Brussels International HousingSince 1998 · Brussels, Belgium

Your trusted housing specialist in Brussels.

From first enquiry to settled arrival, we provide expert local guidance and professionally managed accommodation for international students, trainees, professionals and the organisations that bring them to Brussels.

Two specialised divisions
Student & Trainee Housing

Housing for students & trainees

For international students, trainees, Erasmus participants and researchers — and the universities, international offices and education partners who support them.

Find Your Accommodation → EU Trainees →
Corporate Housing

Housing for international professionals

For companies, HR and global mobility teams, relocation agencies, embassies, NGOs and EU institutions — and the employees, expats and professionals they relocate to Brussels.

Explore Corporate Housing → ↓ Download the Guide (PDF)
Trusted since 1998·80+ nationalities·A registered Brussels operator·One named local contact
Who we are

More than accommodation — a managed local housing service.

Brussels International Housing is a registered Belgian operator — a housing partner, not a landlord or a listings platform. Since 1998 we have helped international arrivals settle in Brussels, whether they come to study or to work, and we support the institutions and organisations that send them. One company, one standard, one named local contact.

1998
Trusted since
500+
Units coordinated
5,000+
Rental contracts
80+
Nationalities served
✓ Belgian regulatory compliance
✓ Pre-arrival documentation support
✓ No agency or placement fees
✓ Multilingual communication
✓ Institutional partner network
Free for applicants

Our housing service costs applicants nothing.

You pay no agency fee, no commission and no placement fee to Brussels International Housing. You pay only your normal rent and deposit, directly under your tenancy agreement — exactly as you would anywhere else. Our guidance, matching and onboarding are included.

✓ No agency fees
✓ No commission
✓ No placement fees
Dirk Willem van der Linden — Founder, Brussels International Housing
25+ Years of residential
experience in Brussels
The founder

I came to Brussels as a foreign student myself.

"I know exactly what it feels like to arrive in a new country with no local contacts, no local knowledge, and the pressure of finding a place to live before classes begin."

Originally from the Netherlands, I moved to Brussels to study at the VUB in the early 1990s. That personal experience — the uncertainty, the language barriers, the administrative complexity of the Belgian rental market — became the foundation of everything I've built since.

Since 1998, I have personally coordinated housing for international students, interns, Erasmus participants, PhD researchers, and young professionals arriving in Brussels. What started as a local network has grown into a structured housing coordination service trusted by universities, international offices, and relocation partners across Europe and beyond.

Former international student at VUB, Brussels
Operating continuously in Brussels since 1998
Personally involved in 5,000+ rental contracts
500+ units across Brussels neighbourhoods
Students from 80+ countries served
Practical familiarity with Belgian administrative and registration procedures
Why it matters

Finding housing from abroad is one of the
hardest parts of relocating to Brussels.

01

Distance & distrust

Booking accommodation remotely — often without speaking French or Dutch — requires a level of trust that generic listing platforms cannot provide. Students fall victim to scams, misrepresented properties, and last-minute cancellations that destabilise their entire arrival.

02

Pre-arrival documentation complexity

International arrivals often need to provide a confirmed Belgian address as part of their pre-arrival administrative preparation — yet securing accommodation from a distance, without local knowledge, requires a level of trust that is difficult to establish remotely. Without a reliable local accommodation partner, this practical gap can delay and complicate the entire arrival process.

03

The first days define everything

International students who arrive to uncertainty — no confirmed address, no local contact, no orientation — begin their programme already stressed and behind. A structured arrival directly correlates with academic performance, wellbeing, and long-term satisfaction.

The difference

A personal housing partner, not another
listing platform.

Most housing websites hand you a list and leave you to manage the risk from abroad. We do the opposite: a named person reviews your situation, matches you to suitable accommodation, and stays with you through arrival.

 
Brussels International Housing
Typical housing platform
Cost to the applicant
✓ No agency, commission or placement fees
Service, booking or agency fees common
Who you deal with
✓ A named, reachable person
Anonymous listings & call centres
Booking from abroad
✓ Personally verified before you commit
✕ Risk of scams & misrepresented rooms
Pre-arrival documentation
✓ Accommodation confirmation letters provided
Rarely available
After you arrive
✓ Registration & onboarding support
✕ You are on your own
Local track record
✓ A registered Belgian operator since 1998
Often no local presence
Our process

A structured journey,
from first contact to settled arrival.

Step 1
Quick enquiry
Step 2
Personal review
Step 3
Housing match
Step 4
Accommodation proposal
Step 5
Reservation
Step 6
Arrival in Belgium

No cost to enquire, and no obligation. An initial enquiry simply lets us review your profile and tell you honestly whether we have suitable accommodation for you.

