‘Silver Wall’: Belgium hikes student-visa maintenance requirement to €1,050 a month

Moroccan and other non-EU students eyeing Belgian universities will need to prove **€1,050 per month** in available funds – up from €835 – when applying for a study visa from the 2026-27 academic year, the Office of Foreigners confirmed on 5 March. Migration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt said the new threshold, indexed annually, better reflects actual living costs and seeks to deter applicants who view student status as a back-door migration route. The jump means prospective students must show bank statements or a sponsor’s financial guarantee covering more than €12,000 for the full year, a 26 % increase that critics have dubbed a “silver wall” limiting access to wealthier families.



For those unsure how to navigate the tougher financial-proof rules, VisaHQ can guide applicants step by step, offering document checks, requirement updates and concierge support through its Belgium portal (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/). The service can help students, sponsors and corporate mobility teams make sure their statements, guarantees and letters satisfy the new €1,050-per-month benchmark before submission.

With 536 Moroccan applications already refused last year, education agents fear rejection numbers will climb; universities worry talent pipelines for engineering and IT programmes could dry up. For corporate mobility managers, the change adds complexity to graduate-trainee and internship schemes that funnel non-EU talent through Belgian master’s degrees. Companies that previously provided modest top-ups may now need to issue larger sponsorship letters or stipends to meet the requirement. Van Bossuyt stressed that the measure aligns with Belgium’s broader strategy of stricter, economically driven migration rules. The maintenance figure will be re-indexed each July, reaching €1,062 for 2026-27, and could rise further with inflation. Students already in Belgium are unaffected, but renewals filed after 1 July must meet the new benchmark. Universities are campaigning for a transitional arrangement and more scholarships; the minister’s office signalled limited flexibility, arguing that “financial independence is a prerequisite for successful integration”.