the Greater Mekong K.U.Leuven's hospitality and academic excellence of the 21st century by providing state-of-the-art higher Tel. 016 23 83 11 • Fax: 016 22 45 10 Subregion. The mixed audience of Flemish and inter- have attracted men and women from all corners of the education of the highest quality in terms of content email@example.com national students makes their campus an ideal place world. Today, K.U.Leuven continues to be an institution and methodology. Over 5,000 students are preparing for learning amidst a plurality of worldviews. with high standards of teaching and research. It is also for their future careers at KHLeuven under the profes- Bachelor of Nursing, Bachelor of Obstetrics a cosmopolitan and multicultural university with 12% sional guidance of more than 500 staff members. Advanced Bachelor's Programme: Bachelor of Inten- of its student body coming from countries outside Bel- KHLeuven is currently composed of five departments. sive and Emergency Care LEMMENSINSTITUUT gium. The university is composed of 14 faculties, which They offer a wide range of undergraduate and post- (Hogeschool voor Wetenschap & Kunst) are subdivided into 3 groups. graduate courses, both full-time and part-time. ■ Department of Social Studies ➟ Departement Sociale Hogeschool i Herestraat 53, B-3000 Leuven Every faculty is in turn divided into different depart- ■ Department of Teacher Training i Groeneweg 151 , B-3001 Heverlee Tel. 016 23 39 67• Fax: 016 22 24 77 ments. In addition to the academic facilities, there are ➟ Departement Lerarenopleiding Tel. 016 23 45 41 – Fax: 016 23 80 37 firstname.lastname@example.com also extensive student services. firstname.lastname@example.com www.lemmens.wenk.be i Campus Heverlee Naamsesteenweg 355, B-3001 Heverlee Bachelor of Social Work and Welfare Studies Lemmensinstituut is a department of the "Hoge- Group Humanities Tel. 016 39 92 00 • Fax: 016 40 70 87 school voor Wetenschap & Kunst" devoted to Music, • Faculty of Theology firstname.lastname@example.com GROUP T LEUVEN HOGESCHOOL Performance Arts and Education. Several decades • Faculty of Canon Law • Institute of Philosophy ago the school developed into a complete conserva- • Faculty of Law Bachelor of Education: Pre-school education, Pri- ■ Campus Vesalius tory, providing training in all possible disciplines: • Faculty of Economics and Applied Economics mary school education, Secondary education i Vesaliusstraat 13, B-3000 Leuven • Music (Music Education, Music Therapy, Composi- • Faculty of Social Sciences Advanced Bachelor's Programme: Bachelor of Spe- Tel. 016 30 10 30 • Fax: 016 30 10 40 tion, Conducting, Instrument, Singing and Jazz) • Faculty of Arts cial Education firstname.lastname@example.com • Dramatic Arts (Declamation) • Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences www.group-t.be ■ Department of Economics After obtaining the master's degree, students can opt Group Exact Sciences ➟ Economisch Departement GROUP T consists of three closely linked schools: to specialise in a particular discipline. The Lemmensin- • Faculty of Science Leuven Engineering School, Leuven Educating stituut is situated in a large park area overlooking the • Faculty of Engineering i Hoger Onderwijs – ECHO School and Leuven Anticipative Continuing Educa- Gasthuisberg university hospital. The institute's facili- • Faculty of Bioscience and Applied Engineering Hertogstraat 178, B-3001 Heverlee tion (ACE-GROUP T). Leuven Engineering School ties include concert halls, theatres, ballet studios, mul- Tel. 016 39 92 92 • Fax: 016 40 42 83 runs both undergraduate and postgraduate pro- timedia rooms, a library and a number of rehearsal Group Bio-medical Sciences firstname.lastname@example.com grammes in engineering. studios. In terms of activities, the institute holds con- • Faculty of Medicine These programmes, including the flagship certs, introductions to concerts, masterclasses, spe- • Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences Bachelor of Business Management: Accountancy – Tax, advanced Masters in e-Media and the Joint Inter- cial projects which involve the preparation and per- • Faculty of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences Finance & Insurance, Marketing, Bachelor of Office Man- national Engineering Programme, recognised by formance of musical masterpieces, specialised stu- agement: Management Assistant , Business Translator several key universities in China, are also taught dent ensembles for ancient and contemporary music, Advanced Bachelor's Programme: Bachelor of in English. Leuven Educating School offers under- chamber orchestras and big bands. Advanced Business Management 12 FORMALITIES 13 3 FORMALITIES UPON ARRIVAL 1. Institutions of Higher Education • for non-EEA (European Economic Area) students: €13.00 for the mandatory third-party liability insur- ance policy, K.U.LEUVEN • a copy of your housing rental contract (if you already have an address in Leuven). Registrar's Office ➟ Studentenadministratie Apart from your student card, you will be given a i University Hall, Naamsestraat 22, B-3000 Leuven proof of registration, which you will need when regis- Tel. 016 32 40 40, firstname.lastname@example.com tering at city hall (see below for more information). Open: Arrival at your Faculty From August 16 to September 29: from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Closed on September 4) The first person to see when arriving at your faculty From October 2: from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 noon is, of course, your contact person. Each faculty also has its own exchange programme co-ordinator, ■ Exchange Students i.e. a staff member who co-ordinates all exchange activities within the faculty. You can rely on him/her Although exchange students remain registered for information about courses, timetables, student at their home university during their study period organisations, etc. When necessary, he/she will abroad, they also need to register officially as refer you to the appropriate office. ■ Visiting Scholars (Short-term) Researchers and Guest Professors are asked to exchange students at K.U.Leuven. This is why it is contact Ms. Bernadette De Leye at the K.U.Leuven absolutely essential that, after your arrival in Leuven, ■ Regular Students i International Office Human Resources Department. Please do make an you go to the K.U.Leuven Registrar's Office in order University Hall, Naamsestraat 22, B-3000 Leuven appointment beforehand. to get registered and receive your student card. When registering at the K.U.Leuven Registrar's Tel. 016 32 40 20 • Fax: 016 32 37 73 This card is generally considered to be the proof Office, all EEA and non-EEA (European Economic firstname.lastname@example.com KHLEUVEN that you have been recognised by the academic Area, see list p. 26) students must submit the fol- authorities as a K.U.Leuven student. You will need lowing documents: Open: ■ Exchange Students it when taking exams, to use the library or to get Weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 noon reduced prices at the university restaurants. Make • valid passport or identity card, Visiting Scholars should visit the International Although exchange students remain registered at their sure that you always have it with you. • admission letter from the International Office (see Office for all administrative formalities. home institution during their study period abroad, p. 13), they still need to register as an exchange student at In order to register as an exchange student, • tuition fee or certificate of scholarship, ■ Researchers and Guest Professors the host institution. This is why it is essential that after you must submit: • €13.00 for the mandatory third-party liability your arrival in Leuven you get registered and receive insurance, i Human Resources Department, International your student card. This registration will take place • your passport or identity card, • a copy of the housing rental contract. This applies Office (Personeelsdienst), Mrs. Bernadette De Leye during the introduction week or in the department. • a certificate or a valid student card from your home to all regular students: undergraduate, post-gradu- Parijsstraat 72B, B-3000 Leuven The student card is generally considered to be the university proving that you have been enrolled as ate, pre-doctoral, doctoral, international scholars, Tel. 016 32 83 55 • Fax: 016 32 83 10 proof that you have been recognised by the academic a regular (i.e. fee-paying) student there, and students in specialised programmes. In addi- email@example.com authorities as a KHLeuven student. You may need it • your permission to register as an exchange stu- tion to your student card, you will be given a proof when taking exams, or when going to the library or dent at K.U.Leuven (supplied via your contact per- of registration which you will need when register- Open: to one of the university restaurants and for free local son by the International Relations Office before ing at Foreigners' Office (see below, p. 16 for more Weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. bus transport (see also p. 68). So make sure that you your departure), information). always carry it with you. 14 FORMALITIES 15 ■ Regular Students who obtain a TOEIC score of 605 (which roughly corresponds to 507 on the pen-and-paper TOEFL), Regular students need to register in their respective confirmed by the oral proficiency test, may begin departments (see p. 10-11). their studies without restriction. Please bring the following documents: • your passport or identity card, • one passport photograph, LEMMENSINSTITUUT • your permission to register as a student at KHLeu- ven, In order to register (see address p. 11) you have to • for non-EEA students: € 24.00/month to subscribe submit: to a third-party liability insurance policy if not pro- vided by the home institution, • identity card or passport, • a copy of your housing rental contract (if you • the certificate from Lemmensinstituut proving you already have a permanent address in Leuven). passed the admission test, • authenticated copies of your diplomas in the origi- nal language, GROUP T • notarised translations of your diplomas in English, French, German or Dutch, if one of these is not ■ Campus Vesalius your native language, • academic transcripts of your previous studies i Vesaliusstraat 13, B-3000 Leuven (with details of content, study credits and grades Tel. 016 30 10 30 • Fax: 016 30 10 40 per academic year and per course), • a copy of your housing rental contract, GROUP T's International Relations Office is in charge of the registration and reception of interna- For postgraduate studies your diploma must be tional students. The International Relations Office is officially recognised as equivalent with the Flemish also at the disposal of international students who diploma. Information about this procedure is avail- experience academic or social problems. able at the Belgian embassy in your country or at the Student Administration (carl.oleffe@lemmens. You need to submit: wenk.be) • official diplomas obtained upon graduation in your The admission fee must be paid: either cash at the own country, together with a certified translation admission desk or by proving that the entire fee has in English, been transferred to our bank account or that the In order to register as an exchange student, Apart from your student card, you will be given a • passport. transfer order has been given (by producing a bank you have to submit: proof of registration, which you will need when regis- machine printout or other dated bank document). tering at city hall (see below for more information). After registration you will receive a student card, a • your passport or identity card, proof of registration intended for city hall, and a doc- You will be given a proof of registration, a student • a certificate from your home university, proving Arrival at your Department ument intended for the health-insurance company card and a pass that allows you to travel by bus in that you have been enrolled as a regular (i.e. fee- (see p. 26 and following for more information). Leuven for free. paying) student there, The first person to visit when arriving at your • your permission to register as an exchange student department is, of course, your contact person. Each Language Requirements An intensive Dutch course for international stu- at KHLeuven (supplied via your contact person by the department also has its own exchange programme dents is available during the summer vacation at International Relations Office before your departure), co-ordinator, i.e. a staff member who co-ordinates all In order to assess the extent to which non-native K.U.Leuven (ILT, see p. 61) and continues through- • for non-EEA students: € 24.00/month for a third- exchange activities within his/her department. You speakers are proficient in English, applicants for out the academic year. This course is highly recom- party liability insurance policy, if not provided by can rely on him/her for information about courses, GROUP T's study programmes in English will be mended, since it makes integration much easier. An the home institution, a copy of your housing rental timetables, student organisations, etc. When neces- asked to take the TOEIC (Test of English for Inter- elementary knowledge of Dutch is a considerable contract (if you already have a permanent address sary, he/she will refer you to the appropriate service national Communication) as well as an oral profi- advantage in our institute. in Leuven). for students. ciency test upon arrival at GROUP T. Applicants 16 FORMALITIES 17 2. City of Leuven ■ For Visiting Scholars IDENTITY CARD ■ Loss of your Identity Card Non-EEA citizens who are NOT required a visa to If you lose your identity card, you must report this enter Belgium for a period of three months or less The card you receive after registering at city hall is your in person at the Foreigners' Office and sign an offi- FOREIGNERS' OFFICE • valid passport or identity card official residence permit. It also functions as your iden- cial declaration of loss. Bring along three passport ➟ DIENST BEVOLKING – • three recent passport photographs tity card in Belgium. This is an extremely important photographs as well. After an investigation by the AFDELING BUITENLANDERS • € 5.00 document and you are required to carry it with you at police, you will be given a duplicate identity card. all times! Take care not to lose it. i Muntstraat 3, B-3000 Leuven Non-EEA citizens who are required a visa to enter ■ Leaving Belgium Temporarily Tel. 016 21 17 13 • Fax: 016 21 17 24 Belgium for a period of three months or less ■ To extend the validity of your Identity Card If you temporarily have to leave Belgium for a • valid passport You should report in person to the Leuven For- period longer than three months, you must contact Open: • the Schengen Visa stamped in your passport eigners' Office preferably before the expiry date the Foreigners' Office at city hall to find out what Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from before leaving for Belgium of your identity card. Non-EEA students will have administrative procedures you must follow. 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. • three recent passport photographs to present another proof of enrolment and a Thursday from 12:00 noon to 8:00 p.m. • € 5.00 proof of solvency. Postdoctoral researchers and VISIT FROM THE POLICE OFFICER visiting professors, depending on their financing, Students, visiting scholars, postdoctoral researchers EEA citizens must first obtain either a new letter of appoint- After you register at the Leuven Foreigners' Office, and visiting professors are required to register at the • valid passport or identity card ment / grant attestation or an extension of their your friendly neighbourhood police officer will drop Foreigners' Office (in Dutch: Dienst Buitenlanders) • three recent passport photographs work permit, after which their identity card will by your Leuven address to verify that you actually live within three days of registering at your school. Below, • € 5.00 be extended. there. If you are not at home at the time of the officer's we list the documents you will have to present. visit, you will receive a letter inviting you to report to After registration, you will receive proof that you have ■ Change of Address the police station in your district. Make sure you do this ■ For Students registered in Belgium for the duration of your stay. Every time you change your address within Leu- as soon as possible in order to avoid misunderstand- • valid passport or identity card (Identity card suf- ven, you must report your new address within eight ings or future administrative problems. Visiting profes- ficient only for EU citizens) ■ For Postdoctoral Researchers days to the Foreigners' Office. If you are moving to sors and students living on the Arenberg Campus are • the Authorisation for Provisional Sojourn stamped and Visiting Professors another town or city in Belgium, you must report to under the supervision of the student police officer and in your passport before coming to Belgium (for • valid passport or identity card (Identity card suf- the Foreigners' Office or town hall of your new city should visit the branch office at Celestijnenlaan 200P, non-EEA citizens only) ficient only for EU citizens) or town. B-3001 Heverlee (between 12:00 noon and 2:00 p.m., • three recent passport photographs (four for EU citi- • the Authorisation for Provisional Sojourn stamped see p. 85). zens) in your passport before coming to Belgium (for You are likewise required to inform the university, • proof of registration at your school non-EEA citizens only) the health-insurance company, and other relevant Before leaving Belgium permanently, please make sure • an official proof you have health-insurance cover- • letter of appointment from K.U.Leuven (for post- offices of your change of address. At the end of that you visit the Foreigners' Office to turn in your Bel- age valid in Belgium (for EEA citizens only) doctoral researchers who will receive a grant from your stay in Belgium and before your actual depar- gian identity card. If you ever need to come back to • a proof of solvency or scholarship attestation K.U.Leuven) ture, you should give notice of your departure to the Leuven, this will save you and the city's officials a great • a work permit (for self-supporting postdoctoral Foreigners' Office and hand in your identity card. deal of time and trouble. Around six weeks after registration, non-EEA citizens researchers and for visiting professors who are will receive their residence permit (also referred to as an non-EEA citizens only) identity card, or white card). As a rule, a police officer will • three recent passport photographs (four for the EU have to visit you at your place of residence to verify your citizens) address in Leuven. This residence permit / identity card • proof of health insurance need not be submitted is valid until October 31 of the subsequent year or, in the in this case case of exchange students, until the end of their study period in Leuven. EEA citizens will receive an equivalent Around six weeks after registration, non-EEA citizens Belgian identity card (the "blue card" or in Dutch: "ver- will receive their residence permit (also referred to blijfskaart"). as an identity card, or white card). As a rule, a police officer will have to visit you at your place of resi- dence to verify your address in Leuven. This resi- dence permit / identity card is valid for the period of your work permit. EEA citizens will receive an equivalent Belgian identity card (the "blue card"). 18 FORMALITIES 19 19 K.U.LEUVEN 1 Oude Markt 13, 3000 Leuven Tel. 016 32 40 10 • Fax 016 32 40 14 firstname.lastname@example.com • www.kuleuven.be KATHOLIEKE HOGESCHOOL LEUVEN (KHLEUVEN) 2 Centrale Diensten Abdij van Park 9, 3001 Leuven Tel. 016 39 86 60 • Fax 016 39 86 66 email@example.com • www.khleuven.be 3 Departement Lerarenopleiding Campus Heverlee Naamsesteenweg 355, 3001 Heverlee Tel. 016 39 92 00 • Fax 016 40 70 87 10 5 firstname.lastname@example.com Departement Lerarenopleiding Campus Diest Weerstandsplein 2, 3290 Diest 6 Tel. 013 35 06 90 • Fax 013 33 54 01 firstname.lastname@example.com 9 4 Departement Economisch Hoger Onderwijs Hertogstraat 178, 3001 Heverlee Tel. 016 39 92 92 • Fax 016 40 42 83 firstname.lastname@example.com 1 5 Departement Rega Sint-Maartensstraat 55d, 3000 Leuven Tel. 016 29 85 11 • Fax 016 20 44 17 email@example.com 6 Departement Verpleegkunde en Vroedkunde Kapucijnenvoer 39, 3000 Leuven Tel. 016 23 83 11 • Fax 016 22 45 10 7 8 firstname.lastname@example.com 7 Departement Sociale School Heverlee Groeneweg 151, 3001 Heverlee Tel. 016 23 45 41 • Fax 016 23 80 37 firstname.lastname@example.com GROEP T LEUVEN HOGESCHOOL 8 Campus Vesalius (ingenieursopleiding) GROEP T Leuven Engineering School Vesaliusstraat 13, 3000 Leuven 9 Campus Comenius (lerarenopleiding) GROEP T Leuven Educating School Tiensevest 65, 3000 Leuven Tel. 016 30 10 30 • Fax 016 30 10 40 firstname.lastname@example.com • www.groept.be 2 LEMMENSINSTITUUT (Hogeschool voor Wetenschap & Kunst) 10 Departement Muziek, Podiumkunsten en Onderwijs van de Hogeschool voor Wetenschap & Kunst Herestraat 53, 3000 Leuven 4 Tel. 016 23 39 67 • Fax 016 22 24 77 email@example.com • www.lemmens.wenk.be 3 20 ACCOMmODATION 21 4 They will also answer specific questions about rent- are not provided. Each room has a private sink, but related issues such as contracts, legal regulations, showers, toilets and kitchen are shared. Access to ACCOMMODATION fire insurance, security, rental surcharges, etc. Should you have any complaints about your accommodation the internet (see Kotnet p. 72) is widely available in private student accommodation. Rooms are rented or a dispute with the landlord, they can also provide for a term of 10 to 12 months. The average rent assistance and mediation. varies between € 230.00 and € 250.00 per month, including expenses for utilities. Leuven owes its lively atmosphere to the large number of students (about 35,000 at last count). K.U.LEUVEN • Studios Student life is fully integrated into the community "Studio" is the word commonly used in Leuven since there are no separate student campuses except ■ Temporary Housing to refer to a one-room flat, with a private bath- for the Science and Engineering campus in Heverlee. room and kitchenette. Studios usually come fur- Because the supply of housing provided by the Depending on your period of arrival, you will be nished and have an average size of 15 to 20 m2. educational institutions themselves is quite limited, referred to a guest room in one of the university Some larger studios may be suitable for couples, about 80% of students are accommodated in the residences, to the Guesthouse from the Fathers but most of them are intended for one person private sector. The private housing market offers a Oblates (Pellenbergstraat 160, B-3010 Kessel-Lo), or only. The rent ranges from € 350.00 to € 450.00 wide range of rooms, flats and apartments, of diverse to the youth hostel 'De Blauwput' (Martelarenlaan per month. The most common rental period for a quality, price level and location. 11A, B-3010 Kessel-Lo). Temporary guest rooms studio is 12 months. cost between € 15.00 and € 25.00 per night. Addresses of vacant rooms can be consulted at the • Apartments Housing Service, but students need to view the proper- ■ Regular Students, Researchers and Apartments are suitable for couples and families. In ties, negotiate with landlords and sign the rental contract Visiting Scholars addition to a kitchen and bathroom, they have a liv- personally. This means that for international students it ing/dining room and at least one separate bedroom. is almost impossible to arrange permanent accommoda- • Private Accommodation: Furniture is normally not provided. The rental period tion in advance from outside Belgium. All students are Kotwijs, www.kotwijs.be for an apartment is at least one year. The rental price therefore strongly advised to come to Leuven as early International visitors who stay in Leuven for a of a one-bedroom apartment is generally € 500.00 as possible and move into temporary housing for the full academic year can look for housing using the to € 600.00; a two or three-bedroom apartment will first few days. Room hunting will then take a few days online search programme 'Kotwijs', in which they cost € 750.00 or more per month. of running around, but with some help from the housing will find a detailed survey of private rental accom- officers, all international students should be able to find modation. Addresses vacant for the new academic • University Residence Halls their new 'home' in Leuven within about a week. ■ Visiting Professors and fellows: year are advertised from the 1st of June. K.U.Leuven reserves a small number of housing units (i.e. rooms for single students, flats and i Ms. Leen Bogaert Throughout the summer period, the programme apartments for families) in university residence 1. International Housing Tel. 016 32 84 13 • Fax: 016 32 43 90 can be consulted locally in the computer room halls. Only students from a developing country firstname.lastname@example.com of the Housing Service. You can enter your who hold a modest Belgian scholarship are eligi- i Van Dalecollege, Naamsestraat 80, B-3000 Leuven requirements regarding type of accommodation, ble for these accommodations. Allocation always www.kuleuven.be/accommodation ■ Exchange students (Socrates/Erasmus): facilities, maximum rent, etc., and the system takes place after the student's arrival in Leuven. will print out a selection of suitable addresses, Open: i Ms. Heidi De Clercq together with the landlord's details. Kotwijs is • Married students Weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Tel. 016 32 44 05 • Fax: 016 32 44 07 constantly updated: rented rooms are removed While single students have the option of moving From June 1st till September 30th: firstname.lastname@example.com and new ones are added. After performing a into a guestroom upon arrival, there are no such Weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon search via Kotwijs, it is recommended that you facilities for families. For this reason, married and from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. This office assists international students, both from view the rooms as quickly as possible. students should always arrive in Leuven alone K.U.Leuven and from the other Leuven institutions, at first and bring their families to Belgium later, ■ Regular students, visiting scholars in finding suitable housing. Newly arrived students • Student Rooms only after suitable permanent accommodation and researchers: should come immediately to this office for temporary Single students generally rent a room (or "kot") in has been found. Students arriving together with accommodation. The office can provide information a student house shared with between 5 and 15 fel- their family cannot be given priority on the wait- i Ms. Joske Vettenburg and Ms. Leen Bogaert about the various types of permanent housing in low students. Rooms are usually furnished and are ing list for university apartments, but they will be Tel. 016 32 44 02 • Fax: 016 32 43 90 university residence halls and in the private sector. about 12 m2 in size. Bed linen and kitchen utensils referred to the private sector. email@example.com 22 ACCOMmODATION 23 ■ Exchange Students (Socrates/Erasmus) must be requested in writing, if possible at least Kotwijs online database of private student rooms Services. Standard contracts are freely available at the Exchange students are always referred to the pri- three months in advance. and apartments. Those staying for one semester Housing Service. Alterations are seldom to your advan- vate sector for permanent accommodation since only will be given a list of rooms to be sublet by tage and both parties must always initial them. they are not eligible for a place in a university resi- Priority is given to international visitors who are Belgian students who have gone to study abroad for dence. For assistance, information and suitable appointed as visiting professors by the GEBU, to a single semester (see p. 20). Every rental contract, even if it has been altered, will addresses they are welcome to visit the office for visitors who have been granted a senior fellowship be valid if both tenant and landlord sign it. If the land- exchange housing. by the Research Fund, and to visiting fellows under lord insists on his own type of contract, please drop by the auspices of a bilateral agreement. Allocation of GROUP T the Housing Service before you sign it. The housing Exchange students staying for the entire academic the available housing units is always based on the officers will read it through and let you know if it is reli- year will be referred to the Kotwijs database (see family size and the specific needs of the applicant. As ■ Regular Students able or not. The common rental period for rooms is 10 p. 21). already mentioned, not all demands can be met. GROUP T provides only a limited number of rooms months, for studios 12 months and for apartments 12 for foreign students. However, students can turn to months to 3 years. Terminating a rental contract before Exchange students staying for only one semester Visitors whose application has been turned down the K.U.Leuven International Housing Service for its expiration date is very difficult. will find it difficult to negotiate with landlords who will be referred to the International Housing Serv- information about available rooms, studios and are seldom prepared to sign a rental contract for less ice for help in finding suitable housing in the pri- apartments in the private sector (see p. 21). Since than 10 months. These students will receive a list of vate sector. Like regular students, they are strongly it is difficult to find permanent housing in advance, THE DEPOSIT rooms being sublet by Belgian students who have advised against signing a rental contract without it is advisable to arrive some time before the begin- gone to study abroad themselves for one semester. having inspected the property personally. For inter- ning of the courses and contact GROUP T's Interna- When you conclude a contract, the payment of a deposit The list of exchange rooms for the first semester is national visitors, temporary accommodation can be tional Relations Office for help in arranging tempo- is required. For rooms, a deposit of one month's rent available from the beginning of July (for the second provided upon arrival. rary accommodation. is usual. For studios and apartments, deposits may semester, from the beginning of December). amount to 2 or 3 month's rent. This sum should never KHLEUVEN ■ Visiting Scholars and Professors be considered as payment for the rent and can only be ■ Visiting Professors and Fellows The International Relations Office of GROUP T pro- used to compensate for damage to the rented property, Visiting professors and fellows can apply to Ms. ■ Temporary Housing vides visiting scholars and professors with informa- caused by the tenant or by third parties to whom the Leen Bogaert of the International Housing Service Upon arrival in Belgium, international students of tion about the various types of accommodation. tenant has granted access. for suitable accommodation in the University Cen- KHLeuven should proceed to the youth hostel 'De tre 'Groot Begijnhof'. These rental units are fully Blauwput', (Martelarenlaan 11 A, B-3010 Kessel-Lo) The deposit or its balance will be reimbursed upon return furnished and adapted to the needs of international where they will be accommodated during the intro- LEMMENSINSTITUUT of the keys and after the landlord has inspected the state visitors whose stay in Leuven does not exceed a duction week. of the property. The landlord should have the opportu- period of one year. However, the number of avail- The K.U.Leuven Housing Service (see p. 20) can assist nity to draw up the final bill for heating, electricity, etc., able units in Groot Begijnhof is limited. Since the ■ Regular Students you in finding a student room in Leuven. A list of available before he can return the balance of the deposit. demand often outstrips the supply, accommodation International students who stay at KHLeuven for student rooms in the neighbourhood of Lemmensinstituut an entire academic year will be referred to the can also be obtained at the reception desk of the school. K.U.Leuven International Housing Service. The Music practice rooms are available each day from 7:30 SUPPLEMENTARY EXPENSES (UTILITIES) procedure to find permanent housing is the same a.m. to 10:30 p.m. (Friday till 5:30 p.m.). as for students from K.U.Leuven (see p. 21). They If the cost of heating, electricity, water, etc. is not included can search the Kotwijs online database of private in the rent, it should be clearly stated in the contract how rental student accommodation (www.kotwijs.be). 2. Practical Information on Renting these costs will be calculated. If each housing unit is KHLeuven itself has one residence hall at the Depart- Student Accommodation equipped with an individual electricity and gas meter, the ment of Nursing and Midwifery (Kapucijnenvoer 39, tenant and the landlord should make a note of the meter B-3000 Leuven. Tel. 016 33 67 17). reading at the beginning and at the end of the rental KHLeuven students cannot apply for housing in a THE RENTAL CONTRACT period. The tenant pays for these units at the rate stipu- K.U.Leuven residence hall. lated in the contract. If no individual meters are available, Although a rental contract may be oral or written, a the landlord is allowed to divide the total costs propor- ■ Exchange Students written contract can help you to avoid disputes later tionally among the residents of the house. Many contracts Once settled in at their temporary residence, on. In practice it will be difficult for you to prove some- state that the tenants have to pay a monthly advance for exchange students from KHLeuven will be accom- thing that has been agreed orally; moreover, an oral the costs, over and above the cost of the rent. panied to the office for exchange housing for assis- agreement can be terminated at one month's notice. tance in finding permanent accommodation. Those You should only accept the standard K.U.Leuven rental When the final bill is submitted, tenants are entitled staying for the entire academic year may consult the contract, which is recognisable by the logo of Student to see the individual invoices for the various utilities. 24 ACCOMmODATION Tenants of apartments and houses normally have an In cases of conflict with the landlord, they can help individual contract with the gas, electricity and water utility companies. In this case they will receive the invoices directly from the company concerned. you solve the problem or mediate between tenant and landlord. Complaints about the conditions of the property should be reported to the Housing Service Ride the bus for free in Leuven first, before you undertake further steps. If necessary, MUNICIPAL TAX a housing officer will visit you to assess your housing situation on the spot and advise you on what proce- The city of Leuven levies a local tax on the rental of stu- dure you should follow. dent rooms (housing units with communal bathroom and kitchen). This tax amounts to € 75.00 per room. Basically, the tax is levied on the owner, but most land- lords stipulate in their contracts that they will recover 3. City of Leuven with your student bus pass this sum from the tenant. i Housing and Property Office FIRE INSURANCE ➟ Dienst Huisvesting en Grondbeleid Boekhandelstraat 9, B-3000 Leuven When you rent a property, you are responsible for dam- Tel. 016 21 17 30 • Fax: 016 21 17 48 age caused by fire, water, or explosion, except in cir- email@example.com cumstances beyond one's control (i.e. "acts of God"). www.leuven.be You should take out insurance to cover these risks. Ten- ants may take out individual insurance policies. Since Open: office-counter landlords must insure the building, they can have the Weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. - Thursdays "renunciation of redress" clause taken up in their own from noon to 4:30 p.m. fire-insurance policy, by means of which the risks of If necessary, an appointment can be made outside the tenant are also covered. The landlord then pays a the office hours. higher premium, which the tenant will reimburse. The tenant's share of the landlord's policy depends on the This office supervises the quality of rented proper- value of the house and the type of coverage. The sum ties in Leuven, in close co-operation with the local usually varies between € 20.00 and € 25.00 per tenant fire department and the Flemish regional authorities. per year. The tenant's personal belongings, however, The municipal housing office draws up an inventory are never covered by the landlord's insurance policy. of unoccupied and dilapidated dwellings and investi- gates problems with quality and safety in houses and If you want to insure damage to your own property, student rooms. you need to take out separate insurance coverage. Ten- ants of apartments and houses normally cannot insure Landlords can apply to this department to obtain a themselves through the landlord's policy. They need certificate of conformity ("conformiteitsattest"), i.e. an to take out individual insurance to cover the risks of official confirmation that their property complies with damage both to the landlord's property and to their the legal regulations. Students can turn to this office for personal belongings. An individual policy is obviously information about the legal quality standards imposed more expensive, and may amount to € 75.00 or more by the regional and local authorities. Shortcomings in per year, depending on the coverage and the value of student houses, however, should be reported to the I n f o t i m e t a b l e s 070 220 200 the property and furnishings insured. K.U.Leuven Housing Service in the first instance. WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF PROBLEMS? Only in cases of serious quality problems, for which the mediation of the Housing Service has proved unsuc- Whenever you have difficulties in understanding your con- tract or any other document related to your rental accom- cessful, an official complaint to the municipal housing office can be considered. In the event of serious short- www.delijn.be modation, you can turn to the International Housing Ser- comings, the local council can decide to close down the vice for translation and interpretation of the contents. premises and impose a penalty on the landlord. 26 INSURANCE AND HEALTH CARE 27 5 Once you have received your identity card at the Foreigners' tional scholar, it is not subject to Belgian social-secu- Office (see p. 16-17) you can take out health insurance cov- rity contributions. You will be provided with health INSURANCE AND HEALTH CARE erage as a "resident". This means a cost of € 13.50 per quar- ter. A supplementary fee of € 5 must be paid in January. insurance, usually via the Christelijk Ziekenfonds Leuven - St. Pietersbond (a major health-insurance company). The staff of the International Office will If your family needs to be insured as well, your part- take care of all the formalities related to the sub- ner must visit the health-insurance company in person scription and the reimbursement procedures. The 1. Health Insurance NON-EEA CITIZENS WHO ARE because she/he must sign the insurance documents costs are included in the scholarship and will be SELF-SUPPORTING STUDENTS personally. She/he can be covered from the moment paid directly to the health-insurance company by All residents of the country, Belgian or otherwise, are (or whose scholarship doesn't include health insurance) she/he has a Belgian identity card (white card). If a child the office. required by law to be covered by a health-insurance is born during your stay in Belgium you must report policy. It is also in your own best interests. Without Self-supporting students, or those with a scholarship that this to the health-insurance company and submit the ■ Doctoral students who hold a K.U.Leuven insurance coverage, the cost of medical care can does not include health insurance, should take out a health proof of birth, which you can obtain at the Registry doctoral scholarship quickly spiral out of control. For instance, a single insurance policy. If you arrive after July 1st, you can wait Office (Burgerlijke Stand, Muntstraat 3). Doctoral scholarships are subject to partial (for non- night's stay in the hospital can cost up to € 300.00 not until the start of the university's registration period. If you EEA citizens) or full (EEA citizens and citizens of including treatment or medicine. A standard health- have medical expenses between July 1st and the time If you arrive before July 1st, we recommend that you the following countries with bilateral agreements insurance policy will reimburse about 75% of the you register at the university, these costs will be covered take out a temporary private health-insurance policy with Belgium: U.S.A., Canada, Algeria, Turkey, cost of a doctor's visit, medicine and hospitalisation. retroactivily until July 1st. With your proof of registration, until July 1st (see p. 26). The cost of private insurance Israel, Tunesia, Morocco, San Marino, Serbia & The information about health insurance is grouped you can take out a health-insurance policy at the insur- is € 41.15 per month for men and up to € 60.49 per Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, according to the following categories: self-supporting ance company of your choice (see p. 31). However it may month for women and children. F.Y.R. of Macedonia, Chile) social-security coverage students, students with a scholarship, postdoctoral be useful to know that K.U.Leuven has excellent relations in compliance with Belgian law. researchers, visiting professors and visiting scholars. with "Christelijk Ziekenfonds Leuven". Please turn to the section that applies to your STUDENTS WITH A K.U.LEUVEN This means that in the case of partial social-security particular situation. The "Christelijk Ziekenfonds Leuven" regulary holds SCHOLARSHIP OR GRANT coverage you are covered for health insurance and information and sign-up sessions for health insurance job-related accidents and illness and you are also at Pangaea (see p. 31), the International Meeting Cen- ■ Scholarships not subject to social security entitled to receive child allowances. In the case of EEA STUDENTS tre. For more information concerning the exact dates of If you hold a K.U.Leuven scholarship or grant as a full social-security coverage, you will also have the sessions, you can contact the Social Service - Inter- pre-doctoral student, master's student or interna- retirement and unemployment rights. If you are an EEA national (Austria, Denmark, Finland, national Students (see address p. 31). France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United The documents to submit: Kingdom, Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway and the new • passport, member stated Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hun- • Belgian identity card (if you have it already), gary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and • the certificate of "family composition" (which you can Slovenia) as well as nationals from Algeria, Tunisia, obtain at the Foreigners' Office, see page 16-17) if you Turkey, and the former Yugoslavia, you should obtain a have family members to be insured, so-called E111 or E128 form or International Insurance • bank account number, Card proving you already have insurance coverage in • the certificate of registration which you will obtain auto- your home country. matically upon registration at the K.U.Leuven Registrar's Office (this is not the same as your student card). Any medical costs you may incur will be reimbursed by a Belgian health-insurance company if you show them The fee consists of a quarterly payment, which entitles the E111 or E128 or Insurance Card. This also applies to you to all benefits from the first day of that quarter. The the cost of drugs and medication: ask for a 704N form quarters are divided as follows: from the beginning at the pharmacist's. of October to the end of December, from January to March, from April to June and from July until Septem- If you have no E111 or E128 form or International ber. During the first quarter of your stay as a student in Insurance Card, you are required to follow the same Belgium you have to take out health insurance cover- procedure as non-EEA students and take out health- age as a "student", if you have not received your iden- insurance coverage in Belgium. tity card. For 2006, this costs € 62,78. 28 INSURANCE AND HEALTH CARE 29 You are required to take out a health-insurance son because he/she must sign the appropriate docu- insurance policy, but the choice of the company is up policy, but the choice of the company is up to you. ments personally. Partners of non-EEA citizens can to you. For the costs, see p. 26-27. The cost is € 13.50 per quarter. A supplementary be covered from the moment they have a Belgian amount of € 5 must be paid in January. If you identity card (white card). EEA citizens can obtain ■ Unsalaried visiting professors are a non-EEA citizen, the International Office will coverage immediately. EEA citizens need to obtain a E111 or E128 proving arrange for your health-insurance coverage with coverage in their home country and enabling them a Belgian health-insurance company. For non- to get medical treatment in Belgium reimbursed. EEA scholarship holders, the costs are mostly POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHERS Non-EAA citizens are advised to take a personal included in the scholarship and will be paid by the insurance that covers them for medical care during International Office. If you are an EEA citizen, the ■ Postdoctoral researchers with a scholarship their stay in Belgium; Belgian health-insurance cov- Human Resources Department (address, see p. 31: erage is possible but the cost is proportional to your K.U.Leuven Human Resources Department) can Postdoctoral scholarships are subjected to partial taxable income (income earned anywhere). assist you in making the practical arrangements. (for non-EEA citizens) or full (EEA citizens) social- security contributions, in compliance with Belgian If your family needs to be insured as well, your part- legislation. In the case of partial social-security cov- VISITING SCHOLARS ner has to visit the health-insurance company in per- erage, you are covered for health insurance, job- related accidents and illness and you are entitled to K.U. Leuven provides an insurance package designed receive child allowances. In the case of full social- especially for visiting scholars who come to Belgium security coverage, you will also have retirement and for a period of three months maximum (EEA citizens unemployment rights. You are required to take out may come for a maximum of six months). a health-insurance policy, but the choice of the com- pany is up to you. For the cost: see p. 26-27. At your The cost of this package is approximately € 75.00 for request, Ms. B. De Leye of the Human Resources three months. Upon registration at the International Department (see address p. 31) will assist you. Office, visiting scholars receive this policy. It covers accident and medical costs. It does not cover third- If your family needs to be insured as well, your party liability nor the exercise of the following sports: partner has to visit the health-insurance company skiing, mountain climbing, scuba diving, delta gliding, in person because he/she must sign the appropri- parachuting and hang-gliding. ate documents personally. Partners of non-EEA citi- zens can be covered from the moment they have Your family cannot be insured through this policy and COVERAGE OUTSIDE BELGIUM an attestation of immatriculation (orange card). EEA will have to obtain private insurance in their home citizens can obtain coverage immediately. country or in Belgium. Whether or not you have coverage abroad (i.e. outside Belgium) depends on a number of criteria. Just to be ■ Postdoctoral researchers with a salary sure, you should contact your own health-insurance Salaried postdocs are subject to full social-secu- SIS CARD company or get advice from the Social Service - Inter- rity contributions. This means they are covered national Students. for health insurance, job-related accidents and ill- When you take out health insurance you will receive a ness, and retirement and unemployment. You are membership card (known as a SIS card), an informa- required to take out a health-insurance policy, but tion booklet and a number of yellow stickers. Please COVERAGE FOR PARENTS, the choice of the company is up to you. For the take your SIS card and stickers every time you go to SIBLINGS AND FRIENDS costs, see p. 26-27. the pharmacist's, visit a doctor, go to a hospital or to the health-insurance office. You may be asked to show When coming to Leuven for a visit, your parents, sib- your SIS card or use one of the yellow stickers. lings or friends are not covered by your health-insur- VISITING PROFESSORS ance policy (whether you are a student or K.U.Leuven If you have to go to hospital and you don't have your personnel). ■ Visiting professors with a salary SIS card you will get an invoice of the total cost. Don't Salaried visiting professors are subject to social pay it and bring it to the health insurance company. We would advise your guests to take out a temporary security and have the right to health insurance, They will take care of a corrected invoice. private insurance policy to cover their period of stay in job-related accidents and illness, retirement and Belgium. 'Verzekeringen Vandeven' is a recommended unemployment. You are required to take out a health- option in this case (see p. 31). 30 INSURANCE AND HEALTH CARE 31 2. The Health Care System cialist in a private practice or a local hospital, or to the K.U.Leuven University Hospitals. There are three different levels of health care service in Belgium: MEDICAL BILLS AND REIMBURSEMENT General practitioners (GPs) Specialists If you do not require hospitalisation, 75% of your medi- Specialists at a local or an academic hospital. cal expenses will be reimbursed by your health-insur- ance company. For a consultation with a general prac- GENERAL PRACTITIONERS (GPS) AND SPECIALISTS titioner, for instance, you will be reimbursed € 12.37 of the € 17.00 that you paid the doctor. In cases of hospi- If you have a health-related problem, it is best to see a talisation, the hospital will charge you the supplement general practitioner first rather than going immediately (the charges not covered by the insurance policy). to the hospital. As a student, you could first go to one of the GPs of the Medical Center for Students (see p. 38). The main costs are paid directly by the insurance com- pany to the hospital. Fees for convenient extras (e.g. a A GP can solve most medical problems. If the GP decides private room, telephone costs) will never be reimbursed that you should consult a specialist, he/she will refer you by the insurance company. When buying drugs, reduc- to one who is best qualified to deal with your problem. tions amount to 60%. The pharmacist charges you only You can usually reach a GP during office hours and in the noninsured amount upon presentation of your SIS emergencies even at night. If your regular GP is unavail- card. In cases of serious medical problems or hospitali- able when you call, you will be referred to another GP. sation where your financial situation is threatened, you There are many advantages to consulting a GP first, may contact the Social Service - International Students before seeing a specialist: for partial or full reimbursement (address: p. 31). This • GPs are easier to reach; there could be a long wait- does not apply to researchers or visiting professors. ing list to consult a specialist. • A GP will keep your medical history on file. This is impor- PHARMACIES tant since information from previous medical examina- tions may be relevant to your present condition. It also In Belgium, drugs and medicines are only sold in pharma- means that the GP does not need to repeat medical tests cies. In the yellow pages of the phone directory, pharma- ADDRESSES FOR HEALTH INSURANCE or examinations you may already have had. This can cies and drugstores are listed under the word "apotheken". save you a lot of money, time and possible discomfort. They are open every day except Saturday afternoons, Sun- • Christelijk Ziekenfonds Leuven • K.U.Leuven - • With certain medical conditions, it is not always clear days and holidays. When closed, all pharmacies will post Leopoldstraat 34, B-3000 Leuven International Office which specialist is best qualified. On your own, you in their window a list of after-hours pharmacies ("wacht- Tel. 016 31 49 10 Naamsestraat 22, B-3000 Leuven might have to try several specialists before finding dienst"). This information is also published in the weekly • Neutraal Ziekenfonds. Brabant and Limburg Tel. 016 32 42 20 the right one, whereas a GP can quickly diagnose newspaper Passe-Partout (see the section entitled "Apothe- Vaartstraat 56/1, B-3000 Leuven • K.U.Leuven - your problem and refer you to the proper specialist. kers van dienst in Leuven en omliggende"). Tel. 016 30 16 43 Human Resources Department • Socialistische Mutualiteit ➟ Personeelsdienst Hospital emergency services are expensive. If your THERMOMETERS Mechelsestraat 70, B-3000 Leuven Parijsstraat 72B, B-3000 Leuven condition is not immediately life-threatening, you can Tel. 016 22 57 04 Tel. 016 32 83 55: B. De Leye save a considerable amount of money by consulting a In Belgium we use Celsius thermometers. These are • Liberale Mutualiteit van Brabant • Pangaea GP instead. If you officialy register with one GP - which larger than the Fahrenheit ones, and are usually placed Vital Decosterstraat 84, B-3000 Leuven Vesaliusstraat 34, B-3000 Leuven is called Globaal Medisch Dossier or GMD - the Bel- in the armpit. Readings from the armpit will be one Tel. 016 20 61 12 Tel. 016 32 33 96 gian public health insurance rewards you with a higher degree lower than those taken orally. Always tell the • Partena Onafhankelijk Ziekenfonds • Private Insurance: Filip Vandeven nv reimbursement. Ask your GP about this. doctor which method you have used. Naamsestraat 102, B-3000 Leuven Tessenstraat 3, B-3000 Leuven Tel. 016 22 78 60 Tel. 016 31 09 70 Most medical doctors speak English, French and Dutch. VACCINATIONS • K.U.Leuven – When discussing your condition, however, please try to Social Service - International Students make yourself clear, and speak slowly