High School Study Abroad in Belgium

Belgium is divided culturally into two distinct regions. The French speaking south incorporates about 41 percent of the country’s population, while the Dutch speaking north is home to the 59 percent majority. Although much of the country’s recent history has been marked by cultural tensions between the Walloon and Flemish populations, Belgium continues to thrive as a unified state nonetheless. In most cities you will hear people speaking both French and Dutch, and many Belgians are proficient in English as well.

As the capital and largest city, Brussels is first on many students’ lists for high school programs in Belgium. A central hub for international political and non-governmental organizations, students who take an interest in global affairs will be delighted by the sense of international prominence that pervades Brussels. Its architectural beauty, having been built upon for over 1,000 years, is just the icing on the cake. Brussels is bilingual, though French is the dominant language spoken in the city.

Other popular destinations for high school programs in Belgium include Antwerp, Ghent, and Bruges. These cities are significantly smaller than Brussels, but each offers a unique taste of Belgian culture in its own right. Many high school programs in Belgium will also include travel, with students visiting a few of these cities, as well as nearby countries, such as Netherlands and France. These multi-location high school programs abroad can be great for getting a taste of the regional diversity of Western Europe.