Between a student atmosphere and a pleasant living environment, Leuven attracts both students and expats coming to work here. Are you looking for accommodation in this dynamic city? Don't worry: we're here to help you get a clear view. Neighborhoods, types of properties, rents, tips, and procedures… here is everything you need to know for finding accommodation in Leuven with peace of mind.
About Louvain
Louvain is a small town with a very rich historical past. It is the capital of the Flanders-Brabant region and also its largest city. Additionally, it is considered a student city due to the KU Leuven Catholic University. This university is 500 years old. It is the main attraction of Louvain, not only for students but also for companies at the forefront of their fields. All these details attract many foreigners seeking a new life and a new place to live.
The neighborhoods of Louvain
Louvain is divided into 5 distinct neighborhoods:
- Heverlee;
- Kessel-Lo;
- Louvain;
- Wijgmaal;
- Wilsel.
Below you will find details of each neighborhood so you can decide which one suits you best.
Heverlee
Heverlee is a neighborhood located south of Louvain, in the province of Flemish Brabant.
It is home to the Catholic College (Katholieke Hogeschool Leuven) and a section of the Catholic University, the Arenberg campus. This campus is dedicated to research and the teaching of exact sciences. Heverlee also hosts the main facilities of the faculty of kinesiology and rehabilitation sciences on the Arenberg campus.
If you love sports, note that Den Dreef Stadium is located in Heverlee. It is the headquarters of the Belgian football team Oud-Heverlee Leuven. Every January, this district hosts the Cyclocross Leuven race.
Finally, although primarily residential, Heverlee is not far from the Haasrode Science Park, which offers employment opportunities in the technology and research sectors.
Kessel-Lo
Kessel-Lo is located to the northeast of Louvain. It is home to a family park called Provinciaal Domein Kessel-Lo, which offers recreational, sports, and cultural activities. The neighborhood has many youth organizations, making it ideal for families with young children. Additionally, there is a local brewery called De Vlier, perfect for beer enthusiasts. Lastly, if you enjoy rugby, you will feel right at home here. Kessel-Lo is the headquarters of the Rugby Club Leuven.
Louvain
We mentioned this earlier. Most of Louvain's urban life is organized there. So if you enjoy the hustle and bustle of cities, consider settling in the center of Louvain.
Wijgmaal
Wijgmaal is located far to the north of Louvain, past Wilsele. You will find the Wijgmaal train station there, which serves as a hub for public transportation. Wijgmaal is also home to the Ymeria Stadium, the football stadium of the Olympia SC Wijgmaal club.
Every May, you can attend the Wijgmaalse Feesten, a three-day festival. There are many sporting activities in Wijgmaal, mainly races. You can also enjoy various musical performances. The green environment attracts those seeking a more peaceful atmosphere.
Wilsele
Wilsele is located to the north of Louvain, between the center and Wijgmaal. It is divided into two parts: Wilsele-Dorp and Wilsele-Putkapel, separated by the Louvain-Dyle canal, now connected by a bridge.
It is a pleasant residential area, close to nature, with an abbey on the Keizersberg hill. Many KU Leuven students choose to live there, particularly for its proximity to the KU Leuven.
How to find accommodation in Louvain
You can search for accommodation online or through real estate agencies. If you are on Facebook, you can join groups specifically for finding accommodation in Louvain. Otherwise, websites like Booking, Logic Immo, and Immoweb are perfect for your search.
Once in Louvain, it will be easier to locate properties for rent, as they often display a sign indicating te huur (Dutch) meaning "for rent". Newspapers, both online and printed, are also very useful for this purpose.
If you are really struggling to find accommodation in Louvain, consider hiring a real estate agent. While they primarily sell properties, they can also assist you in your search for apartment rentals.
Types of accommodation in Louvain
Temporary accommodation
Before finding an apartment for long-term settlement, it is natural to search for one. In the meantime, you will need to reside in temporary accommodation.
The cheapest option is to stay in a youth hostel, and Louvain has at least three: Leuven City Hostel, HI De Blauwput Leuven, and St. Jacob Hostel.
In these hostels, you can stay at a low cost. However, you will need to share your room with strangers, as the rooms in these youth hostels have 4 or 6 beds or more. Beyond that, you will also need to share bathrooms and showers with everyone. You can always book double rooms with private bathrooms, but these will be much more expensive. At this point, it might be preferable to simply book a budget hotel, especially if you have a lot of personal belongings and valuables.
If you are looking for budget hotels, try the Ladeuze Hotel. It is located just a minute from Ladeuzeplein and is close to many university faculties. The hotel offers a breakfast buffet for €9. There are several other budget hotels where you can also book, such as Ibis Budget Leuven Centrum, Budget Flats Leuven, and Hotel Industrie.
Otherwise, the most popular options remain standard hotels. There are many concentrated in the Louvain area, but they can be more expensive due to their central location. Consider booking a hotel outside the R23 ring to enjoy cheaper rooms.