and calmly. For Parents are required to vaccinate their babies and young Naamsestraat 80, B-3000 Leuven consultation, make an appointment or go to the doc- children at regular intervals. In Belgium, this service is Tel. 016 32 44 36 tor's office when he/she is available for general con- organised by "Kind en Gezin" (see p. 43). Please contact sultation. If necessary, the GP will refer you to a spe- them if you have children below 3 years of age. 32 INSURANCE AND HEALTH CARE 33 3. Other Types of Insurance • Damage caused to goods of which the insured party is the owner, for example: the insured party damages the sanitary fittings of the building he/she is renting, CARE INSURANCE "ZORGVERZEKERING" • Damage caused by a motor vehicle. This dam- age is insured by the legal insurance "Burgerlijke In 2002 the Flemish government introduced the care Aansprakelijkheid Auto" (Civil Liability Car), insurance. It is a collective insurance to provide finan- • Damage caused while under the influence of alco- cial assistance to seriously ill patients. You will receive hol or drugs, a bill of € 25.00 for this insurance when you live in Flan- • Damage caused while carrying out professional ders and are at least 25 years old. You are encouraged activities. In case of an accident, please report it to pay this bill before December 31st. as soon as possible to the Social Service - Inter- national Students. This office will file the claim on THIRD-PARTY LIABILITY INSURANCE your behalf with the relevant insurance company, (ONLY FOR STUDENTS) and help you in following up your claim. Under European legislation, EEA-students are not JOB-RELATED ACCIDENT INSURANCE required to take out this insurance, but we strongly recommend that you do so. K.U.Leuven requires all ■ Insurance Office K.U.Leuven ➟ Verzekeringsdienst non-EEA students to take out third party liability insur- ance coverage. The only non-EEA students exempted i Krakenstraat 3, B-3000 Leuven from this requirement are those who can prove they Tel. 016 32 40 96 • Fax: 016 32 40 93 already have private third-party liability coverage. Past Beer brewed carefully, experience has shown that the cost associated with This group insurance policy covers the entire uni- to be consumed with care. damage you cause, even in a minor accident, can turn versity community for study-related and job-related out to be much higher than many students are able to accidents and illness. This policy also covers you pay. This policy covers any damages to third parties when you are abroad on professional business or caused by the student, or one of the student's family study trips. Every accident covered by this policy, members, while not on university property. Personal including accidents abroad, must be reported within injury is not covered by this policy, only damage to 48 hours to the Insurance Office. They will provide third parties. The policy also covers the costs of legal you with insurance claim forms and will take care of assistance. For example, if you accidentally scratch a the claim's settlement. parked car while riding your bicycle, and you are held responsible for the damage, then the insurance com- pany will cover the cost of the damage to the car, but not the costs of any damage to your bike, or personal injury you might suffer. You pay € 13.00 annually year for this insurance. Should you be involved in an accident that occurs off univer- sity property, please report it as soon as possible to Social Service – International Students (see address p. 31). This office can file the claim on your behalf with the relevant insur- ance company, and help you in following up your claim. Excluded are: • Damage caused by fire and the like originating from a building of which the insured party is at least partly owner, renter or user. This damage is normally covered by a fire insurance policy. The exception only applies to material damage, 34 offices providing services for international guests 35 6 OFFICES PROVIDING SERVICES are participants in the Coimbra Group Hospitality Scheme and in the Erasmus Belgica exchanges. The Once a student has registered at the Registrar's Office, he/she will be issued a student card, a free FOR INTERNATIONAL GUESTS defining characteristic of an exchange student is that he/she remains registered at his/her home uni- bus pass, and all the certificates required for the Bel- gian Railways, De Lijn (the bus company), the health- versity while spending between a few months and insurance company and for registering at city hall. a full year pursuing his/her studies at K.U.Leuven, free of charge. 1. K.U.Leuven International applicants and scholarships STUDENT SERVICES This office is the first point of contact between inter- International (development) cooperation ➟ STUDENTENVOORZIENINGEN national students and the K.U.Leuven administra- The International Office also co-ordinates and sup- CENTRAL SERVICES tion. It is the admission office for all international ports the various forms of international cooperation Student services encompass a number of different coun- applicants as well as for those applying for scholar- in which K.U.Leuven is involved, such as bilateral con- selling services whose objective is to promote the social, ■ International Office ships awarded in the framework of development tacts and formal agreements with universities abroad, physical, mental and financial well-being of all students. ➟ Dienst Internationale Relaties co-operation, inter-university staff exchange agree- international networks of universities, university ments and research activities. The International development cooperation, and European exchange Thanks to the co-operation agreements between Studen- i University Hall, Naamsestraat 22, Office is in charge of the payment of scholarships programmes for staff and students. The staff's fre- tenvoorzieningen K.U.Leuven and the non-profit associa- B-3000 Leuven and, in exceptional cases, the office can be asked to quent contacts with international organisations keep tions (v.z.w.'s) providing social services for the institutions For international admissions & scholarships for mediate between students and the Ministry of For- them abreast with the latest developments in the field of higher education, most of the below ser-vices are cen- regular students eign Affairs in Brussels when problems related to of internationalisation in higher education. trally organised for all Leuven students. Tel. 016 32 42 20 • Fax: 016 32 37 73 admission and visas arise. firstname.lastname@example.com Hospitality Programme Except where otherwise mentioned, all offices are located Open: Exchange students As part of its job of welcoming students and guests at the Van Dalecollege (Naamsestraat 80, B-3000 Leuven). Weekday mornings from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The International Office is also in charge of the of the university, the International Office holds aca- administration and admission of exchange students. demic events and socio-cultural activities, includ- See also www.kuleuven.be/english/living/ For Exchange Students & International Exchange students have a special status granted to ing Orientation Days for new students and schol- services/index.htm Cooperation, all students who take part in the European Commis- ars, a buddy programme for international guests Tel. 016 32 40 27 • Fax: 016 32 40 22 sion's educational programmes of Socrates/ERAS- and cross-cultural communication workshops for firstname.lastname@example.com MUS, TEMPUS, ALFA, EU/Canada, EU/JAPAN and K.U.Leuven personnel working with international ■ International Housing Service www.kuleuven.ac.be/english/interrelations others. Students who come to Leuven in the frame- students and scholars. See www.kuleuven.be/vesta Open: work of an exchange agreement at faculty level i See also Chapter 4 – Accommodation Weekday mornings from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. between their university and K.U.Leuven are also ■ Registrar's Office Tel. 016 32 44 02 and 016 32 44 05 and from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. officially granted the status of exchange student, as ➟ Studentenadministratie (exchange students) Fax: 016 32 43 90 i University Hall, Naamsestraat 22, firstname.lastname@example.com B-3000 Leuven and email@example.com For international admissions & scholarships for www.kuleuven.be/accommodation regular students Tel. 016 32 42 20 • Fax: 016 32 37 73 Open: email@example.com Weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Open: From June 1 to September 30: Weekday mornings from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. For Exchange Students & International Cooperation, The International Housing Service receives Tel. 016 32 40 27 • Fax: 016 32 40 22 international visitors and provides them with firstname.lastname@example.com temporary housing and practical information www.kuleuven.ac.be/english/interrelations or assistance in finding permanent housing. Open: Throughout the academic year international Weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and students can turn to this office for help and advice from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. whenever they have questions or problems related to their housing situation. 36 offices providing services for international guests 37 ■ Advisors for 'Kot' culture, Membership costs only € 4.00 and includes benefits The Study Advisory Centre acts as the central infor- ■ Student Employment Office Environment and Mobility such as free coffee or tea in the Pangaea lounge and mation point on study-related matters for both discounts for activities organised by Pangaea. national and international students. You are wel- i Tel. 016 32 44 34 • Fax: 016 32 44 39 i De Waag, Studentenwijk Arenberg 10, come throughout your student career: before you email@example.com B-3001 Heverlee ■ Social Service – International Students enter the university, while you are studying at the www.kuleuven.be/english/living/services/ Tel. 016 32 93 01 & 02 • Fax: 016 32 92 99 university and after you have graduated. jobservice/index.htm firstname.lastname@example.com i (See also chapter 4, Insurance and Health Care) Jobdatabase: www.kuleuven.be/studentenjob Tel. 016 32 44 36 • Fax: 016 32 84 12 The office publishes information about study pro- The advisors for 'Kot' culture, environment and email@example.com grammes at K.U.Leuven through brochures and/or Open: mobility are staff members of the Housing Service, internet. You can also visit the library to find out which Weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Queue whose specific task is to raise awareness about Open: study programme fits best your particular wishes and numbers are available as from 1:45 pm transportation, the environment and the unique cul- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday goals. If needed, you will be provided with some per- ture of the "kot", or student house. They will answer from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. sonal assistance during your search. Several informa- Quite a lot of students look for a job to earn some extra any questions about waste prevention and sorting, tive events are set up on behalf of the students and money and to gain some experience. The Student responsible energy and water use, composting, bus This service provides information and assistance the office participates in all the major study fairs. Employment Office can provide information concern- and train travel, bicycle safety, community participa- to international students who have questions of a ing employment possibilities. Job offers are posted on a tion, and many other issues. The advisors not only legal, financial, or practical nature. Such questions If you are already studying in Leuven you may notice board and are also available online. The type of job provide information but they also promote new might involve residency status, social security, child contact the Study Advisory Centre when you ranges from babysitting to translating, data entry, etc. projects and experiments in the area of sustainabil- care, accidents, loans, insurance, etc. require personal study guidance. You can sign ity and ecologically responsible lifestyles. up for various courses such as Effective Study The Student Employment Office also informs you about The Social Service – International Students works with Methods or work out a study planning system with the Belgian employment law with its strict regulations ■ Pangaea Belgian volunteers who will introduce you to the prac- the help of a counsellor. Before you graduate, you regarding employing international students. Please keep tical aspects of living in Leuven through a tour around are provided with a career counselling service, in mind that many jobs require you to speak Dutch. i Vesaliusstraat 34, B-3000 Leuven the city. To improve their Dutch, K.U.Leuven students which prepares you for your first steps on the Tel. 016 32 33 96 • Fax: 016 32 33 90 can rent a Dutch-language self-study course (Vanzelf- job market. Students from outside the European Union and of firstname.lastname@example.com sprekend) at this service (see also p. 62). most of the new member states must have a work www.kuleuven.be/pangaea If you wish to carry on studying, either in Belgium permit type C if they want to work during the aca- It is a general rule that students have to provide suf- or abroad, the Study Advisory Centre is also the demic year. These students are not allowed to work Office: ficient funds for the period they spend here. However, place to be. for more than twenty hours a week. Studying must be Monday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon in rare cases, this office can offer temporary financial their main occupation. During the official school holi- and from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. support to individuals who have run into severe finan- The Centre can guide you through the maze of mas- days, all students can work without a work permit. Tuesday and Thursday from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. cial difficulties due to unforeseen circumstances. Each ter's, MBA and LLM programmes. Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. case will be examined by the service and the request ■ Legal Service Coffee Lounge: Monday to Thursday from 12:00 is then evaluated by the Study Finances Committee. noon to 8:00 p.m. On Friday and Saturday from i Tel. 016 32 44 35 • Fax: 016 32 84 12 noon to midnight. Students who encounter both medical and financial email@example.com problems can submit a request for repayment of the 'Pangaea' is the name of the original single continent amount that the health insurance does not cover. A This office provides information and assistance on which made up the entire land surface of the earth committee consisting of a member of the Social Ser- legal matters: rental contracts, civil law (marriage, some 175 million years ago. 'Pangaea' is also the name vice and a physician decides on a case-by-case basis. insurance), criminal law, etc. It is not common prac- of the international students' centre at K.U.Leuven. tice to consult the legal service directly. In general, ■ Study Advisory Centre students are referred to the legal service by one of Pangaea is a lively meeting place where interna- ➟ Studieadvies the other services, only by appointment (e.g. the tional and Belgian students can get together in an Social Service, Student Employment Service). informal setting. It has a lounge with a coffee bar i Van Dalecollege and a large assortment of international newspapers, Tel. 016 32 43 11 a recreational room with tabletennis facilities, a TV email@example.com room with a VCR, three computers and much more. Pangaea offers a wide range of activities such as Open: concerts, lectures, workshops, trips, and language Weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. conversation groups. 38 offices providing services for international guests 39 ■ Medical Centre for Students (*) tre for professional help. The psychologists and 2. KHLeuven, GROUP T 3. City of Leuven psychiatrists of the Psychotherapeutic Centre run and Lemmensinstituut i Tel. 016 32 44 20 • Fax: 016 32 44 14 various therapy and training sessions adapted to email@example.com the individual needs of the student. English-speak- The city of Leuven provides a number of social services ing therapists are also available. The services mentioned above are also open to students that students are also welcome to call on for help. Consultations: from KHLeuven (*), GROUP T and the Lemmensinstituut. Weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ■ Ombudsperson for Students The co-operation agreements between StudentenVoorzie- House calls by request K.U.Leuven has appointed an ombudsperson to deal ningen K.U.Leuven and the institutions of higher education GENERAL SERVICES Night and weekend service: 070 25 70 25 with certain kinds of unacceptable behaviour (bullying, are co-ordinated by the following non-profit associations: (a recorded voice will ask your ZIP code and violence and sexual harassment) within the university ■ Welfare Services automatically transfer you to the doctor on call) community. The duty of the ombudsperson is to assist LENS ➟ Dienst Welzijn students who are victims of this type of behaviour. The Leuven Network of Social Services The Medical Centre is staffed by a team of doctors with ideal outcome is to stop the unwanted behaviour with- i Boekhandelstraat 9, B-3000 Leuven extensive experience in student-related health issues, out any negative consequences for the victim. i Van Dalecollege, Naamsestraat 80, Tel. 016 21 17 85 • Fax: 016 21 17 48 such as concentration disorders, stress, contraception, B-3000 Leuven firstname.lastname@example.com • www.leuven.be etc. The Centre's daily practice focuses on prevention and i Ms. Marleen Gheldof Tel. 016 32 36 91 information, and on the physical and mental well-being Psychotherapeutic Centre firstname.lastname@example.com Open: office-counter of students in general. Students with problems of a psy- Naamsestraat 63 www.khleuven.be Weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. chological nature can be referred to the Medical Centre's Tel. 016 32 43 36 • Fax 016 32 43 43 Co-ordinator: Anne-Mie Meers: Thursdays from12:00 noon to 4:30 p.m. psychiatrists or to the Psychotherapeutic Centre. www.kuleuven.be/english/living/services/ email@example.com If necessary, an appointment can be made ombudsperson.htm outside the office hours. ■ Psychotherapeutic Centre (*) GROUP T Open: is represented by Inter S This office provides information concerning organi- i Atrechtcollege, Naamsestraat 63, Tuesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. sations in and around Leuven. Disabled persons B-3000 Leuven i Vesaliusstraat, 13, B-3000 Leuven (officially resident in Leuven) can request appli- Tel. 016 32 43 43 • Fax: 016 32 43 67 Tel. 016 30 10 30 • Fax: 016 30 10 40 cation forms related to special benefits (our bus firstname.lastname@example.com (*) The Medical and Psychotherapeutic Centre are firstname.lastname@example.com cannot provide transportation for individuals). All open to students from K.U.Leuven, GROUP T and www.group-t.be inhabitants of Leuven - including students officially Open: the Lemmensinstituut. Students from KHLeuven resident in Leuven - can request application forms from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, are referred to the general practitioners of Leuven LEMMENSINSTITUUT for birth and adoption premiums and assistance in and from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. (see also chapter IV – Health Care). For psychologi- is represented by SoVo W&K, campus Lemmensin- raising a disabled child. cal counselling and therapy they should apply first stituut Students dealing with personal or psychological to the student service of their department, which ■ Youth Info Point (JIP) problems can apply to the Psychotherapeutic Cen- will refer them to GIBS (www.gibs.be) or CPR. i Campus Lemmensinstituut ➟ Jongereninformatiepunt (JIP) Herestraat 53, B-3000 Leuven Tel. 016 23 39 67 i Brusselsestraat 61a, B-3000 Leuven email@example.com Tel. 016 24 66 91 • Fax: 016 24 66 99 www.lemmens.wenk.be email@example.com • www.leuven.be/jeugd Open: Weekdays from 9:00 to 4:30 p.m. Thursday from 12:00 noon to 8:00 p.m. JIP informs young people about socio-cultural activ- ities and associations in Leuven (e.g. everything you need to know when organising a party, legal issues affecting young people, time management, etc.). This advice is provided free of charge. 40 offices providing services for international guests 41 ■ Youth Counselling Centre ■ Child Abuse Support Centre HEALTH Driekant/& of organise a wide array of activities ➟ Jongeren Adviescentrum (JAC) ➟ Vertrouwenscentrum Kindermishandeling (VK) where gays, lesbians and bisexuals from the Leuven ■ Aids & STDs area can meet. "&of" is the youth branch run by and i B-3000 Leuven i Justus Lipsiusstraat 71, 3rd Floor, for young people (26 and under). Every first Tuesday Tel. 016 24 10 24 • Fax: 016 21 01 02 B-3000 Leuven i AIDS & STD Hotline: 078 15 15 15 of the month, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., information and firstname.lastname@example.com • www.jacleuven.be Tel. 016 30 17 30 • Fax: 016 30 17 31 firstname.lastname@example.com • www.sensoa.be advice is available at the café Couperus & Cocteau, email@example.com the same café in which after 8:00 p.m. the monthly JAC informs, advises and counsels young people www.kindermishandelingleuven.be Available: gathering of "&of" takes place. Everybody is wel- about the rights of minors, work, studies, sex, drugs, Weekdays from 2:00 to 8:00 p.m. come in café "Couperus & Cocteau" (Diestsestraat student jobs, etc. This service is free of charge. Confidential assistance, guidance and counselling Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 2:00 to 245) on Thursday nights or at the monthly parties. is provided to people or children who are or have 10:00 p.m. For dates, places and times of these parties or events been victims of child abuse. Saturday from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. or for more information, visit the websites. VICTIM-SUPPORT SERVICES ■ Battered Women's Shelter Anyone with questions about AIDS or any other ■ Labyrint ■ Incest and Sexual Violence ➟ Vluchthuis voor Vrouwen sexually transmitted diseases – STDs – can call the ➟ VZW Incest en Seksueel Geweld AIDS & STD hotline. Volunteers are on stand-by to i Postbus 1252, B-3000 Leuven i Contact: listen and give advice. GSM: 0484 67 31 48 i Postbus 168, B-2100 Deurne Redingenstraat 6, B-3000 Leuven email@example.com Tel. 03 664 99 25 Tel. 016 20 12 73 • Fax: 016 20 27 37 ■ Centre for Relationship and Pregnancy Problems www.labyrint-vzw.be firstname.lastname@example.com • www.cawleuven.be ➟ Centrum voor relatievorming en zwanger- Victims of incest and sexual violence can contact schapsproblemen Labyrint is an association for lesbians committed to this service for confidential information, for a pre- The aim of this shelter is to help prevent domestic sports and many other activities. Every third Friday liminary session, and for further counselling. violence and support victims. It offers assistance, i Kapucijnenvoer 33, B-3000 Leuven of the month they meet in café "Couperus & Coc- support and protection to those women and their Tel. 016 33 69 54 • Fax: 016 33 69 44 teau" (Diestsestraat 245), where everybody is wel- children who have been or are victims of violence. Tel. information about unwanted pregnancies: come for conversation or information. Anonymity is guaranteed. 078 15 30 45 (every day from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m.) ■ Holebifoon Tel. information about prenatal diagnosis: 078 15 35 55 i Holebifoon: 09 238 26 26. (Mondays till Thursdays during office hours) www.holebifoon.be email@example.com • www.crz.be Call Holebifoon for information about and for homo- Information about self-help groups dealing with sexuals, lesbians and bisexuals. Every day except pregnancy and abortion issues (i.e. unwanted preg- holidays from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. and every Wednes- nancies, teen pregnancies, etc.). There are two hot- day from 2:00 to 10:00 p.m. lines (prenatal diagnosis and unwanted pregnan- cies) as well as self-support groups for women who LEGAL ADVICE have recently experienced an abortion. ■ The Local Anti-Discrimination Centre GAY AND LESBIAN ASSOCIATIONS ➟ Meldpunt Racisme ■ Driekant/& of i Muntstraat 1A, B-3000 Leuven i Diestsestraat 245, B-3000 Leuven Tel. 016 21 16 33 Tel. 0472 34 75 09 firstname.lastname@example.com firstname.lastname@example.com www.driekant.be The Local Anti-Discrimination Centre employs a firstname.lastname@example.com preventative approach to solve racial problems in www.enof.be the community by promoting tolerance. Any resi- dent of Leuven can as such report racial discrimina- tion incidents at this centre, simply by making an 42 offices providing services for international guests 43 appointment to fill out a form explaining what has ■ House of Justice ➟ Justitiehuis De Bakermat provides home-care services for new moth- occured. Your case will be assessed during the local ers, pre-natal or post-natal housecalls, information, and consultation and you will be advised as to which i Bondgenotenlaan 116 bus 3, B-3000 Leuven helps with the rental or purchase of child-care material. steps you might opt to take (for instance, filing an Tel. 016 30 14 50 • Fax: 016 30 14 55 official complaint with the authorities or instituting Tel. 016 30 14 60 (lawyers) ■ Child & Family ➟ Kind & Gezin legal proceedings against someone). firstname.lastname@example.com i Regiohuis Leuven, Lei 10, B-3000 Leuven ■ Legal and Victim Assistance Centre The Leuven Justitiehuis provides free legal advice Tel. 016 23 24 39 ➟ Centrum voor Algemeen Welzijnswerk (CAW) every Tuesday from 4:00 to 6:30 p.m., Wednesday email@example.com Justitieel Welzijnswerk – Centrum Slachtofferhulp from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. and Thursday from 9:00 to 11:00 www.kindengezin.be a.m. On Wednesday (2:30 to 4:30 p.m.) and Thursday i Redingenstraat 6, B-3000 Leuven (10:00 to 12:00 a.m.) advice is given by telephone. Open: Victim Assistance: Monday from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Tel. 016 21 01 03 DRUGS Tuesday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon firstname.lastname@example.com Legal Assistance: ■ The Drug-Line Kind en Gezin offers a wide range of baby and child Tel. 016 21 01 05 care services. Expecting parents, and parents of chil- email@example.com i Tel. 078 15 10 20 dren up to 6, can get free medical assistance and advice www.cawleuven.be www.druglijn.be on baby care and feeding. Contact the regional office to ask questions or get the information that you need. You Open: The Drug-Line answers questions about drinking, drugs can also make an appointment for a housecall. Weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (Victim and substance abuse. Anonymity is guaranteed. Assistance) ■ Birth and Adoption Premium ■ Het Veerhuis Welfare services ➟ Dienst Welzijn These offices give advice to anyone who has to deal with legal issues, whether as an alleged perpetrator, i St.