How to find Housing for Exchange Students in Louvain, Belgium

Louvain-la-Neuve — often simply called Louvain — is a purpose-built university town and home to UCLouvain, one of Belgium's leading French-speaking institutions. It's unlike anywhere else in the country: a fully pedestrian centre, built almost entirely around student life, with around 40,000 students and effectively no cars in the town core. That density brings real advantages, but it also means the local housing market is small and tight, and landlords aren't always keen on renting to international students for a single semester.

What does student housing cost in Louvain-la-Neuve?

Kots in Louvain-la-Neuve rank among the pricier options outside Brussels, generally in the €450–550 range per month including charges, with rooms closest to the Grand-Place — the town's central square — the most sought-after and priced accordingly. Expect to also budget for a rental guarantee (deposit) and, in some buildings, a small annual local tax.

How difficult is it to find a room?

Because Louvain-la-Neuve was built specifically as a student town, most of its housing stock is designed for students — which is good news in terms of availability of the kot format, but demand is still high given the concentration of UCLouvain's student population in a compact area. Start early and apply through the university's housing office as soon as your exchange is confirmed.

Where to look for housing

Check the website of your host university, UCLouvain, for housing tips aimed at exchange students, and look for short-term options that aren't as widely advertised. Even before you're officially enrolled, you can reach out to ask about availability.

Don't overlook the website of Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, the host municipality, which often has information about the local housing market beyond the university's own listings.

Getting around Louvain-la-Neuve

Louvain-la-Neuve was designed around pedestrians and cyclists, with cars kept largely to peripheral car parks and an underground ring road — so almost everything, from lecture halls to the Grand-Place shops, is reachable on foot within minutes. The town's train station sits right in the centre, with direct connections to Brussels in about 40 minutes, and TEC buses cover the wider region for trips beyond the pedestrian core.

Watch out for scams

A lot of exchange students end up on Facebook groups or other social media to hunt for a room. It's often the only option that comes to mind, but it's also where most scams live. Never transfer money before viewing a room (in person or via video call), and check with your host institution's housing office or the local municipality if a listing looks too good to be true. Favour platforms with verified listings over anonymous posts.

Why Exchange Rooms is different

None of the options above were built specifically with exchange students in mind. Exchange Rooms was. It's a housing platform made exclusively for exchange students, offering only short-term rooms listed by real fellow students who understand exactly what you're looking for. Have a look at the rooms currently available on our platform.

A bonus tip most students overlook

Finding housing often starts with offering housing. If you have a room available while you're away on exchange, post it on Exchange Rooms and send the link to the international office of your host university in Louvain-la-Neuve. Let them know that incoming students from your host university can rent directly from you. It's a simple way to add listings exactly where they're needed.

Don't have a room to offer? No problem — you can still create an account without listing anything yourself, and you can help by sharing Exchange Rooms with your home and host university. The bigger the network grows, the better everyone's odds of finding a place become.

Exchange Rooms

Exchange Rooms can help you secure housing in Louvain-la-Neuve. Search for rooms in the area or learn more and create an account!

Good luck finding housing — we're rooting for you!