If you want to get a sense of life from a Louvanist perspective, an Airbnb will be an excellent option. You can stay in studios or apartments that will show you what the property you will eventually rent will look like.
There are also entire townhouses and residential houses for rent. Alternatively, you can simply rent a private room in a residence to save some money.
Finally, there are aparthotels like Boardhousing Aparthotel, which combine the independence of a furnished accommodation with hotel services (housekeeping, laundry, reception). They are more expensive per night but more cost-effective for stays of several weeks. You can cook for yourself, reducing meal expenses outside.
Long-term rental
As in most other Belgian cities, there are three main long-term accommodation options in Louvain: rooms, studios, and apartments.
The room option bridges the gap between staying in a hotel and renting a studio or apartment, as it is the cheapest. Rooms are ideal, especially for those like students, who have a tight budget. However, you will not have much privacy, as you may end up with other roommates. But this can be a small price to pay for those who enjoy company. Expect these rooms to measure between 25 and 35 m².
Renting a studio is the next step up. The studio will offer you your own space and is generally larger than a simple shared room. However, be aware that studios are a bit smaller in Louvain than elsewhere. Expect them to measure around 35 to 40 m². Studios are the ideal option for singles and couples. They indeed offer an "open space" concept where the bedroom leads to the kitchen and living room.
Apartments are a step up from studios in that they have partitions between rooms and are also larger. Like rooms and studios, one-bedroom apartments in Louvain are a bit smaller than in other Belgian cities. They generally measure between 40 and 50 m².
Unfurnished apartments or unfurnished shell ("bare walls")
While searching for apartments, be particularly on the lookout for unfurnished apartments known as "unfurnished shell" (bare walls). At first glance, you might think they are the same as unfurnished apartments. Well, you need to be cautious because you might be surprised!
An unfurnished "unfurnished shell" apartment is essentially devoid of everything. Not only will you not have basic furniture, but you will also not have appliances such as a refrigerator, washing machine, or stove. Moreover, an "unfurnished shell" apartment will not have lighting fixtures, carpets, curtains, etc.
Reasonably, this type of apartment will be the cheapest to rent. However, you will need to go to the trouble of finding and investing in all these things to make your apartment livable.
Student accommodation
To stay in the KU Leuven university residences, you will need to sign a 10-month lease contract. Make sure to apply early as these rooms go very quickly. To be eligible for university housing, you must be enrolled for at least 27 credits for an academic year or 13 credits for a semester.
If you wish to stay longer, private apartments usually have a 12-month contract duration. Conversely, if you are only staying for one semester (5 months), you will need to go through a private landlord. This option will be more expensive than renting for a full year, but it is possible.
If you are looking for off-campus private accommodation, you can follow the same route as other expatriates. However, note that it is not very common for students to search for an apartment or house themselves. You can still ask KU Leuven to send you sample contracts to familiarize yourself with the content of a rental contract. As it is advised to sign contracts in Dutch and if you do not read the language, you can always ask a counselor from your university's housing service to help you. However, note that this help is generally not offered by email but rather in person or by phone.
Rent in Louvain
Rent prices in Louvain are a bit higher than in other regions, but not as high as in Brussels, the country's capital.
For a shared room, expect to pay around 300 to 450 € per month. This is the most economical option, especially for students or those on a tight budget.
For a furnished studio, it can go up to 900 € monthly. This is a good solution for singles or couples.
Finally, a furnished one-bedroom apartment will cost you over 1,000 € per month in rent.
To avoid unpleasant surprises, use the official Flemish government simulator or online comparison tools like those available on huurschatter.be (in Dutch) to estimate if the rent asked is reasonable compared to the market.
Real estate rental in Louvain
To rent a property in Louvain, you must first contact the owner by phone, although email is acceptable nowadays in a student city. In any case, the owner must describe the property in detail so you know if it is ideal for you or not.
If you decide it suits you, you can schedule a visit. Legally, the owner cannot refuse you this.
During the visit, check each room and make sure everything works. This includes the ventilation in the bathroom, as there is generally a humidity problem.
If you wish to rent a property after visiting it, it is essential to sign a contract. Verbal agreements will not suffice. You must, with the owner, sign and date two copies of the contract, each keeping a copy. Additionally, you must go through a inventory checklist that you must both sign. At the end of your rental, you will go through the inventory together again, and if something is not in its original state, the cost to repair it will be deducted from your deposit. As for the deposit, you will generally need to pay two to three months' rent. Most people choose to put this amount in escrow in a bank.
Within two months of signing the contract, it must be registered with the municipality. However, it is the owner's responsibility. If they do not do it and still do not register it one month after the two-month deadline, you will be legally allowed to leave the property without notice or compensation.
If you wish to leave the property at any other time, you must give your landlord at least three months' notice. The notice period will depend on the type of contract you have signed.
We do our best to provide accurate and up to date information. However, if you have noticed any inaccuracies in this article, please let us know in the comments section below.