-Annastraat 1, B-3000 Leuven i Boekhandelstraat 9, B-3000 Leuven a victim or a relative of a perpetrator or victim. The Tel. 016 23 65 57• Fax 016 23 92 62 Tel. 016 21 17 94 • Fax: 016 21 17 84 Victim Assistance Centre is at the service of victims of www.siddartha.be/withuis_veerhuis.htm email@example.com crime in any form (i.e., robbery, break-in, vandalism, firstname.lastname@example.com www.leuven.be rape, etc.). They also offer legal aid to convicts in the Open: Leuven jail, including arranging for family visits. Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon New parents officially resident in Leuven (i.e. every- Thursday from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. one living here for longer than 3 months) can apply ■ Tenants Association for a birth or adoption premium. When declaring ➟ Huurdersbond Vlaams-Brabant Het Veerhuis is an easily accessible drug aid centre the birth or adoption of a child at Registry Office of and helps all those with questions about illegal drug births, deaths and marriages (Burgerlijke Stand), an i Diestsesteenweg 104, B-3010 Kessel-Lo, use. The staff is ready to help with individual counsel- application form will be provided. The amount of Tel. 016 25 05 14 • Fax: 016 25 39 76 ling, self-help groups for people who want to quit, and the premium depends on the parents' income. firstname.lastname@example.com various other activities and workshops. www.huurdersbond.be STUDYING WITH CHILDREN Phone for an appointment: Monday from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., ■ Maternity care ➟ De Bakermat the other Weekdays from 9:00 till noon i Redingenstraat 27, B-3000 Leuven Consultation days: Tel. 016 20 77 40 Monday from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., Tuesday from firstname.lastname@example.com 2:30 to 5:30 p.m., Wednesday from noon to www.debakermat.be 3:00 p.m. and Friday from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Open: Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This office gives legal advice to tenants of rental and by appointment units and houses. 44 student organisations 45 7 These are Loko's main concerns: ven who work independently to give students from their country or faculty a warm welcome and a home STUDENT ORGANISATIONS ■ Education Educational matters are followed up both within the away from home. They organise cultural events, pro- mote integration and introduce the Flemish popula- university, and also on the Flemish and the European tion to the richness of countries around the world. levels. LOKO sends student representatives to various university bodies including the Academic Council, the ■ International Student Associations 1. K.U.Leuven Education Council and other working committees. Ethiopian Students Association (ESAL): K.U.Leuven students are well organised both in their LOKO is the umbrella organisation comprising student ■ LOKO-Social Affairs is an association organized by Ethiopian students faculties and in student clubs and organisations. councils at the faculty level. These councils represent LOKO aims to help minimize socio-cultural barriers for registered at the K.U.Leuven. Currently, ESAL has Student participation is considered very important the students of the various faculties and programmes higher education by keeping an eye on scholarships, about 30 members. A chairman and a secretary, at K.U.Leuven. In this chapter, we explain how of study. LOKO is the organisation that speaks on Alma- and Acco-prices, accommodation,... LOKO each chosen to do the job for one year, coordinate international students can get involved and play a behalf of K.U.Leuven students to the academic and civil offers free legal advice and help if you have problems and represent the association. ESAL plays a significant role in this participation. authorities. Since a few years, the student Councils of with your electricity/heating or problems with the link role for all Ethiopians residing in and around the other Leuven institutes of higher education are also deposit of your student room. Leuven, irrespective of political, religious and eth- LOKO represented. LOKO's mission is to put into practice the nic differences. i 's Meiersstraat 5, 3000 Leuven democratisation of education and society in general. It ■ Faculty Student Councils Co-ordination Web: www.geocities.com/esal_be/ Tel. 016 22 04 66 • Fax. 016 22 01 03 has three main objectives: representation, faculty and Faculty Student Councils' problems are discussed Email: email@example.com firstname.lastname@example.com • www.loko.be individual service and the organisation of major events here, as well as cross-councils' initiatives, co-ordination Open: weekdays from 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (sports, theatre, debates, etc.). between fakbars, agreements with the town etc. Mount Cameroon is an all Cameroonian socio-cul- tural association. The aim of the organisation is to Student Councils ➟ Studentenkringen; some of them have an Erasmus Committee ■ Veto help fresh Cameroonian students and other Afri- Alfa (Archaeology) ..................................................................................www.alfa.student.kuleuven.be i 's Meiersstraat 5, B-3000 Leuven cans, as the need may arise, to adapt quickly in Apollonia (Dental Science)......................................................................www.apollonia.student.kuleuven.ac.be Tel. 016 22 44 38 • Fax: 016 22 01 03 the European University system and society while Apolloon (Physical Therapy and Kinesiology) ......................................www.sportkotapolloon.be firstname.lastname@example.com on the other hand reducing or avoiding the culture Babylon (Linguistics and Literature) .....................................................www.babylon.student.kuleuven.be www.veto.be shock. Mount Cameroon vies to promote better Bios (Biology) ...........................................................................................www.bios.scientica.be inter-student and inter cultural relations and also Canonica (Canon law) .............................................................................www.canonica.student.kuleuven.be Veto is a weekly Dutch-language newspaper that with the university administration. Chemika (Chemistry) ...............................................................................www.chemika.scientica.be reports on Loko activities and its councils. It also President: Emmanuel Berinyuy, Tel. 0477 432197 Crimen (Criminology) ..............................................................................www.crimen.student.kuleuven.be reports on student and university affairs. Ekonomika (Economics) ..........................................................................www.ekonomika.be The Latin Association "Associacion latina" is a Eoos (Slavic and Eastern European Studies) ........................................www.eoos.student.kuleuven.be Farma (Pharmaceutical Science) ............................................................www.farmaceutica.be ■ LOKO International (formerly Portulaca) group of Spanish or Portuguese speakers students Geologische Kring (Geology) .................................................................www.geol.student.kuleuven.be i Home Vesalius who share several activities like going to alma 2 at Historia (History) ......................................................................................www.hist.student.kuleuven.be Vesaliusstraat 34, B-3000 Leuven 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays and after a coffee at Pan- Katechetika (Theology and Religious Studies)......................................www.kat.student.kuleuven.be Tel. 016 32 33 95 • Fax. 016 32 33 90 gaea. The association has its football team, organ- KULAK (Campus in Kortrijk) ...................................................................www.student.kulak.be www.loko.be ises a "latin week", has a catholic community on LBK (Bio-Engineering) .............................................................................www.landbouwkring.be sundays at Sint-Michiels church and has a 'yahoo- LLK (Speech Therapy and Audiology) ...................................................www.llk.student.kuleuven.be LOKO International is the branch of Loko that works mailgroup' (firstname.lastname@example.com). Mecenas (Art Studies) .............................................................................www.mecenas-kul.be specifically to represent international students. It Web: www.geocities.com/latinaleuven/ Medica (Medicine) ..................................................................................www.medica.be defends the concerns of international students to E-mail: email@example.com Medisoc (Clinical Nursing and Health Care Management) .................www.studiant.be/medisoc the university and the city of Leuven. Merkator (Geography) .............................................................................www.merkator.scientica.be LOKO International also helps with the academic The International Muslim Students Association Musicologica (Musicology) .....................................................................www.musicologica.be NFK (Philosophy) .....................................................................................www.nfk.student.kuleuven.be and social problems of the individual student. If (IMSAL) was established in 1984 by the Muslim stu- Pedagogische Kring (Pedagogical Science) ..........................................www.pedagogie.student.kuleuven.be you run into a problem during your stay in Leuven, dents of the university. Its main office and Students Politika (Political and Social Sciences)...................................................www.politika.be LOKO International can intermediate on your behalf. Mosque are located in Rijschoolstraat 25. A wide Psychologische Kring (Psychology) .......................................................www.psycho.student.kuleuven.be It is run by an elected committee and overseen by range of activities are yearly organized for Muslims VRG (Laws) ...............................................................................................www.vrg.be a General Meeting consisting of representatives of and non-Muslims alike, e.g. public lectures about VTK (Civil Engineering) ...........................................................................www.vtk.be international student associations. Islam, movies, trips, sports, study circles of Quran, Wina (Mathematics, Informatics, Physics) ............................................www.wina.be LOKO International is also the umbrella organisation Fiqh (jurisprudence), etc. Web: www.imsal.org You can find an overview of the regional student clubs on: ...............www.studiant.be/skleuven for these international student associations of Leu- 46 student organisations 47 Indian Students Association (ISAL) ■ The Voice ■ LOKO Culture 2. KHLeuven ISAL is a small non-income generating association of Indian students. They come together to share i Vesaliusstraat 34, B-3000 Leuven i STUK, Naamsestraat 96, B-3000 Leuven ■ Overkoeplende studentenraad (O.S.R.) and to express their unity in diversity of cultures, Tel. 016 32 33 95 • Fax: 016 32 33 90 Tel. 016 32 03 11 traditions and faiths. In a year ISAL members gather firstname.lastname@example.com www.loko.be i 's Meiersstraat 5, B-3000 Leuven on the occasion of three major festivals: Christmas, www.thevoice.student.kuleuven.be Tel. 016 20 05 77 Holi and Deepawali. LOKO Culture is run by and for students. All students email@example.com The Voice is an English-language magazine by and are welcome to get involved in cultural projects and to http://vertegenwoordiging.student.khleuven.be ISAL also exposes its multicultural richness to non- for the international student community in Leuven. assist in organising them. LOKO Culture also focuses Indian students, while organizing cultural events For all its functions, it relies on volunteer support. It on student artists, providing space and opportunities Each department at KHLeuven has a student coun- and tours etc., which allows them to join hands with is produced monthly (1,500 copies) and distributed to exhibit their work. It runs creative courses (photogra- cil (Departementale Studentenraad or DSR), com- ISAL and exchange their ideas and talents. Moreo- free of charge throughout Leuven. phy, music, contemporary dance and theatre), as well posed of student representatives. Also first years ver, ISAL provides logistic information, to those who as exhibitions and larger arts festivals such as Ithaka. are welcome! DSR is mainly concerned with issues are willing to study in K.U. Leuven, or in any other The content of The Voice depends on the topics like education, student restaurant, equipment of the Universities in Belgium and about living in Belgium. students want to write about. In this way, The ■ Fakbars library and the computer rooms, ... The committee and members of the ISAL can be Voice is truly a spokesperson for the international contacted via e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com. student community. Since it takes a lot more than Pavlov Psychology Tiensestraat 51, OSR is the umbrella organisation comprising these Web: http://isal.studentenweb.org/index.html just writers to keep this magazine going, you 3000 Leuven student councils and speaks on behalf of the stu- should be aware that The Voice can always use Politika Kaffee Political Tiensestraat 55, dent representatives to the academic council about ROSE, an organisation for Supporting Education layout editors, photographers, grammatical editors, and social 3000 Leuven topics concerning education, examinations, student Rose is an independent not-for-profit organization. webmasters, advertising and funding managers, sciences administration, ICT-provisions, ... Via LENS, OSR is Its mission is to support and foster primary educa- recruitment officers, event trackers and reviewers, Huis der Rechten Law Tiensestraat 53, also occupied with social matters. Finally OSR co- tion for children from economically disadvantaged brainstormers, not to mention an editor-in-chief. In 3000 Leuven operates with the city of Leuven, VVS (umbrella rural communities in developing countries. Rose other words, The Voice needs people with an active De Capsule Pharmaceuti- Parkstraat 4, organisation of all Flemish student councils) and has chosen to meet its mission by improving basic imagination and a flair for the unusual. Why not cal science 3000 Leuven StAL (Student Association Leuven). facilities in primary schools. To this end, it is work- give it a try? It really is worth it! Fakbar Letteren Arts Blijde-Inkomststraat 11, ing on well-identified and sustainable projects on a 3000 Leuven STUDENT ORGANISATIONS first hand basis. ■ LOKO Sports Sportzak Physical Tervuursevest 60, Web: www.rosevzw.org education and 3000 Leuven ■ Overkoepelende Kringraad (OKER) Email: firstname.lastname@example.com i Tervuursevest 101, B-3000 Leuven physiotherapy Tel. 016 32 91 33 & 34 • Fax: 016 32 91 99 Dulci Economics Tiensestraat 77, i 's Meiersstraat 5, B-3000 Leuven Chinese Students and Scholars email@example.com 3000 Leuven Tel. 016 20 05 77 220.127.116.11/cgi-bin/leoboard.cgi www.loko.be Doc's Bar Medicine Brusselsestraat 246, firstname.lastname@example.com 3000 Leuven www.oker.student.khleuven.be Palestinian Student Association LOKO Sports promotes student participation in Gnorgl Bio- Waversebaan 71, firstname.lastname@example.com sports by supporting various sporting projects, pro- Engineering 3001 Heverlee The student organisations at KHLeuven are struc- viding subsidies for the more expensive sports, run- 't Elixir Civil- Tervuursevest 60, tured slightly differently than at K.U.Leuven. There Arab Students and Academics ning a sports equipment rental service, and much Engineering 3000 Leuven are two sorts: the student representatives and the firstname.lastname@example.com more. LOKO Sports also holds some well-known Délibéré Groep T Tiensestraat 146, student councils. The student representatives voice annual events, such as the student half marathon, 3000 Leuven the students' opinions on educational and social Association of Nigerian Students the 24-hour relay race, and the Leuven International De Cuythoeck Steil Kapucijnenvoer 5, issues to the directors of the school. They propose firstname.lastname@example.com Student Sports Tournament (LISST). (KHLeuven) 3000 Leuven suggestions for making student life more attractive. De Cuythoeck Soca Kapucijnenvoer 5, Every department has its own board which, in turn, Student's Association of the International (KHLeuven) 3000 Leuven is co-ordinated by the "supervisory student council" Theology Section Weirdo's De Kelten Naamsestraat 32, (i.e., O.S.R. or Overkoepelende Studentenraad). firstname.lastname@example.com (KHLeuven) 3000 Leuven Weirdo's Didactica Naamsestraat 32, The student councils organise various cultural and Circle for Intercultural Philosophy (KHLeuven) 3000 Leuven sporting activities, as well as the occasional party. www.worldphilosophy.net/ The Pocket Diana Minckelersstraat 76, Each department has its own student council. (KHLeuven) 3000 Leuven These councils are co-ordinated by the umbrella 48 student organisations 49 Loop eens langs bij student council (OkeR or Overkoepelende Krin- graad), a council that has its office in the same room as O.S.R. You can keep informed of the activi- ties being planned by reading the notices placed on the departmental bulletin boards. You can also find Je vindt er meubels, kleding, them on the internet. fietsen, huisraad, boeken, platen, cd's en pakken snuisterijen… 3. GROUP T De Kringwinkel SPIT: ■ Student Council GROUP T IJzerenmolenstraat 10-12 te Heverlee Tel.: i Campus Vesalius, Vesaliusstraat 13, B-3000 Leuven 016 65 29 57 Tel. 016 30 10 88 web: email@example.com www.spit.be www.studentenraad.be The Student Council is the students' representative body at GROUP T. Its aim is to promote the inter- ests of GROUP T students and to communicate stu- Open: di – vr: 10 – 18 u dents' opinions on educational issues to the profes- zat: 10 – 17 u sors and the management of GROUP T. zo – ma: gesloten ■ Industria & Educata i firstname.lastname@example.com and firstname.lastname@example.com www.industria.be and www.educata.be Industria & Educata, the two departmental student unions at GROUP T, organise various student activi- ties during the academic year (sports, culture, enter- tainment, and more). 4. Lemmensinstituut ■ Cluster i Herestraat 53, B-3000 Leuven Tel. 016 23 39 67 firstname.lastname@example.com www.clusterweb.be Cluster includes the student representatives and the student council. The former represents the needs and questions of all our students in several boards and meetings, such as the Faculty Board, the Aca- demic Board and Social Services. The latter organ- ises parties, sporting activities, cultural affairs and many other creative events. 50 EXAMINATION REGULATIONS 51 8 exams in his/her preferred order and at his/her preferred pace. The K.U.Leuven feels however EXAMINATION REGULATIONS that the order in which courses are taken as well as the duration of the study period itself should be kept under control. For these reasons the K.U.Leuven opted for a 1. K.U.Leuven Higher Education (30 April, 2004). Cornerstone of system which organizes the curriculum in coher- the decree is the abandonment of a year system of ent blocks of 60 ECTS-points (= 1 year of full time WHAT ARE EXAMINATION REGULATIONS? higher education in favor of a credit system: a cur- study). After every block of 60 ECTS-points the riculum is henceforth conceived as an ordered set student learns whether he fulfilled the passing All examinations held at K.U.Leuven are governed by of courses (each with ECTS points) and no longer as criteria for that block as a whole. If not, the stu- the official examination regulations. The most recent the sum of a number of (independent) study years. dent will have to retake those courses for which version of the examination regulations is available Beyond this principle and a minimal number of he failed, and depending on the number of credits online: www.kuleuven.ac.be/english/teaching/exam_ mandatory elements the Decree left all further spe- he already acquired, will be given the opportunity regulations.htm cific regulatory activities up to the individual institu- to add courses of a later block of 60 ECTS-points You are strongly advised to read these regulations tions of higher education. to his study program. carefully, so that you will be aware of your rights and Minor failing grades on one or two courses per responsibilities at exam time. ■ The K.U.Leuven and flexibility block of 60 ECTS-points are condoned (toler- ated), provided a sufficient overall performance is Important note: in addition to the general examination • General rules (imposed by the Decree) achieved (and – in some cases – provided some regulations, some faculties also have supplemental - Exams are graded on a 20 point scale, or – in spe- additional conditions). examination regulations which apply only to examina- cific cases – on a pass/fail scale. A student with a tions in that faculty. Supplemental examination regula- score of at least 10/20 (or a passing mark) obtains b. Specific rules tions may not contradict the general K.U.Leuven exami- a credit for that course, with the number of ECTS- Per block of 60 ECTS-points: nation regulations, but they may lay down certain addi- points associated with the course. Once acquired, • A student passes for the block if he obtains at tional requirements. Be sure to check with your faculty a course credit is permanently valid, but after 5 least 10/20 (or pass) for all the courses, or – given or ombudsperson to see whether any supplemental years – if studies are interrupted or if they have a weighted overall percentage of at least 54% - regulations, or exceptions, apply to your programme. not been completed – the curriculum committee when he obtains one 9/20 or one 8/20 or twice In particular the international master's programmes can impose an 'actualization' study program. cases – other part time variants) and an indi- 9/20, while passing all the other exams. often include supplemental examination regulations. vidual study trajectory (adjusted to an individual Note: first year bachelor students also pass, - Students can be exempted from courses based on student's needs, following examination of his/ given an overall percentage of at least 56%, CREDIT SYSTEM? (a) credits acquired elsewhere (another program, her case). when they obtain one 7/20 or one 9/20 and one another institution), - Important notice for foreign students: students 8/20, while passing all the other exams. ■ The Bologna Declaration and Flexibility in and (b) competencies acquired outside a formal from countries not belonging to the European • The curriculum committee may decide that for Higher Education learning context (i.e. prior experiential learning). Economic Region (EER), i.e. students coming some specific courses (e.g. a skill course) failing Aside from formulating the principles underlying from countries other than the European Union grades are not condoned, or it may decide that the generalized introduction of the bachelor-master - When registering, the student gets to choose countries, Liechtenstein, Norway or Iceland, can multiple failing grades may not occur within a system, the Bologna Declaration (1999) also con- among three types of study contracts: only register for a full time diploma contract. particular cluster of courses. tained a plea for the gradual introduction of a credit * a diploma contract towards obtaining a bach- They will not be granted a residential permit • Under special circumstances and in individual system, based on ECTS (European credit transfer elor's or a master's diploma; upon attempting to obtain any other type of cases the exam jury may deviate from the system) as a means of promoting the mobility of * a credit contract towards obtaining credits for registration (a part time or individual trajectory above rules. students through programs and institutions. Stu- one or more individual courses; diploma contract, a credit contract or an exam • Every student is entitled to at most two exam dents should have the possibility of using credits * an exam contract towards obtaining a diploma contract). opportunities per course per academic year. acquired via formal and nonformal learning towards or independent credits, based exclusively on • A student who passes in spite of condoned the acquisition of diplomas in their home country exams (without participation in class activities). ■ Specific K.U.Leuven rules: a conditional credit failing grades does not receive credits for the and abroad. accumulation system failed courses. - Within a diploma contract, the student can a. Principles Flanders implemented this part of the Bologna choose between one of several model study tra- The most extreme application of the Flexibility Declaration via the Decree on the Flexibility of jectories (full time, half time and/or – in some Decree would allow a student to take courses and 52 EXAMINATION REGULATIONS 53 • Passing decisions about part time students and EXAMINATION SCHEDULES students with an individual study trajectory are made following the completion of a block of 60 An examination schedule is drawn up by the faculty ECTS-points. for each examination session. If you think you need to • A student who has used up his exam oppor- have more time between some of your exams, please tunities for the year and who has not passed, do not hesitate to mention this to your student repre- will retake the failed courses in the next year. sentatives, or to the ombudsperson of your programme Upon completion of the retaken courses (and or faculty. They will try to have your suggestions taken exams) the exam jury will decide whether the into consideration as much as possible. student passes for the block of 60 ECTS-points. Depending on the number of credits acquired in The examination schedule will be posted at least five the prior year the student can add courses of a weeks before the first and second examination ses- later block to his study program. sions, and at least two weeks before the examination session in August/September. Once the schedule has For the curriculum as a whole been posted, you are expected to take every exam • A student, who has met the passing criteria for at the time indicated in the schedule. Not taking an each component block of 60 ECTS-points (one examination can jeopardise your chances of passing. or more blocks depending on the overall size of If an exam is scheduled in January and you do not the curriculum), obtains the bachelor or master take the exam, you normally only get a chance to re- diploma. take the exam in August/September. Only in very spe- • Based on a weighted overall percentage the cial cases may the faculty board decide to give you a diploma is awarded with a degree of merit (cum second chance in June/July. The fact that you are an fructu, cum laude, magna cum laude, summa international student and that you want to get home as cum laude). soon as possible are not by themselves considered to be sufficient justifications for an early re-take. Bear in Study progress and additional specific measures mind that if you take an examination for the first time • The curriculum committee can impose bind- only in August/September, then this will be your only ing conditions upon students who have not chance during that academic year, and a re-take will not acquired a minimal number of credits at the end be possible. EXAMINATION FORMAT of each year of their study trajectory. • The curriculum committee can refuse a third If you want to re-schedule one or more exams, or if The examination is normally administered by the person registration following two consecutive failures you have decided not to take any exams during a ses- in charge of the course. The examination schedule will within a study trajectory. sion, please get in touch with the ombudsperson. He or have to indicate if more than one examiner is acting for she might be able to re-schedule some exams, circum- a single course, or if there are several people in charge EXAMINATION SESSIONS stances permitting. of the course and you only have to take an exam with one of them. Exams may be administered by people Except in a few advanced master programmes, exami- OMBUDSPERSON other than the professors in charge only in cases of nations at K.U.Leuven are not spread out over the aca- lab examinations, seminars etc. The professor is still demic year but concentrated into three examination The ombudsperson is someone who mediates between responsible for the final grade and the professor is the sessions: in January (following the first semester), the students and the examiners. If you encounter prob- only one who deliberates on the board of examiners. June/July (following the second semester) and August/ lems of any kind during your examinations, do not hesi- September (re-takes). After the second examination tate to consult the ombudsperson for your programme. At the start of every course, professors are required session, the board of examiners meets and evaluates They are there to help you. It is no disgrace to talk to to provide students with detailed information not only — or "deliberates" — each student's examination the ombudsperson about your uncertainties or expec- about the course content and its objectives, but also results from the first and second examination sessions. tations. Be sure to make an appointment as early as about the examination material and evaluation meth- The third examination session in August is for those possible so as to enable any necessary measures to be ods, including the relative weighting of any separate students who are required to re-take one or more of taken. The name of the ombudsperson and how to con- parts of the course for which a partial grade might be their exams, or who have postponed them from a pre- tact them will be indicated on the examination sched- assigned. If this differs from examination period to vious session. Note that you only have at most two ule. You can also find a list online: cwisdb.cc.kuleuven. examination period, this should also be clarified before chances in one academic year to take an examination ac.be/exameninfo/ombudsdiensten.htm the end of the lectures. for the same subject. 