01

Initial enquiry & matching

You or your institution contacts us with arrival details — dates, budget, location preferences, and any special requirements. We respond personally within 24 hours with available options suited to your specific situation.

24h responsePersonal contactNo automated systems
02

Pre-arrival documentation

For students who need an accommodation confirmation letter as part of their pre-arrival preparation, we provide a formal housing confirmation document stating their reserved address and rental terms. We work flexibly within arrival and enrolment timelines — coordinating with universities or international offices where helpful.

Accommodation confirmation lettersFlexible timelinesInstitutional alignment
03

Arrival & structured onboarding

On arrival day, the accommodation is prepared, clean and ready. We guide new tenants through municipality registration (required within 8 working days of arrival by Belgian law), transport access, neighbourhood orientation, and local emergency contacts. We do not hand over keys and disappear.

Municipality registrationTransport briefingNeighbourhood orientation
04

Ongoing local support

Throughout the tenancy, students and institutional partners have a direct, named contact. Maintenance requests are handled through our technical team. We maintain communication with the student's institution if required. Partners receive updates at key milestones.

Direct contactTechnical teamInstitutional reporting
Who we serve

Built for every kind of
international arrival in Brussels.

🎓

Erasmus & exchange students

Semester or year-long stays. Clear rental terms, flexible move-in aligned with programme start dates, and structured support from day one.

🔬

PhD researchers

Multi-year stability. Quiet, study-focused environments with reliable long-term tenancy management and minimal friction.

💼

Interns & trainees

Brussels hosts EU institutions, NATO, and multinationals. Short-to-medium contracts tailored to internship durations, including EU institution timelines.

🌍

International degree students

Full academic year accommodation with enrolment-aligned timelines, municipality registration guidance, and ongoing local support.

🏢

Young professionals

First move to Brussels. We provide a credible entry point into the rental market for those without Belgian references or local networks.

👨‍👩‍👧

Parents & families

We communicate directly with parents upon request. Many families across Asia, the Middle East, and South America work with us specifically for the reassurance of a named, reachable local contact.

Why Brussels

Europe's most international capital city.

Brussels is unlike any other European city. As the de facto capital of the EU and home to NATO headquarters, it draws students and professionals from every country in the world. It is multilingual, cosmopolitan, and surprisingly affordable relative to other major European capitals.

10+
Major universities
180+
Nationalities resident
3
Official languages
#1
EU institutional hub

University ecosystem

ULB, VUB, KU Leuven Brussels, Solvay Brussels School, ICHEC, HEC Liège Brussels campus, and numerous specialised institutions. We have placed students at all of them.

Exceptional connectivity

Metro, tram, and bus network with a single integrated STIB pass. Brussels Midi connects to Paris in 1h22, London in 2h01, Amsterdam in 1h49. Cycling infrastructure across most neighbourhoods.

Well-regulated rental market

Belgian tenancy law provides clear protections for both tenants and landlords. Contracts, deposit rules, and notice periods are legally defined — no surprises.

Safe & structured municipality system

Every resident registers at their local commune within 8 working days. This registration underpins access to Belgian administrative services and is something we guide every student through personally.

Affordable relative to comparable capitals

Brussels offers a quality of life equivalent to Paris, Amsterdam, or Zurich at meaningfully lower cost of living — a key factor for students and families comparing European study destinations.

Student voices

What students and partners say.

★★★★★

"Arriving in Brussels without knowing anyone was daunting. Dirk had everything organised before I landed — the municipality registration, the keys, even a local SIM card recommendation. I felt settled within 48 hours."

YK
Yuki K.
🇯🇵 Japan · Master's student, ULB
★★★★★

"As an international office coordinator, I need a Brussels housing contact I can trust completely. Dirk provides the documentation my students need, communicates professionally, and never leaves them without support. He's irreplaceable."

SF
Sophie F.
🇫🇷 France · International Mobility Coordinator
★★★★★

"My parents were very worried about me living alone in Belgium. They called Dirk directly and within one conversation they were completely reassured. That kind of personal response to a family is rare."

AM
Amira M.
🇲🇦 Morocco · Erasmus student, VUB
Institutional partnerships

Built for the professionals who
support international mobility.

We work directly with universities, international offices, education agents, and relocation professionals. Our partnership model is designed to be simple, transparent, and genuinely useful — not just another vendor relationship.

Universities & international offices

We work alongside universities and international offices as a Brussels-based accommodation and onboarding partner — providing structured housing coordination for incoming students that aligns with your enrolment timelines and institutional communication standards.

