LIVE AT K.U.LEUVEN AND PURDUE

Leuven

Leuven has a temperate maritime climate with generally mild, wet winters and relatively cool, moist summers. Yearly precipitation is ca. 750 mm and is more or less evenly spread over the year. Therefore, you will need rain-protective clothing as well as some warm garments (sweaters, coats, gloves) for your stay. Belgium’s distance from the equator (50°N°) means that there are four seasons, of which spring and summer are the most beautiful, with temperatures between 15° and 35° Centigrade (60° and 92° Fahrenheit). In summer, the days are longer than the nights. Autumn and winter bring moderately cold days, seldom below –10° Centigrade (3° Fahrenheit), and occasionally snow. In these seasons, the nights are longer than the days. More information on the Belgian climate can be found on the website of the Royal Metereological Institute (www.meteo.oma.be/IRM-KMI/climate/year.html).

The language of the northern part of Belgium, which is called “Vlaanderen” (Flanders), is Dutch (sometimes called Flemish). French is widely spoken, and many people will also speak or understand English and German.
In the southern part of Belgium, called “La Wallonie” (Wallonia), the language is French, Flemish is rarely heard but many people have some knowledge of English and German. Officially German is Belgium’s third language; it is spoken by a small but substantial community in the east of the country.

How much is a monthly budget in Leuven?

The estimates below provide a rough average of what a monthly/yearly budget in Leuven can amount to. Basically, these figures reflect a budget that is realistic and sufficient to live simply and decently. This rough average is based on a 'subsistence minimum’. It is the amount legally stipulated even for Belgians and Belgian families with children as the basic sum needed for a decent living.
Three other items are given: the registration fee and an approximate sum for study costs, as well as an approximate sum for installation costs, which in theory includes the other administrative fees and general costs once you are settled in Leuven.

	Single	Married
Monthly living costs	550 €	1,150 €
Registration fee (yearly)	505 €	505 €
Study costs (yearly)	1,000 €	1,000 €
One-time installation costs	1,100 €	3,300 €

Like all Belgian citizens, all non-Belgians who reside in Belgium for whatever reason need to be covered by a health insurance. As far as international students are concerned, they are thus required to be affiliated with a Belgian Health Insurance agency.

We stress that one must have sufficient funds at hand for the whole of one’s stay in Leuven. It is impossible to obtain financial help from the University or any other Belgian institution once already in the country.
A proof of solvency is one of the conditions for acquiring an Authorisation for Provisional Sojourn as a student in Belgium. The Belgian authorities do not issue an Authorisation for Provisional Sojourn to international students who state that they will work as ‘job students’ to finance their studies. If married students want to bring their families along with them to Belgium, they have to prove to the Belgian authorities that they have sufficient income to cover the costs of the family’s stay in Belgium before they receive a residence visa for family members.
It is very important that one assesses the financial means necessary for living and studying in Belgium. Material uncertainty during studies can jeopardise the successful completion of your program. In Belgium, the demands of the studies themselves are quite rigorous and access to the job market is very strictly monitored. For these reasons, it is practically impossible to finance one’s studies and living expenses in this way, even in part.

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Purdue

Indiana, because of its location in the middle latitude in the interior of the continent, has an invigorating climate with warm summers and cool winters. Imposed on the well known daily and seasonal temperature fluctuations are changes occurring every few days as surges of polar air move southward or tropical air moves northward. These changes are more frequent and pronounced in the winter than in the summer. A winter may be unusually cold or a summer cool if the influence of polar air is persistent. Similarly, a summer may be unusually warm or a winter mild if air of tropical origin predominates. The action between these two air masses of contrasting temperature, humidity, and density fosters the development of low pressure centers that move generally eastward and frequently pass over or close to the state, resulting in abundant rainfall. These systems are least active in midsummer and during this season frequently pass north of Indiana. Climatological variations within the state are caused by differences of latitude, elevation, terrain, soil, and lakes.

Severe storms which damage property and cause loss of life are most frequent in the spring. Indiana has an annual average of 11 days with tornadoes. Property damage is greatest from high winds during thunderstorms, while hail occasionally causes loss of crops over small areas during the summer.

How much is a monthly budget in Lafayette ?

Housing and meals cost about 3,300 US$ per semester. To this amount should be added an amount of 1,000 US$ for miscellaneous personal expenses (books & supplies, local transportation, personal items, etc.).