54 EXAMINATION REGULATIONS 55 The format of the examination, i.e. oral or written, is EXAMINATION IRREGULARITIES, SANCTIONS 2. KHLeuven 3. GROUP T determined at the beginning of the academic year. AND APPEALS In oral examinations you have the right to a (written) preparation period of at least 20 minutes. In many If you are suspected of having committed an irregularity Detailed information about objectives, learning con- GROUP T uses two systems of evaluation: permanent cases you will be admitted into the same room where during an examination, you have the right to continue tent, bibliography, assignments and the type of exami- evaluation and summary evaluation. Permanent evalu- the professor is examining other students. You will be that examination. It is up to the board of examiners to nation must be communicated to the students by the ation refers to regular evaluation of a student's perform- handed your questions and will have to prepare while decide, afterwards, whether you have indeed commit- lecturer of the course unit in the study contract given ance during the academic year. Summary evaluation one or more students take their oral exams. This is not ted a serious irregularity. The board may request fur- to the student at the beginning of the academic year. refers to the evaluation of their performance during at all unusual, so be prepared for this. ther comments from you before it makes a decision. The student is entitled to two examination opportuni- the examination periods (January, June, and re-exami- The board of examiners decides what sanction, if any, ties per registration for the course unit. nations in September). Registered students are auto- If there are special circumstances (such as a handicap, will be applied. Possible sanctions include failing the matically registered for the entire examination period. etc.) for which you think you would like to request a dif- course or being denied the opportunity to take other During the examination periods an ombudsperson is on GROUP T students will be provided with the full text of ferent examination format, please submit your request examinations for the rest of that academic year. stand-by to help students with any problems that might the examination regulations upon registration. before the beginning of the examination period. arise. There are two main examination periods: the first If you believe that an examiner has committed a pro- period is split up into two sessions: a) a maximum of 14 Ombudsperson If you feel uncertain about the objectivity of an exam- cedural irregularity (e.g. failure to indicate what is calendar days in the second half of January for course During examinations the ombudspersons ensure iner during an oral examination, you can ask to have expected of students, rude behaviour during exams, units or parts thereof taught in the first semester, and good communication between students and staff. If another person (not a relative, nor someone enrolled in etc.) it is important to notify the ombudsperson, who b) in June for course units taught in the second semes- you encounter any problems during the examination the same programme) sit nearby during the exam. You can contact the chair of the board of examiners. He will ter and/or first semester. In the second half of August periods, make sure you inform the ombudsperson. must request this at the latest 7 days before the exam. investigate your claim and undertake actions accord- and the first half of September, a second examination Students are always welcome to send an e-mail to: ingly. If the board of examiners decides to impose a period is organised. A mark of 10/20 is validated with firstname.lastname@example.com. COMMUNICATING THE EXAMINATION RESULTS sanction on you, you are entitled to an appeal. More a credit certificate for life. The final detailed timetable generally, you have the right to appeal any decision of the examinations is posted at least 30 days before Examiners are not allowed to give you direct feedback made by the board of examiners. Appeals are submit- the start of the examination period, after a provisional 4. Lemmensinstituut after an examination, so there is no point in asking ted to the Dean of Students up to five days following draft has been posted for 7 calendar days beforehand them. If you think you need to know how you did on the announcement of the disputed examination result. for consultation and written amendment proposals to certain exams because you feel terribly unsure about the ombudsperson by all involved. There are two main examination periods (January + continuing, then the ombudsperson can give you a Be sure to strictly observe this period. After consulting May/June and August/September). Examination regula- general picture of how you have been doing so far. But all parties involved, the Dean of Students will decide All arrangements for examinations as described above tions are updated annually. Every student receives a copy even he or she is not allowed to tell you specific grades whether a new decision should be made or whether are to be communicated to the students in the study of the examination regulations at the registration desk. during the examination session. The overall results will the decision can be upheld. Bear in mind that the contract given to the student at the beginning of the During examination periods the ombudspersons ensure be publicly announced immediately after deliberation ombudsperson can be a very important person for you academic year. The examination regulations are good communication between students and staff. by the board of examiners. Your detailed results will in these matters. He or she can assist you and guide updated annually. be provided by the administration of your faculty. After you through all the procedures. the examination period is over, you can ask for further Ombudsperson explanation from the examiner, or from a person that If you are still dissatisfied with the final decision made The ombudsperson is someone who has been appointed has been specifically appointed for that purpose. by the Dean of Students affairs or the outcome of a new to mediate between students and lecturers in cases of decision by the board of examiners, there is always the dispute. When and where this person is accessible will If you want to appeal your grades, you can ask to con- possibility of taking the matter to court. Procedures be posted on the bulletin boards. sult your examination papers. This way you can check exist with the Court of Examination Disputes as well as any comments the examiner has written on your with normal courts. The Court of Examination Disputes The ombudsperson fulfils a very important role. He/she paper. You are not allowed to ask detailed information can ask the university to make a new decision. The nor- decides whether an examination can be postponed or about things the professor might have written down mal courts can, in principle, only award you damages; not, and mediates in conflicts. If you have problems in a separate document. they cannot overturn the university's decision. of any kind during the exams, you can go and talk to him/her. If you do not show up for an exam, without previously notifying the ombudsman, you will be con- sidered illegally absent. 56 DAY-TO-DAY LIFE 57 9 2. Money Matters recurring payments such as rent, gas, electricity, water DAY-TO-DAY LIFE OPENING A BANK ACCOUNT or telephone. This is highly recommended since the payments are made even if customers forget or are away for a period of time. Belgium has a very efficient and modern banking sys- - Most banks provide Home-Banking possibilities (via tem. Branches of the principal Belgian and international internet). banks can be found in all larger Belgian cities. Among the 1. Cultural Adjustment This is a natural reaction to living in a new culture. Here best known Belgian banks are the following: ING, KBC, PAYMENTS AND ACCOUNT STATEMENTS and Places to Meet are a few guidelines to help you cope with it: Dexia, Fortis and Citibank. The university does business mainly with Fortis and KBC. Students are encouraged, Payment by bank transfer is a very common method of First of all, it is important to realize that your reactions however, to choose the bank that best suits their needs. paying bills in Belgium. The companies will normally As a new international student or scholar at K.U.Leuven, are very common. Stay in touch with your family and indicate on their bills how they prefer to be paid. Pay- you will be faced with a multitude of changes, decisions write them your reports and new experiences. Stay in Belgian bank accounts can be "current accounts", ments by credit card such as Visa, Mastercard/Eurocard, and adjustments; perhaps the most exciting and chal- touch with your programme co-ordinator. Talk about "savings accounts" or "term accounts". The first are American Express, etc. are also common practice. For lenging of these will be your on-going adjustment to life your feelings with friends or with a counsellor (see: customarily used for current transactions, payments a small fee to cover postage, Belgian banks will mail in Belgium. A pattern of cultural adjustment often occurs Study Advisory Centre, Medical and Psychotherapeutic or transfers; the second are self-explanatory; and the daily, weekly or monthly transaction statements for a over a period of several weeks or months. Most of you Centre, p. 38). Start a journal about your new adven- third are interest-bearing accounts fixed for a given current account. It is a good idea to make use of this will spend your first weeks settling in. During this period ture and include your thoughts and feelings. It is most period of time, and for which the rate of interest var- service. An alternative to the daily posting service is you may feel excited, eager and happy to be in this coun- important to get involved with other students. ies according to the ups and downs of the investments the "poste restante", whereby transaction statements try. After a while, however, things may not be as easy of the bank. Several banks also offer the possibility of are kept at bank for the customer to pick up. The easiest as you had expected. You may miss your accustomed ■ Getting involved with other students opening saving accounts in US dollars. Deposits and way of obtaining account statements is to print them ways of dealing with every day life. Speaking and listen- withdrawals can be made in US dollar banknotes or out at a "self-banking" terminal. ing to English or Dutch and trying to understand how • join the Orientation Days on 20-26 September 06 or checks. Withdrawals in dollars can be made any time. things are done here may seem to require big efforts. on 8-11 February 07 (programme and registration However, customers must notify the bank in advance PROTON: ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS FOR SMALL This phase is often referred to as culture shock. You may on www.kuleuven.be/vesta) to learn about Leuven, and order the amount of dollars that they want to with- AMOUNTS feel homesick and idealize your life back home. You may the University and to meet other students draw. Travelers' checks are sold at all banks but also become frustrated, angry, anxious and depressed. • join one of the International student associations need to be ordered some days in advance. At the end Most Belgian banks in Leuven include a special facility (see LOKO International p. 45) of the calendar year, customers are generally billed for on their debit cards, which is called 'Proton'. Think of • contact the Erasmus committee of the Student all the services that they have used during the year. 'Proton' as a 21st century electronic coin purse. As holder Council of your Faculty of the current account, you will be able to 'load' the 'Pro- • become a member of Pangaea, the International After opening a bank account, customers receive a ton' chip on your debit card up to a maximum amount Meeting Centre, and join its activities (see p. 36) debit card, which needs to be signed and activated by of 125 € only and the 'loading' is done in your bank's • ask for a personal and Flemish 'buddy' to help choosing and confirming a personal "PIN code". The self-service ATM machine. You can use your debit card's you finding your way in Leuven and in our culture bank personnel will assist customers in this. Holders of 'Proton' facility to pay (small amounts) in many stores (look at www.kuleuven.be/vesta) a scholarship or grant will most likely have their grants and shops in Leuven that avail of a 'Proton machine'. • you can enjoy the activities of the International deposited directly into their accounts. There are no PIN codes to remember; all you have to do Contact Club (ICC) is press the button 'OK' on the shop's 'Proton machine' These services are attached to your bank account: and your payment is done. Your bank will surely be able i Groot Begijnhof 16 - cash withdrawals, either at one of the branches of the to provide you with more information about 'Proton'. email@example.com bank or at any ATM machines. www.kuleuven.be/english/icc - debit card payments for items bought in shops or commercial centres. 3. Schools and Child-Care Services ICC is a volunteer organisation where the partners of - forms to transfer money directly from the bank visiting professors and international students can get account to somebody else's bank account. This is very THE SCHOOL SYSTEM together and meet Belgian people on a regular basis. useful for paying rent and utility bills such as water, When you register as an international graduate stu- electricity, internet and telephone. To be able to make Schools in Belgium provide education from nursery school dent, post-doc or visiting professor, you, your partner use of this service customers need to go in person to to secondary school at little or no cost, and their academic and your family automatically become members of a branch of their bank. standards are consistently high. We have several types of ICC. Membership is free. ICC organises trips, gather- - transfers from any "self-banking" machine of any education: the Community Education (also organised by ings, gymnastic, language courses, etc. branch of the bank. the City Council and the Province), the Catholic Educa- - standing orders with the bank for making regularly tion and the Alternative Education (Freinet, Steiner etc.). 58 DAY-TO-DAY LIFE 59 There are also some private fee-paying schools in Brus- as trips, swimming, school magazines, drinks, meals During the summer holidays, the children of sels, many of which teach in English, and Jewish schools and day-care after school hours. For post-secondary K.U.Leuven international students can join the activi- in Antwerp. International pupils are welcome in the public education tuition fees must be paid. The amount of ties at Don Bosco in Oud-Heverlee and Groene Zone school system. They can study either in Dutch or in French, these fees depends on the programme of study. All in Heverlee. For more information about organisa- depending on the language of the town or district in which kindergartens, primary and secondary schools have a tion, costs and any reductions, you can contact the the school is located. Most international students enrol five-day school week (Monday to Friday). Note: there Social Service – International Students (see p. 31). their children in a Dutch-speaking school in or around is no school on Wednesday afternoons. Leuven. The addresses of all schools in Leuven and sur- ■ City of Leuven playground activities roundings can be obtained at the Social Service - Interna- ■ The School Calendar tional Students (see p. 31). A list can also be found on the During school holidays, children can go to a play- website of the city of Leuven: www.leuven.be/onderwijs Kindergarten: September 1 to June 30 ground to play with children of their own age from (see "scholenlijst"). Parents are encouraged to examine Primary Schools: September 1 to June 30 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in Leuven, Heverlee, Kessel-Lo the curriculum and visit any of the schools, so that they Secondary Schools: September 1 to June 30 and Wilsele. They can play in groups oriented around can explain their interests as well as their child's situation, School Holidays: One week in early November a specific theme, or they can choose what they want problems and "post-Belgium" plans. The purpose of such Two weeks at Christmas to do. The fee is € 5.00 a day or € 2.50 for half a day a visit is to enable parents to decide which school offers One week in February or (reductions possible). them the most appropriate education for their children. early March Two weeks at Easter The "Grabbelpas"- activities (only in Leuven from ■ Classification of Schools Two months in the summer 8:00 a.m. till 6:00 p.m.) offer workshops such as hand- (July and August) craft, sport, culture, daytrips, … during school holi- Higher Education: September to July (varies) days. The fee is depending on the kind of activity. English Dutch French Niveau PLAYGROUND ACTIVITIES DURING VACATIONS Leuven: 4-15 years (easter and summer) Age Type of school Type school d'école Heverlee: 3-15 years (easter and summer) Kindergarten Kleuter- Jardin ■ K.U.Leuven Kessel-Lo: 3-15 years (only summers) 2, 5-6 or Nursery School school d'enfants Wilsele: 3-12 years (only summer till aug.15) University Sports Centre organizes sports activities Primary or Basis- Ecole 6-12 Elementary School school primaire during two weeks in July and August at the price of You need to sign up for all these activities at Jeugd- € 60,00 per week. You can find more information on centrum F, Brusselsestraat 61a, B-3000 Leuven. You Secondary School Secundaire www.kuleuven.ac.be/sport/sportkampen.htm and have to pay a onetime fee of € 5.00 for a "Youth depends on your income and includes meals and regu- Containing general, school of Ecole at the University Sports Centre, 'De Nayer' building Centre Pass". See you in the holidays! lar costs. Nappies and bottle formula are not included. 12-18 technical, or voca- middelbare moyenne entrance hall. More information (addresses, prices, programme, The day-care centres provide your child with the daily tional education school etc.) on the website www.leuven.be/jeugd or tel. care and education that he/she requires. Children are Enseigne- i Tervuursevest 101, B-3001 Heverlee 016 24 66 90. placed in small groups. The same person remains From Higher Hoger onder- Tel.: 016/32.91.30; 016/32.91.31 in charge of the same children throughout their stay ment 18 Education wijs supérieure Fax: 016/32.91.95 DAY-CARE SERVICES there. Concerns? Please ask the staff. On Wednesday email@example.com afternoons and during holidays, the Peutertuin wel- Enseigne- There are a number of day-care centres in the Leuven comes children up to six years of age. University Universitair ment education onderwijs Or ask the Social Service – area. Choose the one that is most convenient for you universitaire International Students (see p. 31) and your children. Bear in mind that most day-care • Babyhome Enseigne- Non-university centres have a long waiting list, in some cases longer Tervuursevest 105, B-3001 Heverlee ment education Hoger niet- supérieure ■ Don Bosco than one year, so you are strongly advised to apply for Tel. 016 32 92 92 Nursing, teachers' universitair non- training, music, onderwijs a place as soon as possible. A list of day-care centres Open: from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. universitaire technical training i Groene Zone, in the Leuven area is available at the Social Service - • Peutertuin Groenveldlaan 42, B-3001 Heverlee International Students (see p. 31) or at the Kindercen- De Croylaan 8, B-3001 Heverlee ■ School Fees Tel. 016 23 61 50 trum Craenendonck (see p. 60). Tel. 016 32 24 52 Contact person: Zr. Katelijn Vandekerckhove Open: from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Except in private schools, no fees are paid for kinder- ■ K.U.Leuven Day-Care • De Villa garten, primary or secondary education, which is sub- Don Boscolaan 15, B-3050 Oud-Heverlee Steengroevenlaan 1, B-3001 Heverlee sidised by the government. However, you will receive Tel. 016 47 91 10 • Fax: 016 47 91 11 The following day-care centres welcome children Tel. 016 23 32 58 a monthly bill for various incidental expenses such Contact person: Johan Van der Meulen between six weeks and three years of age. The cost Open: from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. 60 DAY-TO-DAY LIFE 61 • Kabouterberg Craenendonck provides the following services, all BABYSITTING SERVICES 4. Language Schools Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven at the above address: Tel. 016 34 54 74 ■ Student Employment Office K.U.Leuven Open: from 6:15 a.m. to 8:15 p.m. i Regular day-care centre • 't Grootpark ➟ Kinderdagverblijf Craenendonck i Naamsestraat 80, B-3000 Leuven ■ Institute for Modern Languages Groot Park 17, B-3360 Lovenjoel Tel. 016 27 19 10 Tel. 016 32 44 34, ➟ Instituut voor Levende Talen (ILT) Tel. 016 46 31 12 firstname.lastname@example.com Open: from 7:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Open: i Dekenstraat 6, B-3000 Leuven • Day-Care for Sick Children Weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The Student Employment Office (see also p.37) can Tel: 016 32 56 60 • Fax: 016 32 56 56 Peutertuin help you find a babysitter-student to take care of email@example.com De Croylaan 8, B-3001 Heverlee The day-care centre receives children from 6 weeks your children. Applications should be made a few www.kuleuven.be/ilt Tel. 016 32 24 50 to 3 years of age. They are placed in small groups days in advance. according to age. The cost depends on the parents' The Institute for Modern Languages organises This service is available at K.U.Leuven's "Peuter- income. ■ Babysitting Services of the "Gezinsbond" Dutch courses throughout the academic year, both tuin" daycare. After your child has been examined for beginners and for advanced students. It also by a doctor and the necessary documents have i Day-care in a host family for children under 12 i For information and referral services: offers an intensive Dutch summer course, with 20 been filled out, you can apply for this service by ➟ Stedelijke Dienst Opvanggezinnen Marijke Poesen – Vandeputte hours of in-class time per week. Usually this course phone or at the reception desk of the "Peutertuin" Tel. 016 27 19 11 Tel. 0478 91 60 30 (not during the weekend) runs the entire month of August. During the aca- (016 32 24 50). A qualified caretaker will come to firstname.lastname@example.com demic year, students can also take intensive Dutch your house, so you can rest assured that your child Open: course modules, so that by the end of the year they will be taken care of while you go to work. 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon and also on Thursdays Parents interested in making use of this service may should be able to reach Level 4, and then Level 5 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. consult the Gezinsbond's register which provides the during the summer. This is the level required by the • Day-Care Outside School Hours names of the babysitters, as well as the number of hours university for anyone interested in registering for When your child starts attending nursery school, This service helps you to find a place for your child that they are willing to work. The babysitters have been K.U.Leuven programmes taught in Dutch. he/she will still be welcome in the university day- with a host mother or host father. The cost depends screened beforehand and they are insured. The prices International students enrolling for a programme care centres on Wednesday afternoons and dur- on your income. are fixed per hour. In addition, you pay a small annual taught in English at K.U.Leuven are given the oppor- ing school holidays. Please note that this service is fee to the Gezinsbond. You have to be a member of tunity to upgrade their English language skills. From only available to children who went to the univer- i Limited day-care centre "t Margrietje" the Gezinsbond to use this service. When your child is September until December the ILT offers two com- sity day-care centres. This will be a good opportu- ➟ Occasionele kinderopvang 't Margrietje born in Leuven, you automatically and for free become plementary courses. These aim to improve the stu- nity for your child to meet with his/her old friends Tel. 016 20 04 79 a member of the Gezinsbond for one year. dents' knowledge of General as well as Academic again. These 3 to 6-year-olds are looked after by the English. They are a useful preparation to a success- nursery-school teacher and by extra staff working Open: ful academic career. The General English course during the school holidays. Suitable activities (i.e., Weekdays and Saturday (also during vacations) focuses on speaking skills, whereas the objective of nature trips, videos, etc.,) are organised. Since the from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. the Academic English course is to improve the stu- staff is only able to care for a limited number of dents' writing skills. In addition to Dutch and English, children, you must register in advance. 