  • Named coordination contact for your mobility or international team
  • Pre-arrival accommodation support aligned with your intake calendar
  • Structured onboarding communication throughout the student's stay
  • Ongoing support contact available for students during the tenancy
  • Partnership framework document available upon request

Education agents & recruitment agencies

Extend your Brussels offering with a reliable local accommodation and onboarding partner. We coordinate housing, pre-arrival communication, and practical settlement support — allowing you to focus on the client relationship while your students receive structured local coordination from day one.

  • Structured referral arrangements tailored to your workflow
  • Professional accommodation documentation for your client files
  • Clear, transparent communication with students and families
  • Flexible pre-arrival coordination packages
  • Consistent, dependable local follow-through in Brussels

Accommodation & pre-arrival support

We are familiar with the practical timelines and accommodation documentation often required when international students and professionals arrive in Belgium. We provide structured housing confirmation letters and pre-arrival coordination support to help ensure a smooth logistical transition — within our role as an accommodation and onboarding partner.

  • Accommodation confirmation letters for pre-arrival administrative use
  • Flexible documentation timelines aligned with arrival schedules
  • Direct onboarding communication with students and families
  • Practical pre-arrival coordination and settlement support

Brussels International Housing is an accommodation and onboarding coordination service. We are not a law firm, immigration consultancy, or legal advisory practice, and we do not provide immigration advice or guarantee any administrative or visa outcomes.

Relocation & HR professionals

For corporate relocations, EU institution placements, and professional transitions to Brussels, we offer structured accommodation coordination and practical onboarding support that goes well beyond a standard property transaction.

  • Professional welcome, orientation, and local settlement support
  • Practical guidance regarding municipality registration procedures
  • Clear documentation and communication for corporate files
  • Flexible accommodation terms suited to trainee and assignment timelines
Frequently asked questions

Everything institutional partners
and students need to know.

Because we are not paid by you. Brussels International Housing works with property owners and housing providers to keep their accommodation well-matched and well-managed, and our role is compensated within that professional relationship — not by charging the student, trainee or professional who moves in. That means no agency fee, no commission and no placement fee for applicants. You pay only your normal rent and rental deposit, directly under your tenancy agreement, exactly as you would through any landlord. This is set out in our Terms & Conditions.
No. We do not charge applicants any agency fees, commission, administration fees or placement fees. The only money you pay is your rent and your rental deposit, which go towards your tenancy in the normal way — never to us as a finder's fee. If any cost ever applies to a specific service, we tell you clearly and in writing before you commit to anything, so there are no surprises.
Yes. We can provide a formal accommodation confirmation letter stating the student's reserved address in Brussels and the terms of their housing arrangement. This type of document is commonly requested as part of pre-arrival administrative preparation. We work flexibly within student arrival timelines and can coordinate with the student's university or international office where helpful. Brussels International Housing is an accommodation and onboarding service — we are not an immigration consultancy or legal advisory practice, and cannot advise on or guarantee any administrative or visa outcomes. Students with questions about visa or permit requirements should consult their institution or a qualified immigration professional.
Every person living in Belgium must register at their local commune (municipality) within 8 working days of arrival. This registration is required by Belgian law and provides access to administrative services, public health coverage registration, and — for students requiring a Belgian residence permit — the official residence card. We guide every student through this process personally: what documents to bring, which commune office to visit, what to expect, and how to follow up. It is part of our standard onboarding, not an extra service.
We recommend contacting us at least 6–8 weeks before the intended arrival date for most cases. For students with longer administrative preparation timelines — such as those requiring pre-arrival accommodation documentation — 10–12 weeks is advisable. For late enquiries (under 4 weeks), we do our best to find solutions — but availability is not guaranteed. Institutional partners who work with us regularly can benefit from advance availability planning for their upcoming intakes.
Yes. All quoted rental prices include utilities (electricity, water, heating), Wi-Fi internet, building maintenance charges, and our onboarding and support service. Students do not receive unexpected bills for utilities. The only costs not included are personal expenses such as groceries, transport, and optional services. We are explicit about this in writing before any agreement is finalised.
Absolutely. Many parents — particularly from Asia, the Middle East, and South America — contact us directly before their child's arrival and appreciate speaking with a named person rather than a platform. We are happy to take a brief call or respond to email enquiries from families. We can confirm the property, explain the support structure, and reassure families that their child will have a real local contact throughout their stay. This is something we consider part of the service, not an inconvenience.
We maintain a technical team for maintenance and repairs across our managed properties. Students report issues directly to us — not to a distant property owner — and we coordinate the response. For urgent issues (heating failure, water damage, security), we have a dedicated emergency contact. Standard maintenance requests are acknowledged within 24 hours and resolved within a timeframe appropriate to the urgency of the issue.
Yes. For institutional partners — particularly universities and international offices — we can provide a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or partnership agreement that outlines the terms of our collaboration, response time commitments, documentation standards, and communication protocols. This gives your institution a professional framework for recommending us to incoming students and provides a documented basis for the partnership. Please contact us to discuss.
Brussels is a large, cosmopolitan European capital with all the variation that implies. The neighbourhoods where our properties are located are well-connected, well-served by public transport, and appropriate for student and young professional living. We specifically avoid placing students in isolated or poorly connected locations. As part of our onboarding, we brief every new arrival on neighbourhood orientation, local safety awareness, and emergency contacts. We have been placing students in Brussels since 1998 and have extensive experience advising on neighbourhood choice for different profiles.
Because arranging housing in an unfamiliar city, in a language you may not speak, from another country, is where most things go wrong. We give you a named local contact who reviews your situation personally, proposes accommodation that has been verified rather than simply listed, handles the documentation you may need before arrival, and guides you through registration once you land. And because our service carries no agency or placement fee for applicants, you get that support without paying more than you would to rent anywhere else.
Yes — most of the people we help reserve their accommodation before they travel, which is exactly the point of working with us. Once we have matched you to a suitable option and confirmed the terms, we arrange the reservation remotely and provide the paperwork you need, so your address is settled before you land. We recommend starting 6–8 weeks ahead where possible (10–12 weeks if you need pre-arrival documentation), though we do our best with shorter timelines too.
Tell us as soon as you know. Visa and administrative timelines slipping is a normal part of international relocation, and we would rather adjust with you than have you lose an option in silence. Where the accommodation allows, we work to align your move-in date with your revised arrival, and we keep you informed about what is and is not possible. We cannot control visa decisions or guarantee any administrative outcome — that rests with the relevant authorities — but we handle the housing side flexibly and honestly.
Yes. We regularly work with employers, universities, international offices and families who arrange or fund accommodation on behalf of a student, trainee or professional. An employer can be invoiced for rent where that is agreed, a university can coordinate placements for incoming students, and parents are welcome to speak with us directly for reassurance. Who signs the lease and who pays the rent is confirmed case by case — just let us know the arrangement and we will structure it correctly.
Yes. Everyone living in Belgium must register at their local commune within 8 working days of arrival, and the accommodation we arrange is intended to be registered as your official address. We guide you through the process personally — which documents to bring, which commune office to attend, and what to expect — as a standard part of our onboarding, not an added-cost extra. Municipality registration is carried out by the commune itself; our role is to prepare you so it goes smoothly.
Trust & transparency

