For an internship in Belgium longer than 90 days, Indian students need a Schengen National Type D visa, filed through a VFS Global Belgium visa application centre in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai or Kolkata, and a realistic monthly budget in Brussels runs EUR 850 to EUR 1,150. That is the short answer. The rest of this guide covers the document checklist, what Brussels and Antwerp actually cost month to month, what stipend you can realistically expect, and how Belgium stacks up against Germany and the Netherlands if you are still choosing a destination for 2026.
Belgium rarely comes up first when Indian students plan a European internship, and that gap is mostly about visibility, not opportunity. Brussels hosts the EU institutions, hundreds of international NGOs, lobbying firms and a genuine tech and policy scene, and Antwerp is one of Europe's busiest logistics and chemicals hubs. Both cities run large parts of daily business in English inside international employers, even though Belgium is officially French and Dutch speaking depending on the region.
What visa do Indian students need for an internship in Belgium?
Internships longer than 90 days require a Schengen National Type D visa, the standard long-stay route used across most EU countries for study and internship placements. Applications are submitted at VFS Global Belgium visa application centres, which operate in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata, so you do not need to travel to a single embassy city to file your application. Processing typically takes 15 to 30 working days once your file is complete, though this can stretch if the immigration office in Belgium requests additional documents.
| Document | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Internship agreement | Signed, stating start and end dates, role, and whether the position is paid or unpaid |
| Proof of funds | Bank statements or a sponsor declaration showing you can cover roughly EUR 850 to EUR 1,150 per month of stay |
| Health insurance | Valid for the full stay in Belgium, minimum EUR 30,000 coverage, from an insurer accepted by the Belgian immigration service |
| Accommodation proof | Signed lease, shared room agreement, or a formal letter of accommodation confirmation in Brussels or Antwerp |
| Passport and photos | Passport valid at least 3 months beyond your intended departure from Belgium, plus recent passport photos |
| Visa fee | Paid at the VFS centre at the time of application, in addition to the VFS service charge |
File your VFS appointment as early as your internship offer allows. Belgium processes applications through its municipal immigration offices as well as the visa centre, so a complete file submitted early gives you buffer if a document needs to be resubmitted or clarified.
If your internship is unpaid or pays only a small allowance, your proof of funds needs to cover the full monthly budget yourself, since a low or zero stipend will not reduce what the immigration office expects to see in your bank statements or sponsor declaration.
How much does it cost to live in Brussels or Antwerp as an intern?
Brussels takes the largest share of Indian intern placements in Belgium, given the concentration of EU institutions, NGOs and international employers, with Antwerp a strong second option for logistics, chemicals and port-adjacent roles. Budget the following for 2026, converted at roughly INR 90 to INR 95 per EUR in mid-2026.
| Expense | Brussels (shared room) | Antwerp (shared room) |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | EUR 400-550 | EUR 350-480 |
| Groceries and food | EUR 200-260 | EUR 190-250 |
| Public transport pass (STIB in Brussels, De Lijn in Antwerp) | EUR 12-49 | EUR 12-45 |
| Health insurance | EUR 45-75 | EUR 45-75 |
| Phone and internet | EUR 15-25 | EUR 15-25 |
| Social and incidentals | EUR 110-160 | EUR 100-150 |
| Realistic monthly total | EUR 850-1,150 | EUR 750-1,050 |
The STIB monthly pass in Brussels runs around EUR 12 to EUR 49 depending on whether you qualify for a student or youth discount, and De Lijn in Antwerp follows a similar tiered structure. Check your eligibility for the discounted rate through your host company or, if relevant, an Erasmus or university partnership, since the standard adult fare sits at the higher end of that range.
What stipend can you expect during a Belgian internship?
This is the part where Belgium requires an honest picture rather than an optimistic one. Many internships in Belgium, particularly shorter placements at NGOs, smaller policy organisations and some startups, are unpaid or come with only a modest allowance in the EUR 300 to EUR 800 a month range. Belgium does not apply the same automatic minimum wage floor to short internships that Germany and the Netherlands often apply once a placement crosses a set duration threshold under those countries' rules, so a Belgian internship pays less predictably by default.
| Sector | Typical monthly stipend (where paid) |
|---|---|
| EU institutions and larger NGOs | EUR 500-800, more consistent than smaller organisations |
| Tech and consulting | EUR 600-800, most reliably paid |
| Smaller NGOs and policy organisations | EUR 300-500, or unpaid, common at Brussels-based think tanks |
| Logistics and chemicals (Antwerp) | EUR 400-700, varies by company size |
Before accepting any offer, ask the host company directly, and in writing, whether the internship is paid, what the exact monthly amount is, and whether it covers the full duration of the placement. Do not assume a stipend applies just because the company is large or well known: confirm it every time, since Belgium's rules leave far more of this to individual employer discretion than Germany's DAAD linked internships or the Netherlands' more standardised placement norms.
Belgium vs Netherlands vs Germany: how does it compare for Indian students?
Belgium's visa processing window, 15 to 30 working days, sits close to the Netherlands' internship visa route and is generally faster than Germany's process outside the structured DAAD WISE pipeline. Living costs in Brussels sit below Amsterdam and close to mid-tier German cities, while Antwerp runs cheaper again. Where Belgium falls behind is stipend predictability: Germany and the Netherlands both have more established scholarship linked or minimum-wage-backed internship structures, while Belgium leaves pay largely up to the individual employer. If you are deciding between destinations, how Germany compares to the Netherlands is worth reading alongside this guide, and the general Schengen visa guide for internships covers the baseline rules that apply across all these countries, Belgium included.
Belgium tends to make the most sense for students specifically targeting EU institutions, international NGOs, or Brussels and Antwerp's policy, logistics and tech scenes, rather than students optimising purely for the highest guaranteed stipend.
Step-by-step application checklist
- Confirm your internship type, paid or unpaid, and get the exact monthly amount in writing from the host company.
- Secure a signed internship agreement stating dates, role and pay status.
- Arrange health insurance with minimum EUR 30,000 coverage for the full stay.
- Gather proof of funds covering EUR 850 to EUR 1,150 per month of your stay in Brussels, or EUR 750 to EUR 1,050 in Antwerp.
- Secure accommodation proof, a lease or formal confirmation letter, before your VFS appointment.
- Book your VFS Global Belgium appointment as early as possible, ideally 8 to 10 weeks before your intended start date.
- Submit your application and track processing; expect 15 to 30 working days.
- After arrival, register your address at the local commune within the required window.
A structured, evidence-based profile helps here too, since Belgian employers sponsoring a Type D visa want a clear, verifiable case for why you specifically are the right intern, especially given how much of the pay decision is left to their discretion. Read what a Living Profile is and explore how it strengthens exactly this kind of application before you file.
Ready to Plan Your Belgium Internship?
Given the 15 to 30 working day processing window, an autumn or winter 2026 start means beginning your document collection now, not waiting until your host company sends a final contract. Start your free profile on Internship Abroad to compare Belgium against other destinations and get matched with programmes that fit your background and timeline.