't Margrietje offers a flexible solution for children up the ILT offers Swedish, Greek, Norwegian, French, to 3 years. Children can come for a maximum of 16 Bulgarian, Czech, Polish and Swahili courses. ■ City of Leuven Day-Care hours a week. ■ CLT Language Centre i Kindercentrum Craenendonck i Hotline for Sick and Disabled Children ➟ Centrum voor Levende Talen Lei 10, B-3000 Leuven Tel. 016 20 04 95 or 0475 65 16 72. firstname.lastname@example.com i Dekenstraat 4, B-3000 Leuven www.leuven.be Open: Tel: 016 32 56 61 • Fax: 016 32 56 95 Weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and firstname.lastname@example.com Anyone looking for child-care is strongly advised from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. (except Fridays). www.clt.be to begin early. Usually, there are long waiting lists. Kindercentrum Craenendonck can help you in your If your child is sick and you are unable to stay at The CLT Language Centre runs language courses mainly search: they can provide an address list of day-care home to look after him/her, a caretaker will come to in the evening. You can study Arabic, Chinese, English, centres, private individuals who care for children, your home to take care of your child. Maximum 10 French, German, Modern Greek, Italian, Japanese, Por- and facilities for after-school care. Kindercentrum hours a day between 7:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. tuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish. 62 DAY-TO-DAY LIFE 63 ■ Business Language and Communication Centre can study Dutch as a Foreign Language, Spanish, ordered from Acco (see p. 64 in this chapter). English, French, Italian, German, Chinese and Thai. The sequel to this course, Niet Vanzelfsprekend, has i Dekenstraat 6, B-3000 Leuven recently been published. It is aimed at people with a Tel. 016 32 56 91 • Fax: 016 32 56 94 • Dutch as a Second Language basic knowledge of Dutch, and leads the student to email@example.com The objective is not to teach "academic" Dutch, but an intermediate level. The course package contains http://www.3L.be or http://www.blcc.be rather real-life, everyday Dutch. There are courses a textbook, a workbook, a video and a CD and uses at elementary, intermediate and at advanced level. a lot of 'authentic' material, such as radio and tel- Are you thinking about learning a language rapidly, Beginners can start at their own pace: either in a evision fragments, excerpts from newspapers and efficiently and while having fun? BLCC has the one-year weekly course, or in an intensive course magazines. right programme for you! You will be able to make with classes twice or more a week. There are significant progress in a short time thanks to our several starting dates to choose from. Every chapter deals with a theme relevant to lan- fascinating language classes and the combination guage learners of this level: money matters, work, of classroom learning and e-Learning for French, • English Excellence studies, travel and culture. As regards language English, Dutch and German. We also offer classroom English Excellence is the English-language sup- content the course builds on Vanzelfsprekend, but learning for Spanish and Italian. For those with specific port programme especially for GROUP T students. students who took a different elementary course language and communication needs, a customised The workshops are geared towards developing can also use it. International students can rent the language programme is an excellent alternative. speaking and listening skills so that you feel con- textbook, glossary, videos and audio cassettes of fident in speaking English whenever required, be Vanzelfsprekend from the Social Service - Interna- KHLeuven it in an academic, professional or social context. tional Students (see p. 31). At the end of the course you can take part in the Intensive Dutch courses can be followed in the above men- TOEIC test (Test of English for International Com- i Vanzelfsprekend tekstboek: tioned language schools. However, exchange students munication), which will provide you with an inter- ISBN 90-334-3556-X, price: 37.10 euro who come for a shorter period than a trimester or semester nationally recognised certificate. Vanzelfsprekend werkboek: can also follow intensive Dutch courses at KHLeuven itself. ISBN 90-334-3557-8, price: 31.25 euro The self-study language learning packages as mentioned • Other Language Courses woordenlijst: below are available in the libraries of KHLeuven too. GROUP T also offers courses at elementary level ISBN 90-334-3558-6, price: 9.80 euro in Chinese, German and Thai, courses at elemen- 3 audiocassettes, price: 29.75 euro GROUP T tary and intermediate level in Italian, French and 2 videocassettes, price: 53.30 euro 5. Shopping in Leuven Spanish, and courses at elementary to advanced Niet Vanzelfsprekend boek: ■ ACE-GROUP T level in English. ISBN 90-334-5429-7, price: 45 euro SUPERMARKETS, SHOPS AND MARKETS i Vesaliusstraat 13, B-3000 Leuven Niet Vanzelfsprekend hulpboek: Tel. 016 30 10 30 • Fax: 016 30 10 40 SELF-STUDY PACKAGES ISBN 90-334-5430-0, price: 24.50 euro Most supermarkets and shops are open every day firstname.lastname@example.com (CD-ROMS AND VIDEOS) dubbelcd, price: 26.50 euro except Sunday. There are a few supermarkets that www.group-t.be video, price: 26.50 euro do open on Sunday morning: GB Express (on Brus- ■ Vanzelfsprekend & Niet Vanzelfsprekend www.acco.be selsestraat 60 and Tiensevest 10 in front of the bus ACE-GROUP T is the language division of GROUP T Vanzelfsprekend is a multimedia self-study course station, both open until 8 p.m), Super GB Partner and organises a wide selection of language courses for adult learners of Dutch. Adults with a basic ■ Go Dutch! A Language Course on CD-ROM (Koning Albertlaan 147, Kessel-Lo), Voeding Benny with a strong focus on communication skills. You knowledge of English who have access to a VCR (Geldenaaksebaan 123, Heverlee), Evin's Winkel and a cassette recorder can learn Dutch at their own The Go Dutch! course focuses more on the gram- (Leeuwerikenstraat 23, Heverlee). Bakeries are usu- speed. Short and lively units cover the 2,000 most mar and vocabulary needed to quickly learn to ally open on Sundays and holidays. Many Night frequent words used in Dutch, the basic grammar speak fluent Dutch in everyday situations. This Shops open after 6 p.m. until late at night. and the essential functions of this language. course is primarily intended for students who have completed higher education. The explanatory texts Every Friday morning there is an open-air mar- Vanzelfsprekend has been designed to lead the are all in English. Go Dutch! is available from most ket in Leuven (Mgr. Ladeuzeplein, H. Hooverplein, student to a lower intermediate level. Non-Dutch- bookshops and online booksellers in Belgium and Brusselsestraat), on Wednesday afternoons from speaking international students and researchers the Netherlands. 3:00 p.m. in Kessel-Lo (A. de Becker-Remyplein) and are strongly encouraged to start this course in their on Sunday mornings in Heverlee (at the station, country of residence as a preparation for coming to i Go Dutch: Naamsesteenweg, Waversebaan). On Saturday Leuven. The materials package contains: textbook, ISBN 90 6283 3594, price: 30 euro morning, there is a flee-market (M. de Layensplein, workbook, glossary, video cassettes and audio cas- www.coutinho.nl Mechelsestraat) and a food (vegetables, cheese, settes. The total package price is € 175.00. It can be etc.) and flower market (Brusselsestraat). 64 DAY-TO-DAY LIFE 65 For those who do their own cooking and cleaning, Acco ("Academic Cooperative Company") started See also the brochure "Housekeeping Tips" on all kinds of food and supplies can be found in ALDI in the 50's as a students' initiative for editing syl- Alma locations (see also www.alma.be) http://www.kuleuven.be/english/living. (Weldadigheidsstraat 58 and J. P. Minckelerstraat labuses. The purpose of ACCO has never changed: 76), LIDL (J.P. Minckelerstraat 116 and Vlinderlaan offering syllabuses at reasonable prices. Currently • ALMA 1 WASTE PREVENTION, SELECTION 2, Kessel-Lo) and COLRUYT (Lombaardenstraat 2; ACCO edits about 800 different manuals, all in close Tiensestraat 115, B-3000 Leuven AND REDUCTION Tiensesteenweg 237, Kessel-Lo and Groenveldstraat 71, collaboration with university and college teachers. • ALMA 2 Heverlee) at very reasonable prices, but also in GB or Besides these manuals, ACCO's bookshop offers Van Evenstraat 2c, B-3000 Leuven In Leuven garbage needs to be sorted. The more you AD Delhaize. In HEMA (Parijsstraat 2), BLOKKER (Bond- a wide assortment of required and recommended • ALMA 3 produce, the more brown bags you will need and they genotenlaan 58) and CASA (Ridderstraat 4, Bierbeek) reading material, scientific literature, computer Studentenwijk Arenberg, cost money. You can reduce your garbage by buying you can find furniture, housewares, electronic appli- supplies, stationery, novels, etc. You can also buy Groenveldlaan 3, B-3001 Heverlee fewer packages, by using glass instead of plastic bot- ances and school supplies at very affordable prices. a share in ACCO, a onetime investment of € 31 • Pauscollege tles, etc. This overview explains the different kinds of from which you will profit for the rest of your life. Hogeschoolplein 3, B-3000 Leuven waste, and how they are collected. When getting installed at your new place, it is worth As a shareholder you are entitled to a 15% discount • Justus Lipsius College visiting these shops. For clothes, you certainly should on office supplies, ACCO-syllabuses and all books Minderbroederstraat 15, B-3000 Leuven • Paper and cardboard are collected separately from have a look around C&A (Bondgenotenlaan 64), H&M edited by ACCO. On top of this, members also ben- • Gasthuisberg Hospital other garbage. You can include any kind of paper, (Bondgenotenlaan 69) and WIBRA (Bondgenoten- efit from special promotional actions. As an ACCO Onderwijs & Navorsing if it's clean and if there is not any plastic attached laan 74), three clothing stores with a great variety of shareholder, you receive also a discount when Herestraat 49, B-3001 Heverlee to it. All paper needs to be tied up with string or clothes at affordable prices. CARREFOUR (Vlinderlaan ordering various printing jobs from our digital print- • De Moete twine and left in front of the house or residence on 1, Bierbeek) also has an extensive collection at very ing service (Kaboutermansstraat). Celestijnenlaan 200 P, B-3001 Heverlee collection mornings between 6:00 and 7:00 a.m. fair prices. For health and beauty products, KRUIDVAT • De Spuye (Diestsestraat 55 and Bondgenotenlaan 95) and DI 6. Dining Tervuursevest 101, B-3001 Heverlee • Glass should be taken to one of the big glass con- (Brusselsestraat 22) have a great selection at afford- • Trefpunt De Valk tainers located throughout the city (Ladeuzeplein, able prices. There is also a large second hand shop The university student restaurants, better known as Alma, Tiensestraat 41, B-3000 Leuven Vismarkt, Parkstraat-Vesaliusstraat and many more (called SPIT, Ijzermolenstraat 10-12, see p. 67). serve dishes priced between € 2.35 and € 4.40. Everyday, locations). Light bulbs or flat glass (for instance Alma offers at least one vegetarian meal, among a wide from a window) are NOT allowed! Always rinse INTERNATIONAL FOOD SHOPS choice of warm and cold dishes and a variety of sand- 7. Environment out glass bottles. Coloured glass usually goes in a wiches. In addition to the student restaurants, there are separate container from clear glass. Most international students find their local food pro- also cafes and restaurants that serve student menus that The educational and civic authorities are fully com- ducts in Brussels. But in Leuven, you have a.o. the Thai range from € 5.00 to € 9.00. Pizzas, pastas and salads are mitted to sustainable development and the creation • KGA (Small dangerous waste): Most students have House Supermarket (Alfons Smetsplein), the African delicious and affordable in many places. "Broodjes" (i.e., of an environmentally friendly city. They encourage quite a lot of stuff that is dangerous if it is dumped foodshop Voodoo (Tiensestraat 220), La Méditerrannée sandwiches), pitas and Belgian fries are also very popular. citizens and students to reduce their garbage produc- or burned since it might lead to soil contamina- for north-African food (Maria-Theresiastraat 52) and the Leuven has a lot of cafes and pubs. The "Oude Markt" tion, to properly sort their garbage, to use energy tion. Batteries can be taken to supermarkets and Fair Trade Shop (Tiensestraat 273 and Naamsesteen- is a famous area for a night out. In a café you will pay in a responsible and sustainable way and to adopt deposited in the green boxes provided especially weg 133: products from Africa, Asia and Latin-America, about € 1.25 for a drink — cola, water or beer. The most sustainable transportation. for old batteries. like rice, coffee, quinoa, chocolate, juices, spices, etc.). inexpensive cafes, however, are those run by the student Expired or unused medication can be taken to any councils, the so-called "fakbars", where you can expect ADVISORS FOR 'KOT' CULTURE, ENVIRONMENT pharmacist's but please remove the paper from ACCO to pay less than € 1.00 per drink (see also p. 48). AND MOBILITY (see also p. 38 Student Services) the box. All other KGA such as leftover cleaning ■ Acco Leuven: Book and stationery shop products, used cooking oil, cosmetics, writing i Tiensestraat 134 + Maria-Theresiastraat 2-4, ■ De Waag, materials, etc., can be left at one of the collection B-3000 Leuven points: at DE WAAG or in the video room at Pan- Tel. 016 29 11 00 • Fax: 016 20 73 89 i Studentenwijk Arenberg 10, B-3001 Heverlee gaea. There are also collections of small danger- email@example.com • firstname.lastname@example.com Tel. 016 32 93 01 and 02 • Fax: 016 32 92 99 ous waste by the Leuven 'chemobiel'. Dates and Open: email@example.com places will be announced via the website of the Weekdays: 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. city (www.leuven.be) and via the municipal info- Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. The advisors provide information and raise aware- brochure 'Stad Leuven info'. ness about studying in a sustainable manner. They ■ Acco Heverlee: Campus shop have the know-how to help you with waste preven- • GFT (Kitchen and garden waste - green bag): Vegeta- i Celestijnenlaan 200P, B-3001 Heverlee tion and selection, responsible energy and water bles, fruit and garden waste belong in the green bag. Tel. 016 32 78 70 • Fax: 016 32 78 71 use, and various kinds of initiatives (e.g. "kot com- Coffee filters, teabags and eggshells are also allowed. firstname.lastname@example.com posting", "kot chickens", etc. If this all sounds rather Please do not put anything else in the green bag! In a Open: strange, please come and ask us what it's all about). number of residences and houses little green buck- Weekdays: 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. 66 DAY-TO-DAY LIFE 67 ets are used instead of bags. The most environmen- i City pay desk ➟ Stadskas SPIT (SECOND-HAND SHOP) VELO is a non-profit organisation that promotes the tally friendly way to get rid of your green waste is to Boekhandelstraat 2, B-3000 Leuven, bicycle as an ecological means of transport in the city by start composting or to get some chickens. Tel. 016 21 15 64 i IJzermolenstraat 10-12, B-3001 Heverlee recycling, renting and repairing bikes. VELO offers a bike Open: Tel. 016 65 29 35 • Fax: 016 35 92 89 rental and repair service for students and is organised as • PMD (Plastic, Metal and Drink cartons - blue bag): Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from firstname.lastname@example.com a training and employment project for young people. There is a lot of confusion about what you can and 09:00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and from 1.00 to 4:30 p.m. www.spit.be cannot put in the blue bag. It is very important that Thursday: from 12:00 noon to 4:30 p.m. ■ Bicycle Rental and Repair you know what goes in the blue bag, since they will (Only for stickers) Open: not be picked up if they contain the wrong things. Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. You can rent a safe, fully equipped and registered Always allowed: washed "tetra packs", plastic bot- You can also find garbage bags in most supermar- Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. second-hand bike with a solid lock at VELO. A rental tles, metal cans, aluminium tins and trays (from kets, except in Aldi. contract will be drawn up (please bring your passport, lasagna for instance). Never allowed: butter tubs, Spit is a centre that recycles household items. You student card and bank account number) and you must yoghurt cups, plastic bags, plastic objects, alumin- RESPONSIBLE ENERGY USE can bring them your old furniture, electric appli- pay the rental price plus a deposit. Students can also ium foil, badly rinsed tetra packs. Everybody is encouraged to consume energy and water ances, bicycles, clothes, etc. All items should be in come to repair their own bikes at the bike repair shop in a sustainable way. Here are some tips that you can a condition that allows them to be re-used. Spit per- or have their bikes repaired for a small price. • Everything else (brown bag): All the household gar- put into practice in your university residence or student sonnel can pick up articles from your house. After bage not mentioned above has to go in the brown house: repairs are carried out, these items are then sold in At VELO you can also report bike theft and have bag. Large objects like furniture are collected five Spit's shop. your bike registered (engraving + bike ID). GROUP times a year. You have to put a special sticker on • Turn off the lights when you are the last person to T provides safe, fully equipped and engraved sec- it that can be purchased at the "Stadswinkel" (see leave a room. ond-hand bicycles at no cost to its students. You below). If the furniture can still be used, or if you • Turn off the screen of your computer if you are not 8. Transportation only have to pay a deposit of € 50.00 (cash) which want to get rid of an electronic appliance, contact working on it for an extended period of time. is refunded when you return the bicycle. Spit (see below). You can find all the information on • Put a lid on your pot or pan (60 to 70 % less energy Transportation is a hot issue these days, certainly in the free 'waste collection calendar', which outlines wasted), and turn off the heat a bit before you finish Leuven. In recent years, the city authorities have been ■ Bicycle Safety the garbage pick-up schedule. The environment cooking. trying to encourage bicycles and public transport and advisors also provide an English translation. • The ideal temperature for your refrigerator is 5°C; reduce automobile traffic. The mobility advisors can Every year the local police, together with the try to avoid a layer of ice in the freezer. provide you with all the information you need about K.U.Leuven and the city services, campaign to ■ Where to buy garbage bags and stickers: • If you open your window, turn off the heat (but do not travelling by bicycle, public transport and the best way increase bike safety in Leuven. Spot checks for bicy- forget to put it on minimum when it freezes). of getting from A to B. The Housing Service has handy cle ownership are held on regular basis. A police i City Shop ➟ Stadswinkel • Do not leave any towels or clothing on the central bike and bus maps of Leuven. If you have complaints, patrol can stop you anywhere at any time. In the Waversebaan 66, B-3001 Heverlee. heating. suggestions or questions concerning the use of bicy- worst-case scenario you will get a fine if the bike Tel. 016 30 90 56 • Do not wash your dishes under running water. cles, don't hesitate to let them know. you are riding has been reported as stolen. Open: • Report leaky taps to the landlord. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and • Copy and print on both sides of the paper. BICYCLES The most important pieces of advice to prevent Friday from 09:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Realising that you can reduce consumption without fines and bicycle theft are these: and from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. reducing comfort is already a good start. Do you have Cycling is healthy, inexpensive and cool. Furthermore, in a Thursday from 09:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. suggestions or ideas for energy-saving measures in city like Leuven it is often the quickest way to get from one • do not steal a bike, and from 1:00 to 8:00 p.m. your room, your student house (kot) or residence? Con- place to another. Cyclists are very welcome in Leuven. • lock your bike properly, (Only for stickers) tact email@example.com. • register your bike, ■ VELO (v.z.w.) • report theft. i Minderbroederstraat 12 U, B-3000 Leuven, ■ Global Action Plan Cyclists Tel. 016 33 74 30 email@example.com The Leuven Police has developed a global action www.velo.be plan for cyclists with four priorities: driving without lights when this is obligatory, ignoring a red light Open: (one also has to stop when turning right!), driving Weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the wrong direction and not giving way. Dur- Tuesday: from 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ing the academic year, traffic surveillances will be held which will focus on the movement summary offences by cyclists. 68 DAY-TO-DAY LIFE 69 ■ Bicycle Theft and the Bicycle Office Using the student bus pass ■ Heverlee Station Engels Plein parking lots), most of which are free. An ➟ Fietsendienst Students can take advantage of the student bus pass, i Naamsesteenweg 180, B-3001 Heverlee, overview of all parking facilities in the city centre can i IJzermolenstraat 2, B-3001 Heverlee, a project financed by the city and the Institutions of Tel. 016 21 21 78 be found on the Leuven website: www.leuven.be. Tel. 016 21 09 90 Higher Education. This pass enables them to use www.leuven.be the regular bus lines within the Leuven area for free. Leuven is an important hub in the Belgian railway But there is also P+BUS parking. If you park on the edge When leaving the city area, you have to pay for the network. From Leuven station, there are connec- of the shopping centre, in the car park of De Bond and Open: extra zones. Make sure that you have your student tions to every other major Belgian train station. You on the Sint Jacobsplein, you can take the bus to the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday card on you at all times because you need to be able can find the best connection and itinerary using the city centre and back free of charge. You park cheaper from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to prove that you are the rightful owner of the pass. In b-rail online search engine. in these car parks and still you are as quickly in the city Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. order to prevent abuse, place your name and number centre as otherwise. Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon of your official student card on your student pass. GoPass (for people younger than 26) and RailPass (for Please do not come later than 15 min before people older than 26). With a Go Pass, you can make 10 For further information about the above issues, closing time. ■ Travelling through Europe one-way trips in second class for € 45.00. You will get you're welcome to contact the mobility advisors at EUROLINES Office Leuven the most benefit if you travel between two stations that email@example.com or 016 32 99 01 and Bicycle theft still exists in Leuven. A good lock to i Bondgenotenlaan 154, B-3000 Leuven are far apart. On weekdays, you can only use the GoPass 016 32 99 02. secure your bicycle is very important and always Tel. 016 62 45 20 • Fax: 016 62 45 22 after 9:00 a.m. You may leave earlier on Saturdays, Sun- recommended. In Leuven you can get your bicycle www.eurolines.com days and public holidays, and also on every day in July engraved with an ID number. This is no guarantee Open: or August and from December 24 until January 2. If you 9. Communications against theft, but it helps to prevent theft. For free Weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. hold a RailPass, you can make 10 one-way trips in sec- engraving, go to the bicycle office of the local police Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. ond class for € 68.00. On weekdays, you can only use the on Wednesdays from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. and on RailPass after 9:00 a.m. You may depart earlier on Satur- POSTAL SERVICES Thursdays from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. During the yearly Eurolines has direct and inexpensive connections from days, Sundays and public holidays, and also on every day engraving campaign in October at Alma, this office Leuven to 500 destinations in 32 European countries. in July or August, and from December 24 to January 2. ■ National Mail will not provide that service. For your national mail you can opt for PRIOR or TRAINS NON PRIOR delivery. Practical Tips Practical Tip • Rent a safe, fully equipped and registered second- ■ Leuven Station PRIOR mail: € 0.52 hand bicycle i Martelarenplein 16, B-3000 Leuven On Fridays and weekends, ask for a "Weekend This service guarantees the delivery of your mail on • To prevent theft, get a solid lock Tel. 016 21 21 11 • Fax: 016 21 21 48 Ticket". When you travel alone, you get up to a 40% the weekday following the posting of your mail at • To prevent accidents and fines, respect the rights Info for travellers: 016 21 21 21 discount. When travelling with friends, the first pas- a post office or in a letterbox. Priority mail: may be of pedestrians and the local traffic rules International Information & Eurostar, Thalys, senger gets a 40% discount. The 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th placed in any letterbox in Belgium or posted at a HST: 02 528.28.28 and 6th passengers get a 60% discount, provided post-office counter, must be stamped with the word If your bicycle is stolen, please report it. Bicycle theft Found items: 016 21 24 10 that all members of the group travel together. "PRIOR", and may be open or sealed. report forms can be found in the offices of VELO, Fax: 016 21 24 11 DE WAAG, Pangaea, your faculty secretariat or the www.b-rail.be NON PRIOR mail: € 0.46 secretariat of your Institute of Higher Education, as PARKING This service guarantees the delivery of your well as at the police office. By reporting theft, you ■ Heverlee Station mail within 3 weekdays following the posting of are supplying the police the information they need Too few parking spots or too many cars? One thing is your mail at a post office or in a letterbox. Non- to recover your bike and to locate you if they find clear: it is not easy to find a parking spot in Leuven. No priority mail: may be posted at a post-office counter or in your bike. new parking spots are being created. Moreover, park- any letterbox in Belgium, and may be open or sealed. ing fines are very high and in order to use the existing BUS parking spots in the best possible way, the city has intro- ■ International Mail duced time limits by means of parking machines and For your international mail you can opt for PRIOR or ■ De Lijn blue-zone rules. Exceptions are only made for inhabi- NON PRIOR delivery. i Martelarenplein 19b, B-3000 Leuven tants of the neighbourhood and disabled persons. You Tel. 070 22 02 00 can save a lot of money by using your bicycle or taking PRIOR items: are given priority treatment in Belgium and Info Pass: Tel. 016 31 37 20 • Fax: 016 31 37 25 the bus. If you cannot find a parking spot on the street, in the country of destination. They always have an "A Info Groups: Tel. 016 31 37 17 you could try one of the many car parks, where you will PRIOR" label, available free of charge in all post offices firstname.lastname@example.com have to pay. Or even better, park at one of the outlying or from your local postman on request. The items may www.delijn.be car parks in Heverlee (e.g. the Bodart, Philipsparking, be open or sealed and weigh a maximum of 2 kg. 70 DAY-TO-DAY LIFE 71 NON-PRIOR items: are not given priority treatment in gium, and +32 2 819 80 04 if you call from abroad). PUBLICATIONS, COMPUTER, INTERNET Belgium or in the country of destination, do not have To get a fixed line, phone this toll-free number or AND E-MAIL FACILITIES an "A PRIOR" label, may be open or sealed and weigh visit one of the Belgacom Teleboutiques (www. a maximum of 2 kg. Rates will vary depending on belgacom.be) or go to a recognised Belgacom ■ K.U.LEUVEN whether the destination is inside or outside Europe. dealer. Belgacom has a toll-free customer service line for general information: 0800-55800. There is a University publications for ■ Post Office Addresses in Leuven network of 60 private retailers authorised to order the international community • Leuven 1 new lines or sell you Belgacom equipment. Bel- • E-newsletter Philipssite, B-3001 Heverlee, Tel. 016 50 93 30 gacom Teleboutiques also sell or rent a full range K.U.Leuven publishes a weekly electronic news- Open: Weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. of Belgacom telephones• Fax machines, answer- letter (www.kuleuven.be/newsletter) aimed at its • Leuven 2 ing machines, pagers and mobile telephones. international students and staff. The newsletter Jan Stasstraat 12, B-3000 Leuven, presents a mixture of practical information, science Tel. 016 50 95 60 • Telenet provides broadband telephone, internet and research news, culture and sports. Students Fax: 016 50 95 70 and multimedia services via cable. For further can use the newsletter to announce parties and Open: Weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. information about Telenet and its services call other events. All international students and staff Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30. 