Who we are.

Brussels International Housing is operated by Fifth Avenue Real Estate SA, a Belgian company based in Brussels. We assist international students, trainees, PhD researchers, interns and young professionals in finding accommodation when they relocate to Belgium.

We act as a housing facilitator and accommodation partner. We operate from Brussels and work directly with property owners and housing providers to coordinate suitable, professionally managed accommodation — supported by personal, named contact at every stage.

Brussels International Housing is a trading name operated by Fifth Avenue Real Estate SA.
Registered office: Avenue Louise 85, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Company number (BCE/KBO): 0896.135.488

Read more about who we are →

◆

A registered Belgian operator

Operated by Fifth Avenue Real Estate SA, a company registered in Brussels — not an anonymous listings platform.

◆

For internationals relocating to Belgium

We focus on students, trainees, researchers, interns and young professionals arriving in Brussels.

◆

A facilitator and partner

We coordinate housing with property owners and managers and provide structured onboarding — with no agency or placement fees for applicants, and a real local point of contact.

◆

Based in Brussels since 1998

More than 25 years coordinating accommodation for international arrivals across Brussels neighbourhoods.

Partner & Institutional Enquiries

Let's give your students a confident start in Brussels.

Whether you represent a university international office, a student mobility programme, an education agency, or a relocation consultancy — we welcome the conversation. Our service carries no agency or placement fees for the students and professionals you refer, and there is no obligation in an initial enquiry.

✉
☎
📱
Mobile / WhatsApp
+32 487 37 38 78
◎
Office address
Avenue Louise 85, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
⌚
Response commitment
We respond to all enquiries within 24 hours
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🎓
Looking for student accommodation?
This form is for universities and institutional partners. Students should use the dedicated Student Application Form for faster, more accurate housing matching.
Go to Student Application Form →
Partner & Institutional Enquiry
For universities, international offices, education agents, relocation professionals and institutional partners.

Start a partnership enquiry through our secure Tally form. We respond to all partner enquiries within 24 hours.

Start a Partnership Enquiry →
Please note: Submitting an enquiry does not create any contractual relationship, reservation, lease agreement or guarantee of accommodation. Accommodation offers remain subject to availability, screening and approval by the property owner or manager.
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We respond to all partner enquiries within 24 hours. Your information is never shared with third parties.