0800 66000, free of charge, or consult their web- are notified by e-mail whenever a new edition of • Leuven 4 site: www.telenet.be. the newsletter appears. This notification, as well as Tervuursestraat 40, B-3000 Leuven, all other official university announcements, is sent Tel. 016 22 01 10 ■ Mobile Telephones (Cell phones) to your K.U.Leuven e-mail address (yourfirstname. Open: Tuesday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 Newcomers from most European countries can email@example.com), so make sure p.m. and 1:15 to 4:00 p.m. continue to use their mobile telephones in Bel- you check this address regularly. Monday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from gium if their contract includes a roaming feature, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. although this will be rather costly in the long term. • Campuskrant International (CKI) • Leuven 5 However, newcomers from the United States are Campuskrant is K.U.Leuven's corporate newspaper, Constantin Meunierstraat 77, B-3000 Leuven, generally unable to use their American cellphones published in Dutch approximately once a month. Tel. 016 23 57 92 in Europe. For them, connection to the Belgian tele- Campuskrant International is the English-language Open: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday phone and mobile networks remains the most cost- version, sent out to all K.U.Leuven's international from 9:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 1:30 to 4:30 effective solution. Mobile telephones or cell-phones students, staff and alumni. CKI is published three p.m. Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and are widely available in specialised shops and large times annually and features translations of the from 1:45 to 5:45 p.m. retail outlets. Many specialised dealers are also offi- best articles in the Dutch-language issues, as • www.depost.be cial agents for one of the three major Belgian mobile well as original content produced specifically for operators: Proximus, Mobistar and Base. the English version. CKI can be read online at SHIPPING OF GOODS www.kuleuven.be/ck/international. These operators are authorised to open an account For the latest information regarding the shipping for you and have various payment formulas, includ- • English-language website of goods and a list of specialist transport and ing pre-paid cards and subscriptions. K.U.Leuven's English-language website is an invalu- removal companies see the yellow pages online at able source of information for all international guests: www.goudengids.be. www.proximus.be www.kuleuven.be/english. It includes full details not www.mobistar.be only on application procedures and academic pro- TELEPHONE SERVICES www.base.be grammes, but also on social services, cultural events, sports facilities, and everything else you need to know ■ Useful Numbers ■ Calling Cards to make life easier in Leuven. The website's homepage General Information: 1207 Calling cards have two main advantages over regu- features a newsflash, highlighting the most important International Information: 1204 lar lines: since the card is pre-paid there is no bill at current events, news and deadlines. the end of the month; and calls can be made from ■ Fixed Lines any telephone (public, private, mobile, etc.). Calling • The Voice There are two main providers of fixed telephone cards for international calls are available at newsa- The Voice is the international student magazine of lines in Belgium: Belgacom and Telenet. gents, post offices, supermarkets, train stations and the K.U.Leuven, and features English-language arti- • Belgacom operates a special toll-free number for night shops. Always ask which card is the most suit- cles written, edited and laid-out by student volun- expatriate services (0800-32005) if you call from Bel- able for the call and the country you want to call. teers. The Voice is distributed free of charge in major university buildings and student restaurants. It can 72 DAY-TO-DAY LIFE 73 also be read online at www.thevoice.student.kuleu- i Dekenstraat 2, Leuven (open continuously ■ GROUP T to 7:00 p.m. you can hear independent and critical ven.be. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com (see from Monday 8:00 a.m. to Saturday 5:45 p.m.) reporting. Every day from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. you can also p. 46) De Croylaan 52a, Heverlee (open continuously GROUP T students can use the computer rooms at listen to interesting programs about culture, litera- from Monday 6:00 a.m. to Friday midnight) Campus Vesalius and Campus Comenius. Worksta- ture, film, … The 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. slot is devoted to Computer, Internet and e-mail Facilities Celestijnenlaan 200c, Heverlee tions are available and students have full access to niche music programmes, selected according to the (open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.) all domains. You are automatically allocated your programmer's whim. The late-night hours groove • LUDIT own electronic address for e-mail and sufficient to the sounds of our deejays. Radio Scorpio is the • Toledo space for your own website. Both campuses are hot real thing: Leuven independent student radio since i W. de Croylaan 52a, B-3001 Heverlee, Toledo stands for TOetsen en LEren Doeltreffend spots where you can surf wireless on the Internet. 1979. Check the website! Tel. 016 32 22 02 Ondersteunen. Toledo is the central web-based http://ludit.kuleuven.be e-learning environment. The K.U.Leuven Toledo ■ LEMMENSINSTITUUT (HOGESCHOOL website is located at: www.toledo.kuleuven.be. VOOR WETENSCHAP & KUNST) 10. Sports LUDIT (K.U.Leuven's computer and network services provider) looks after the university's computer infrastruc- • Internet Cable Access at Home: "Kotnet" In the Lemmensinstituut-library students have access K.U.LEUVEN ture and provides support for the use of computer and All you need is a computer with a network card, a to the internet. They also can subscribe for KotNet in network services in the university's teaching, research cable and your K.U.Leuven user ID and password. order to obtain internet in their studentroom. ■ K.U.Leuven Sports Centre and administration. LUDIT also operates a PC shop More info on installation, configuration, … can be ➟ Leuven Universitair Sportcentrum and PC rental service. Consult the website for the rental found at: ludit.kuleuven.be/kotnet. Do not forget to prices of desktop PCs and laptops or other promotions. protect our computer when accessing the internet. RADIO SCORPIO i Tervuursevest 101, B-3001 Heverlee LUDIT provides anti-virus software for free for its Tel. 016 32 91 30 • Fax: 016 32 91 95 • User ID and Password students (www.ludit.kuleuven.be/software/cam- i Radio Scorpio 106 FM firstname.lastname@example.com All K.U.Leuven students receive a user ID number puslicenties). K.U.Leuven residence halls all have a Naamsestraat 96, B-3000 Leuven www.kuleuven.be/sports at registration. The number begins with an 's' and broadband internet connection. Most private student Tel. 016 32 03 36 can be found on the back of your student card. housing in Leuven, Heverlee and Kessel-Lo is con- firstname.lastname@example.com Open: Together with your user ID comes an activation nected to Kotnet (your landlord will have taken care www.radioscorpio.com Weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon and from code (is your date of birth in the format DDMMYY). of this, and will charge you a fee for this service). 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. (5:30 during the summer months) In order to use your e-mail account, Toledo (e- Radio Scorpio 106 FM broadcasts an eclectic pro- learning environment), Kotnet or other services, ■ KHLEUVEN gramme mix and provides in-depth news coverage Upon registration at K.U.Leuven, you can apply to you will need to set a password on your account. and community information. During the day, the have your student card activated for sports facilities Surf asap to the registration page (ludit.kuleuven. All departments offer their students free access to playlist is drawn from mainstream music. From 6:00 for an annual fee of € 17.00. The University Sports be/register), logon with your user ID and activation their computer facilities and all students get a personal code and set a password on your account. Never KHLeuven e-mail address. These facilities are avail- share your password! You are responsible for eve- able either in the departmental library or in special rything done with your user ID! computer rooms. Opening hours should be checked with the librarian or the network managers but they • E-mail are certainly open during office hours from 8:00 a.m. At registration, all K.U.Leuven students are automat- to 4:30 p.m. All KHLeuven students have Internet Cable ically assigned an e-mail address with the following Access: "Kotnet" at an annual charge of € 25. All you format: email@example.com. need is a computer with a network card, a cable and All official correspondence from the university will your KHLeuven user ID and password. More informa- be e-mailed to this address, for example communi- tion on installation, configuration, ... can be found at: cation concerning courses, the e-newsletter, … Read www.ludit.kuleuven.be/kotnet. your K.U.Leuven-e-mail from within your browser at Do not forget to protect the KULeuven computer www.webmail.kuleuven.be. when accessing the internet. LUDIT provides anti- virus software for free for its students (www.ludit. • PC Rooms kuleuven.be/software/campuslicenties). The KHLeu- The K.U.Leuven PC rooms are open 24 hours a day ven residence hall STEIL has a broadband internet during the week, and are free of charge. There are connection. Most private student housing in Leu- 3 different locations: ven, Heverlee and Kessel-Lo is connected to Kotnet (your landlord will have taken care of this, and will charge you a fee for this service). 74 DAY-TO-DAY LIFE 75 • St.-Pieterscollege, Minderbroederstraat 13, • Het Fort, Armand Meyswijk, B- 3012 Wilsele Centre offers a range of 55 sports. In addition, the use the K.U.Leuven sports facilities on the same con- B-3000 Leuven after school • Jezuïetenpark, St.-Jansbergsesteenweg 19, Sports Centre features a state-of-the-art fitness room ditions as K.U.Leuven students. Holders of a sports (info: Philippe Desmet 016 44 26 60) B-3001 Heverlee for which you pay supplementary. To book a tennis card have insurance coverage in case of injury. • Spaanse Kroon, Spaanse Kroonlaan, court, soccer field, or any other facility call or drop Indoor Sports Facilities B-3000 Leuven by the sports secretariat. If you and your team mates • Zaal 't Bad Kessel-Lo, Martelarenlaan 11, • Park Heuvelhof, Diestsesteenweg, have a sports card, everything is free. The only thing GROUP T AND LEMMENSINSTITUUT B-3010 Kessel-Lo 016 25 73 10 B-3010 Kessel-Lo you pay extra for is indoor tennis. The Sports Cen- • Ontmoetingscentrum Ymeria, Pastoor 21, • Van Hovestadion, Dr. De Jonghestraat, tre yearly organises the following events: Bike&Run, GROUP T and Lemmensinstituut students can use B-3000 Leuven 016 23 10 81 B-3010 Kessel-Lo 3on3 basketball, Indoor Athletics Meeting, Christmas the K.U.Leuven Sports Centre on the same condi- • Sportplaza, Philipssite 6, B-3001 Heverlee • Ymeriastadion, Pastoor Bellonstraat 29, -Table Tennis Competition, the Flemish University tions as the K.U.Leuven students. 016 74 07 40 www.sportplaza.be B- 3018 Wijgmaal Competition, the Belgian University Competition, • Sportcomplex Kessel-Lo, Stadionlaan 4, • Overloopplein, Overloopstraat, B- 3012 Wilsele Sports Camps for kids, Badminton Competition, the B- 3010 Kessel-Lo 016 25 34 80 • Fit-o-meter, Heverleebos, Naamsesteenweg, fence competition 'Challenge Maître Minnen'. CITY OF LEUVEN • Sporthal Korbeek-Lo, Pellenbergstraat 22, Heverlee B-3010 Kessel-Lo 016 25 00 87 For information concerning fees & prices contact ■ LOKO Sports: see p. 46 ■ City of Leuven Sports Office • Sporthal Redingenhof, Redingenstraat 90, the staff in charge of the facility or call the sports B-3000 Leuven 016 64 08 42 after school office: 016 44 26 50 i Domein "De Bron", Koetsweg 122, info: Philippe Desmet, 016 44 26 60 KHLEUVEN B-3010 Kessel-Lo • Sporthal VTI Leuven, Dekenstraat 3, ■ Sport Clubs in Leuven Tel. 016 44 26 50 B-3000 Leuven 016 31 97 70 after school The Sports Office has a comprehensive list of sport i Co-ordinator of sports: email@example.com info: Philippe Desmet, 016 44 26 60 clubs in the Leuven area. This list is constantly Jean-Baptist Bultinck www.leuven.be • Sporthal Wilsele-Putkapel, updated. Its content comes from information col- email@example.com Aarschotsesteenweg 163, B-3012 Wilsele lected by the staff of the Sports Office. It is available ■ City's Sports Facilities: An Overview 016 44 51 36 in every municipal sports facility. The brand-new KHLeuven sports facility (Ker- • Sportschuur Wilsele, Brandweg 8, B-3012 Wilsele spelstraat in Heverlee) is equipped for basketball, Swimming Pools 016 22 57 15 volleyball, tennis, gymnastics, dance and badmin- • Stadionlaan 4, B-3010 Kessel-Lo 016 25 34 80 • Turn- & sportzaal Boudewijnstadion, 11. Culture ton. There is also a fitness room and a climbing • Aarschotsesteenweg 730, Diestsesteenweg 288, B-3010 Kessel-Lo wall. As a KHLeuven student, you need to have B-3012 Wilsele-Putkapel 016 44 33 88 016 89 52 12 Leuven is a young and dynamic city where it is almost a sports card to use the facilities. The card costs • Sportplaza, Philipssite 6, B-3001 Heverlee • Zaaltje Zwembad Wilsele-Putkapel, impossible to get bored. Apart from the numerous cafes and € 17.00 per year. Your sports card also entitles you to 016 74 07 40 www.sportplaza.be Aarschotsesteenweg 730, B-3012 Wilsele restaurants, there is also a large assortment of cultural activ- 016 44 33 88 ities. Students often enjoy a considerable price discount. • Sporthal Kazerne Leuven, Hertogstraat 184, B-3001 Heverlee • Sporthal KHLeuven, Kerspelstraat, K.U.LEUVEN B-3001 Heverlee after school info: Danny Bracke, 016 44 26 59 Cultural Co-ordination ➟ Cultuurcoördinatie K.U.Leuven Outdoor Sports Facitlities • Boudewijnstadion, Diestsesteenweg, i Naamsestraat 96, B-3000 Leuven B-3010 Kessel-Lo 016 25 12 21 Tel. 016 32 03 40 • Casablanca, Prins-Regentplein, B-3010 Kessel-Lo email@example.com • Den Bruul, Brouwersstraat, B-3000 Leuven www.kuleuven.be/english/living/culture 016 22 95 51 • Domein De Bron, Koetsweg, B-3010 Kessel-Lo K.U.Leuven has a dynamic and inexpensive cultural 016 44 26 50 panorama. There is, for instance, the classic "UUR KUL- • Morissens, Koestsweg, B-3010 Kessel-Lo tUUR": a free evening performance twice a month on • Atletiek Arena Gaston Roelants, Diestsesteenweg, Wednesday with music, performing arts, literature, film B-3010 Kessel-Lo 016 25 12 21 etc. In September, UUR KULtUUR starts its season with 76 DAY-TO-DAY LIFE 77 a major concert in the city park. As a student you can Led by Bart Preneel, the band comprises around 30 ■ Pati Pati Solidarity choir KHLEUVEN also participate in the university's performing ensem- musicians (students, personnel, alumni) who are ➟ Pati Pati Solidariteitskoor The cultural commission organises cultural events and bles, choirs and theatre companies (see below). Please all crazy about jazz, blues, bebop, fusion, etc. This meetings. For events see the respective departments' bear in mind that it isn't always possible to become a group regularly tours outside Belgium. i Rehearsals: Sunday at 9:00 p.m. in bulletin board. member of an ensemble during the year. Parochiecentrum, ■ Leuven Alumni Orchestra (LAO) Tiensestraat 124, B-3000 Leuven Cultuurcoördinatie also organises tower visits of ➟ Leuvens Alumni Orkest Info: email@example.com GROUP T K.U.Leuven's central library on the Ladeuzeplein during www.kuleuven.be/cultuur/patipati Every week, GROUP T organises an event that carillon concerts (every Tuesday and Thursday evening i Rehearsals: Friday at 8:00 p.m. in STUK, Tel. 016 32 55 85 explores one of the cultures that inspire us. These from 7:00 to 7:45 p.m.). The Cultural Commission sets the Naamsestraat 96, B-3000 Leuven events are open to anyone interested. In the past, they university's cultural policy and lends support to cultural Info: firstname.lastname@example.com Encounters with other cultures often take place have included workshops on Thai cooking, cumbia, initiatives within the university community. Cultural activ- www.kuleuven.be/cultuur/lao through music. Singing is a universal human acti- dancing, English absurd theatre, tasting French wine, ities are also held at Pangaea, the international meeting Tel. 016 22 43 28 vity and helps in building bridges. Pati Pati is a Chinese taijiquan and traditional Flemish games as well centre of the university (for more information, see p.36). solidarity choir sponsored by the university parish. as demonstrations of Scottish bagpiping, Bollywood LAO is composed mainly of K.U.Leuven alumni. With almost 100 students (from a variety of coun- love songs, French magic and Italian archaeology. UNIVERSITY MUSIC ENSEMBLES They regularly work with a variety of conductors tries) they perform a repertoire consisting primarily (P. Swerts, G. Soenen, P. Devos, G. Liekens, etc.). of world music combining faith, social struggle and These events, known as "Cultuurparels", are organised ■ Arenberg Orchestra ➟ Arenbergorkest These days they are working together with Hans everyday life. together with GROUP T's language school. Events usu- Casteleyn. ally start at around 5:00 p.m. Please consult our web- i Rehearsals: Thursday at 8:00 p.m. in STUK, ■ University Concert Band (UHO) site for details: www.group-t.be. Naamsestraat 96, B-3000 Leuven ■ Leuven University Choir (LUK) ➟ Universitair Harmonieorkest Info: email@example.com ➟ Leuvens Universitair Koor www.kuleuven.be/cultuur/arenberg i Rehearsals: Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. in STUK, LEMMENSINSTITUUT Tel. 0472 43 01 22 i Rehearsals: Thursday at 8:00 p.m. in Copal-klooster, Naamsestraat 96, B-3000 Leuven The Concertvereniging Lemmensinstituut has weekly Tervuursestraat 56, B-3000 Leuven Info: email@example.com concerts freely accessible to anyone of the interested This orchestra, counting some 30 members, origi- Info: firstname.lastname@example.com www.kuleuven.be/cultuur/uho students of Lemmensinstituut. Other students are wel- nated within the Engineering Students Association, www.kuleuven.be/cultuur/luk Tel. 0472 85 10 35 come at a special student price. See: www.lemmens.be but is open to other students as well. Tel. 016 23 47 11 (go to "Concertvereniging Lemmensinstituut"). The University Concert Band, conducted by Erwin ■ Capella Academica The choir is only open to full-time students. It has Scheltjens, is open to K.U.Leuven students, person- around 100 enthusiastic members and they perform nel and alumni. CITY OF LEUVEN i Rehearsals: Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. in Copal-klooster, classical and contemporary choral repertoire. Con- Tervuursestraat 56, B-3000 Leuven certs are performed at Christmas and in the spring. ■ University Symphony Orchestra (USO) LEUVEN CULTURAL CENTRE Info: email@example.com ➟Universitair Symfonisch Orkest ➟ 30CC www.kuleuven.be/cultuur/capellac i Rehearsals: Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. in STUK, i Brusselsestraat 63, B-3000 Leuven This is K.U.Leuven's choir for personnel (and per- Naamsestraat 96, B-3000 Leuven Tel. 016 23 84 27 • Fax: 016 29 12 15 sonnel of K.U.Leuven spin-off companies) and their Info: firstname.lastname@example.com firstname.lastname@example.com family members. The repertoire consists of both www.kuleuven.be/cultuur/uso www.30CC.be/ sacred and profane music. Tel. 0486 38 42 91 Tickets: ■ Interfak Big Band (IBB) The University Symphony Orchestra brings together In&Uit, Naamsestraat 1,B-3000 Leuven around 70 musically talented students under the Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. i Rehearsals: Monday at 7:30 p.m. in STUK, baton of Edmond Saveniers. Each year they per- Booking by phone: Tel. 016 22 21 13 Naamsestraat 96, B-3000 Leuven form a number of concert programmes and take a Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. Info: firstname.lastname@example.com concert tour. to 12:30 p.m. and from 1:30 to 7:00 p.m. www.kuleuven.be/cultuur/ibb Tel. 016 32 11 48 LOKO CULTURE See (p. 46) 78 DAY-TO-DAY LIFE 79 30CC offers discounts ranging from 10% to 30%, "fABULEUS". You can also contact the centre to rent ART IN MY ROOM depending on the performance. The Leuven Cultural some of the facilities mentioned above. However, ➟ KUNST OP KOT Centre, with 200,000 visitors and approximately you need to get there early. Contact them as soon 280 activities per season, is the most important as you know that you want to organise an event. An initiative of Kunst In Huis organiser of performing arts in the region. They'll bring you a fascinating mix of theatre, dance, clas- IN&UIT LEUVEN i Leopold Vanderkelenstraat 30 (second floor), sical and non-classical music, workshops, lectures, B-3000 Leuven children's performances, and much more. There is In&Uit (literally "In&Out") is located in the sidewing Tel. 016 22 45 60 • Fax: 016 22 45 40 always something for everybody. of City Hall. It is a central reception desk where you firstname.lastname@example.com • www.kunstinhuis.be can pick up all kinds of information and documenta- Tuesday, Thursday and Friday only by appointment 30CC holds performances, concerts and shows tion concerning leisure in Leuven. Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at many different venues around the city: the Saturday from 9:00 a.m.to 2:00 p.m. Stadsschouwburg (municipal theatre) (Bond- Basically, In&Uit informs tourists as well as resi- genotenlaan 21), the "Minnepoort" Auditorium dents about how they can spend their free time in Attention: Kunst In Huis will relocate after June 2006 (Dirk Boutslaan 62), the "Romaanse Poort" and Leuven. You can learn about Leuven's major sights, because of the reconstruction of the museumsite. the "Wagehuys" (Brusselsestraat 63), the "Predik- attractions and ongoing expositions, and about herenkerk" (O.L.Vrouwstraat), the public library what is going on in music and performing arts. Kunst In Huis would like to introduce contemporary "Tweebronnen" (Diestsestraat 49), and sometimes Moreover, In&Uit sells visitor tickets for City Hall art to students. If you want to cheer up your student even on the city's street corners. and other places of interest and entrance tickets for room in an artistically justified way, you can now local cultural activities (see above). hire a real piece of art. It will only cost you € 5.00 a After the performance you can always continue month (+ € 25,-guarantee). Interested? Contact us! chatting and meeting people in any of the various i In&Uit Leuven MUNICIPAL MUSEUMS halls where these activities are held. There is also a City Hall MOVIE THEATRES IN LEUVEN cultural café - Improvisio - in the main area of 30CC Naamsestraat 1, B-3000 Leuven ■ Vander Kelen-Mertens Museum (Romaanse Poort, Brusselsestraat 63). Tel. 016 20 30 20 • Fax 016 20 30 03 ■ The Studio's Savoyestraat 6, B-3000 Leuven email@example.com i Burgermeesterstraat 30, B-3000 Leuven Tel. 016 22 69 06 • Fax: 016 23 89 30 In mounting new and innovative projects like www.inenuitleuven.be Tel. 016 30 07 00 email@example.com "Kulturama", "Dubbelspel", "Letterfretter", www.studios.be www.leuven.be/museumsite "Kunstbende", "Licht Gekanteld", "De Volle Tent",... STUK Open: 30CC plays a pioneering role in terms of creating ■ Kinepolis Leuven Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. partnerships and collaboration with the musical i Naamsestraat 96, B-3000 Leuven i Bondgenotenlaan 145-149, B-3000 Leuven Sundays and public holidays from 2:00 to 5.00 p.m. groups and arts companies in the Leuven area. Tel. 016 32 03 20 Tel. 016 31 96 00 firstname.lastname@example.com - www.stuk.be www.kinepolis.be ■ Treasury of Saint Peter 30CC also has a supporting function for the musi- ➟ Schatkamer van Sint-Pieters cal company "La Petite Bande", the "Flemish Radio STUK is an important venue in Leuven and one of ■ Cinema Zed i Grote Markt, B-3000 Leuven Choir" and the "Flemish Radio Orchestra", and the the most important arts centres in Flanders. Its pro- i Naamsestraat 96, B-3000 Leuven Tel. 016 29 51 33 theatre companies "Braakland/ZheBilding" and gramming features theatre, dance, films, music, fine Tel. 016 32 03 20 firstname.lastname@example.com arts, and new media. In addition to the big names, Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; www.leuven.be/museumsite you can also find the work of innovative newcom- Saturday from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. ers. Prices are in general very affordable. The open- Sunday from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. *From March 16 to October 15: ing week, at the beginning of the cultural season, is email@example.com • www.stuk.be (online-tickets) Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. a unique opportunity to get to know STUK. You can www.cinemazed.be Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. find all information on www.stuk.be where you can Sundays and public holidays from 2:00 p.m. to also buy tickets on line. Cinema Zed is a not-for-profit movie theatre screening 5:00 p.m. primarily films from the alternative circuit. STUK has also an elegant 'grand café' where you *From October 16 to March 15: closed on can drink or eat something and read a newspaper Monday or a book. Friday evenings you can listen to a DJ and every Sunday evening you can enjoy a free The Vander Kelen-Mertens Museum accommodates jazz concert. the extensive collections owned by the City of Leuven. 80 DAY-TO-DAY LIFE 81 ■ Municipal conservatory for music, drama & dance In addition, the university library has access to a ➟ Stedelijk Conservatorium voor Muziek, wide range of bibliographical databases and schol- Woord & Dans arly electronic resources which can be accessed from any PC connected to the K.U.Leuven net- i Dirk Boutslaan 60, B-3000 Leuven work. There is an online catalogue for the univer- Tel. 016 22 21 21 • Fax: 016 31 08 28 sity library and other connected libraries. You have www.leuven.be; link onderwijs access to this online catalogue on the following address: http://opac.libis.be/F. Your student or per- For music, dance and drama, the music conservatory sonnel card gives you automatic access to all the caters to all your needs. If you are musically talented, university libraries and their various services. if you want to learn to play an instrument, learn act- ing, or take dance lessons, please feel free to apply! KHLEUVEN Own creations of dancing-, theatre- and interdiscipli- nary projects and the concerts of our ensembles and i Chief Librarian: Piet de Keyser orchestras are regularly brought on stage. email@example.com More info on www.artrium.be. www.khleuven.be/bib At KHLeuven, each department has its own library 12. Libraries where you can find subject-related books, maga- zines, CDs and Internet access. For opening hours check with the departmental librarian. K.U.LEUVEN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY GROUP T There are frequent temporary exhibitions. Due to What> is located at the old library premises. Con- i Ladeuzeplein 21, B-3000 Leuven important renovation works, the museum will be temporary art as well as cultural heritage are used Tel. +3216 32 46 60 • Fax: +32 16 32 46 91 GROUP T students can use the K.U.Leuven library facili- closed from May 2006 until the autumn of 2009. Dur- in the various projects of What>. Children, youth, E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com ties on the same conditions as the K.U.Leuven students. ing this period, the collection is on display in a tempo- students, seniors, artists and (especially) inhabi- rary housing at the Leuvense Vaart. The Treasury of tants of Leuven are invited to collaborate. Opening hours 2005-2006: LEMMENSINSTITUUT (HOGESCHOOL VOOR Saint Peter is a special wing of Saint Peter's church, Oct-June: WETENSCHAP & KUNST) which has been transformed into a museum of late Monday to Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; gothic art. Discover the beauty of The Last Supper and MUNICIPAL ACADEMIES Friday from 9:00 a.m. tot 5:15 p.m.; i Open: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and The Martyrdom of the Holy Erasmus, paintings by Dirk Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday: from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Bouts, one of the most famous Flemish Primitives. ■ Municipal academy of fine arts July-Sept: Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. ➟ Stedelijke Academie voor Beeldende Kunst Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. tot 5:15 p.m.; You can buy a combined ticket to visit both museums closed on Saturday Lemmensinstituut has its own library with musical (for students: € 2.50). The admission fee is subject to i Dirk Boutslaan 60, B-3000 Leuven scores, music-related books, music magazines and change during temporary exhibitions. The first Sun- Tel. 016 22 08 70 • Fax: 016 31 62 19 The university library system is composed of internet access. day of every month there are guided tours for free. www.academie-leuven.be more than 30 libraries spread out over the various A guided tour can be requested at: 016 21 15 11. campuses of the university. The Central library LEUVEN PUBLIC LIBRARY "TWEEBRONNEN" The academy offers a whole range of possibilities has a special mission: to collect and preserve old ➟ LEUVENSE OPENBARE BIBLIOTHEEK ■ What> designed to exercise your creativity. At the academy book collections and to preserve old documents of fine arts you can study drawing and painting, pho- of general interest. In the reading room you will i Rijschoolstraat 4, B-3000 Leuven i Vanderkelenstraat 28, B-3000 Leuven tography (also digital), advertising and sculpture, find an extensive collection of encyclopaedias, Tel. 016 22 65 22. firstname.lastname@example.com digital imaging, graphics, ceramics and textile arts bibliographies and reference works; in addition, firstname.lastname@example.com www.leuven.be/museumsite or lace-making. Several times a year exhibitions are there is a collection of basic reference works for www.leuven.be/bibliotheek Open: organised in the main Academy hall. A must! each discipline. Most books and periodicals are Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. kept in closed stacks but you can request them at The mission of the Leuven public library is to promote Sundays and public holidays from 2:00 p.m. the circulation desk. Faculty or department librar- knowledge and general culture among the inhabitants to 5:00 p.m. - Free admission ies house books and periodicals in their respec- of Leuven. The library has two floors, each with its tive fields. own opening hours and distinct character. 82 DAY-TO-DAY LIFE 83 The upper floor houses the reading room. 13. Religion The university parish has an English-speaking interna- Practical Tip tional community whose goal is to welcome people There you will find reference works in several lan- Historically, Flanders is a predominantly Catholic from anywhere in the world to form a Christian com- guages, journals, newspapers and weekly periodicals In order to register as a library user, and region. Even though churches nowadays draw only a munity. They foster an open atmosphere where peo- (also in languages other than Dutch). There is a doc- obtain your library card, you will need to minority of the inhabitants, Catholicism is still the most ple from different backgrounds, cultures and coun- umentation centre that provides information on the show your ID card. If you do not have an important religion. However, all world religions are tries, and various walks of life, can meet and experi- province of Vlaams Brabant and its various commu- official address in Belgium, you will be asked represented in Flanders, and even smaller denomina- ence Christian community in the Catholic tradition. nities, internet PC's, online catalogues of the collec- to pay a deposit. tions usually have at least one established community tions. The reading room has plenty of seating, work- You're welcome in Tweebronnen! and place of worship in one of the larger cities. Every Sunday of the year, at 10:30 a.m., the commu- ing tables and a few screened-off study carrels. nity celebrates the Eucharist. The liturgy is followed by a reception where people have the opportunity to The Reading Room is open daily, except on Sundays: Archives ➟ Archief K.U.LEUVEN meet informally. The community publishes a weekly Monday 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. bulletin entitled "Bridges". It contains reflections, Tuesday 10:00 a.m. – 9:45 p.m. i Tweebronnen, Rijschoolstraat 4, B-3000 Leuven In keeping with centuries of tradition, K.U.Leuven wel- news, and spiritual-theological insights. It is available Wednesday 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Tel. 016 30 08 70 comes students and scholars of various cultural, philo- at the Sunday liturgy. Sacraments (baptism, confirma- Thursday 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. email@example.com sophical, political and religious convictions. tion, first communion, reconciliation, and marriage) Friday 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. www.leuven.be/archief are prepared and celebrated as community events. Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ROMAN-CATHOLIC LITURGY Open: ■ French speaking community – Paroisse Universi- If you want to use the reading room facilities, you Tuesday: from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ■ University Parish taire, communauté francophone must have a library card. Wednesday and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. i Tiensestraat 124, B-3000 Leuven i Tiensestraat 124, B-3000 Leuven Friday: from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tel. 016 32 55 85 Tel. 016/ 32 55 85 The lower floor houses the lending library. www.kuleuven.be/up www.kuleuven.be/up In the same building as the library, you will also find The library has extensive collections on loan: novels the city archives with their historically interesting The university parish is open to both international The University Parish has also a french-speaking, in Dutch, French, English, German, Spanish, Arabic collections (maps, pictures, drawings, papers, liter- and Flemish students, regardless of their cultural, african community. The community celebrates the and Kurdish; non-fiction works (books and dvd's) ature, etc.) pertaining to Leuven and surroundings. religious or political backgrounds. Everyone is Eucharist at 11 a.m. in the chapel of Leo XIII-semi- ordered by subject and a diverse collection of comic welcome for moral support, spiritual counselling, nary, entrance via Vesaliusstraat 2. books. You can borrow books for up to four weeks. christian education, prayer or serious reflection. But there is more. The library presents a large col- Multilingual Taizé-encounters and prayer services ■ Chapel of the American College lection of cd's and dvd's and a collection of refer- are held on a regular basis throughout the year. i Naamsestraat 100, B-3000 Leuven ence works on music, movies and stage arts. The university parish also runs eight community Tel. 016 32 00 11 To be able to borrow library materials, you need a houses where international and Flemish students Mass in English: Sunday at 10:00 a.m. library card. The annual fee for a library card is € 2.50 live together. Roman-Catholic liturgies for the uni- Monday through Thursday at 7:30 a.m. for persons between 18 and 25; and € 5,00 for those versity community are held as follows: Friday at 5:30 p.m. older than 26. When you're younger than 18, member- Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: Monday at ship of the library doesn't cost you anything! Most of ■ Church of St John the Baptist 8:30 p.m. the materials in the library can be lent free of charge; ➟ St. Jan de Doper Kerk Confession or Spiritual Direction: by appointment only cd's and movies have a lending fee. More infor- Groot Begijnhof mation can be found in the users' regulations. Masses in Dutch: Sundays at 11:00 a.m., Saturday The American College is a seminary and house of evenings at 6:15 p.m., and Wednesday evenings studies operated by the bishops of the United States The Lending Library is open every day except on student celebration at 6:15 p.m. Readings in English in Leuven since 1857. Students of the K.U.Leuven are Sundays: are always available. always welcome to participate in the liturgies of The Monday 12:00 – 6:00 p.m. American College, and its priests are available for spir- Tuesday 12:00 – 9:45 p.m. ■ University Parish - International Community itual direction or confession (in English or Spanish). Wednesday 12:00 – 8:00 p.m. i Minderbroedersstraat 15, bus 0.09, Thursday 12:00 – 6:00 p.m. B-3000 Leuven ■ Holy Spirit College Friday 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Tel. 016 32 08 13 ➟ Heilige Geest College Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. firstname.lastname@example.com • www.kuleuven.be/up i Naamsestraat 40, B-3000 Leuven In English: Sundays at 11:30 a.m. 84 DAY-TO-DAY LIFE 85 ■ Saint Michael's Church ■ The Orthodox Parish of the Holy Apostel and Orthodox community. Smaller denominations and for the Police Office. It is important that you register ➟ Sint-Michielskerk Evangelist Mattheos religions most likely have a community in Brussels, the identification numbers of your valuables (like PC, i Naamsestraat 57, B-3000 Leuven i Contact Person: Priest, Father Alexander Antwerp and/or Ghent as well. Laptop, sound equipment etc.). To avoid theft, please Tel. 016 22 42 28 Yavarouski, speeks Dutch and Russian, read the precautions on the following webpages: Contact person: Paul Aerts Tervuursestraat 56 (Collegium pro Latina www.kuleuven.be/admin/td/niv2/bb-k00.htm. Tel. 016 31 63 69 America or COPAL), B- 3000 Leuven 14. Police and Safety firstname.lastname@example.com Tel. 0498 83 45 56 i Security Service K.U.Leuven email@example.com LEUVEN POLICE HEADQUARTERS Willem de Croylaan 40, 3001 Heverlee A Roman Catholic Mass is held in Spanish http://www.leuven.orthodoxy.ru/ (website in Tel. 016 32 21 64 • Fax: 016 32 29 83 on Sundays at 12:00 noon. Dutch, Russian and Greek). i Philipssite 4, B-3001 Heverlee email@example.com Tel. 016 21 07 40 • Fax: 016 21 07 39 OTHER CHRISTIAN COMMMUNITIES All services (liturgy and vespers) in Dutch and Old- firstname.lastname@example.com STUDENT POLICE OFFICERS Slavonic, occasionaly with some Greek, English or Open: ■ The Anglican community of St M&M's: St. Martha Romanian. Weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and i Hans Gooris and St. Mary of Bethany Anglican Church of Leuven from 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (or by appointment) An Goedefroy i Justus Lipsius College, Minderbroedersstraat For emergencies (24 hours a day) please Grote Markt 8, B-3000 Leuven 15, B-3000 Leuven OTHER RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS contact: Tel. 016 21 09 00 Contact person: Father Jean-Pierre Herman Interventieafdeling ITER firstname.lastname@example.com Tel. 0475 68 46 65 ISLAM Philipssite 4, B-3001 Heverlee firstname.lastname@example.com email@example.com Tel. 016 21 06 10 • Fax: 016 21 06 09 www.watercourse.net/anglicanleuven ■ International Muslim Students Association i Politieantenne Leuven of Leuven (IMSAL) The police department is in charge of maintaining Grote Markt 8, B-3000 Leuven The Anglican community M&M's has a celebration i Rijschoolstraat 25, B-3000 Leuven law and order. Leuven students can expect a visit Tel. 016 21 09 00 every Sunday evening at 6:30 p.m. in the St. Martha Tel. 016 33 24 39 from a police officer if their party is making too Open: and St. Mary of Bethany Chapel, Minderbroeders- For contact: email@example.com much noise and the neighbours get annoyed and Thursday from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. straat, 15 (Justus Lipsius College). www.imsal.org complain. Police are also on the lookout for people riding their bicycle without any lights, or cyclists ■ Protestant Church IMSAL is the official representative of Muslim stu- who ignore the traffic regulations. Students are i De Moete, i Contact person: Ernst Veen dents of KU Leuven. It has its own Students Mosque encouraged to report incidents to the police (e.g. if Celestijnenlaan 200 P, Tel. 016 22 98 83 in Rijschoolstraat 25, where the daily five prayers your bicycle is stolen, if you are involved in a traf- B-3001 Heverlee email@example.com are held in addition to the Friday prayer preceded by fic accident, etc.). Police officers are there for your Tel. 016 32 76 01 Khutba (sermon) in both Arabic and English. Friday security whenever you need them. Open: There is a Protestant service in Dutch every Sunday prayer starts at 1:00 pm (2:00 pm. during the summer Weekdays from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. at 10:00 a.m. at Jesuit Church, Waversebaan 220, months). Celebration of Islamic feasts and daily col- SAFETY AND SECURITY SERVICE K.U.LEUVEN B-3001 Heverlee. lective Iftar in Ramadan are arranged every year. ➟ BEWAKING K.U.LEUVEN) ■ The International Church of Evangelicals in Leuven ■ Al Fath mosque i Emergency Number K.U.Leuven (24-hour) i Pauscollege, Hogeschoolplein 3, B-3000 Leuven i Penitentienenstraat 33, B-3000 Leuven Willem de Croylaan 40, 3001 Heverlee Contact persons: Kees & Toos Rosies Contact person: Mr. Bachiri Tel. 2222 Wijngaardlaan 34, B-3001 Heverlee Tel. 016 20 87 02 Or tel. 016 32 22 22 Tel. 016 40 54 67 email@example.com www.icel.be The mosque belongs to the resident Muslim community of Leuven. Here the daily five prayers are held as well In cases of emergency or accident within the University, Services in the Pauscollege, Hogeschoolplein 3, on as Friday and Feasts prayers. The Khutbas (sermons) of it is necessary to call or mail the 24-hour K.U.Leuven Sundays at 10:00 a.m. (separate nursery and Sun- Friday and Eid prayers are delivered only in Arabic. emergency number or e-mailaddress for a quick and day School for children under 12). efficient aid of the right auxiliary services. Moreover OTHER CITIES AROUND LEUVEN the K.U.Leuven guards will offer their support. Likewise, if you are robbed within one of the K.U.Leuven Brussels and Antwerp have communities of most residences or the University buildings, you can use religions, including a large Muslim, Jewish and the same number. We then help you to make a report 86 DAY-TO-DAY LIFE 87 The Student Officer's task is to facilitate contact This office looks after security matters: traffic safety, 16. SOS / Emergency Services between students and the police department. The Student Code house break-ins, anti-social behaviour, drug abuse, and Numbers students may contact them to report problems, and personal safety, etc. The police are committed to to request information about organising parties and As temporary inhabitants of Leuven, we, the stu- the creation of a safe and welcoming city both for In cases of emergency, always give your address and other events. They can also play a role in your regis- dents, together with Leuven inhabitants, want to the inhabitants of Leuven and for its many visitors. telephone number. Speak slowly. It would be useful for tration at the Foreigner's Office (see Chapter 3 "For- work towards a safe, pleasant and livable town. Generally speaking, Leuven is a very safe place to you to learn a few words or expressions related to such malities upon arrival", p.16). Please note that students live and work. Due to the large number of people on cases in Dutch or French. are expected to notify this office, or the student officer, When we go out and have parties, we do it the streets, it is not particularly dangerous to walk when they leave Belgium for home. Before leaving the with respect for the night's rest of those who alone at night, even when it is quite late. 100 Ambulance and Fire Department country you need to return your residence permit. want to sleep. 101 Police Emergency Number 112 International Emergency Number To safeguard the livability of Leuven, the City, the We refrain from vandalism, unhygienic practices 15. Births, Marriages and Deaths 105 Red Cross Flanders Ambulance Service University and the other Institutions of Higher (vomiting, pissing in public, kicking rubbish, …) 106 Teleonthaal (suicide prevention) Education work together to minimise social incon- and we respect the properties of others. Registry Office ➟ Burgerlijke Stand 070 25 70 25 Doctor on call venience. The collaboration between the Social i Muntstraat 3, B-3000 Leuven Services of the K.U.Leuven, LOKO, ACCO, ALMA, In our dealings with others, we take into account Tel. 016 21 17 04 • Fax 016 21 17 07 016 32 22 22 K.U.Leuven University Emergency the City of Leuven and the Police, resulted in a Stu- their personal integrity and we refrain from ver- www.leuven.be Number dent Code against inconvenience. You can find the bal and physical violence, bullying and threats. 016 32 44 20 Medical Centre for Students – Doctor code on www.kuleuven.be/studentencode. Births on call (only in exam periods) We respect our co-tenants and neighbours and You are required to inform the Registry Office of the birth 070 25 40 40 Dentist on call 'Stef, the owl' is the symbol for the fact that students we keep our own place quiet and neat. of your baby within 15 days of the birth. Forms concern- 0900 10 500 Pharmacies on duty (after hours and may have their parties, but always with respect for ing insurance companies' birth premiums and state child on weekends) the permanent inhabitants. We voluntarily commit ourselfves to these val- allowances can be obtained from the Social Service for 070 24 52 45 Poison Antidote Centre ues in order to make Leuven a pleasant and International Students or the Human Resources Depart- Project" Kotfuiven" safe town with room for working, studying, ment (for researchers and visiting professors). 070 34 43 44 Card Stop for Bank and Credit Cards Due to a growing number of complaints about noisy living and going out. 02 649 95 55 Suicide Prevention Centre house parties ('kotfuiven'), an awareness campaign Civil Marriages targeting the student community will be launched in The municipal authorities in Belgium only recognise October 2006. House parties are and should remain LOCAL ANTI-DISCRIMINATION CENTRE civil weddings, not church weddings. If you plan to 17. Hospitals possible, but only with the proper respect for your (SEE P. 41) have both a civil and a religious marriage ceremony, fellow housemates and neighbours. the civil ceremony must take place first. You do not University Hospitals need to have both on the same day. For all University Hospitals: tel. 016 33 22 11 Some useful tips: CRIME PREVENTION AND SAFETY SERVICES * Keep the volume of your stereo down. ➟ PREVENTIEDIENST Deaths • Gasthuisberg * Keep your doors and windows closed. If death occurs in a hospital, a death certificate will only Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven * Limit the number of participants in line with the i Philipssite 4, B-3001 Heverlee be given very exceptionally. This formality will be nor- available space. Tel. 016 21 07 00 • Fax 016 21 06 99 mally done by the undertaker, but has to be paid. You • Sint-Pieter * Appoint someone as the party steward. can do this yourself, but you then need to inquire at Brusselsestraat 69, B-3000 Leuven * Warn housemates and next door neighbours Open: the Registry Office. If death occurs outside a hospital, a beforehand with a polite note. Weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and by doctor must be called to certify the death and to deter- • Sint-Rafaël appointment mine the cause of death. After that, the registry office Kapucijnenvoer 33, B-3000 Leuven must be informed. It is advisable to ask for several cop- i Prevention shop: for all information and display ies of the death certificate, since they may be needed • Pellenberg of the best bicycle locks. for insurance, banks, embassies, etc. Weligerveld 1, B-3041 Pellenberg Open: Heilig-Hartziekenhuis (non-university hospital) Weekdays from 12:30 p.m. tot 4:30 p.m. Naamsestraat 105, B-3000 Leuven email@example.com Tel. 016 20 92 11 88 NOTES ����������� ���������� �������� ����������������� ��������������������� ����������������������������������������� ���������������������������������� ��������������� ������������������������ ����������� �������������������������� ����������������� ����������������� ������������������� �������� ��������������������� ������������������ ����������������� ���������������������������������� ��������������������� ������ ������� ��������� ������������������������ �������������������������� ����������������������������������������� �������������������������������������� ��������� ����������������������� ��������� �������������������������� ����������������� ����������������� ������������������� �������� ��������������������� ����������������������������������������� ������������������������������������� ������������������������������� ��� �������������� ��� � ���� �������� acco You too can profit from a share in Acco ������� �� ��� �� ������ ��� �� ��� � Over 150.000 shareholders �������� ��� �� ��� �� ������ �� �� ��� � Acco is one of the biggest student cooperatives in Europe with more �������� ��� �� ��� ��� � ��� ��� � than 150.000 shareholders, many of whom have gone on to great fame! ���� �� ������������� ���� ��� ��������� 15% discount With an Acco share, you are entitled to a 15% discount on most purchases at Acco. ������ ��� ��������� ����� �������� On top of this, members also benefit from special promotional campaigns on books. ����������� How much does it cost? ������ ���� ���� �������������� �� Purchasing an Acco share means investing EUR 31.00. After graduation, ���� ��������� you can keep your membership and continue to benefit from all Acco advantages ����� ��������������� ����� ������������ for the years to come. Acco book and office supply stores Syllabuses, required and recommended reading material, scientific literature, computer supplies, paper and office supplies, light reading, etc. All this is available in our book and office supply stores. Acco Leuven: Book and office supply store Acco Heverlee: Campus shop Tiensestraat 134, 3000 Leuven , Celestijnenlaan 200 P 3001 Heverlee Tel.: 016 29 11 00, Fax: 016 20 73 89 Tel.: 016 32 78 70, Fax: 016 32 78 71 E-mail: email@example.com E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com NEW ADDRESS FROM 16 AUGUST 2006 Maria Theresiastraat 2-4 ��������� ��� ���� ������������������ 3000 Leuven ���� ������ ����� � �������� ���� �������� ��������������� ��� ��������������� �� ���� Acco Offset - Digital Printing ����� ����� As an Acco shareholder, you receive a discount when you order ����� � ���������� ����� �� ������� ������ ������ various printing jobs (doctoral thesis, dissertation, etc.) from our ���� ���� ������ ��������� � ��������� ���������� �������� � �������� � ����� �������� digital printing service. ���� ������� � ������ � � ���� ������ Acco Offset - Digital Printing ������� ����� ������������ Kaboutermanstraat 30, 3000 Leuven �������������������� Tel.: 016/62 80 18(19), Fax: 016 62 80 09 ������� ����������������������������� E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com ��� � �� �� �� �������� ���������� ��������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������� ������ �������������������������������������������
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