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InnoBlog: Landing in Leuven
If you’re coming to Brussels to attend the prestigious KU Leuven, you might be curious about your soon-to-be new city. You’ve got a lot of questions, and hopefully I can share my city with you and answer them! We’ve all been new at one time, but it’s easy to settle in and fall in love with Leuven. It’s a safe and beautiful place with lots to offer in the way of fantastic architecture, friendly natives who speak English, and delicious Belgium beer. Check out my insider tips to make your transition to Leuven a smooth one:
Taking in the sights
The best way to get an overview of your new area is to take a walking tour to orientate yourself. You can visit the top highlights of your new city with a student tour guide using a free app called “Leuven Walk”. Download in the App Store or Google Play Store and start exploring!
Meeting new people made easy
Arriving in a new city can be an overwhelming and lonely experience: however, the Pangaea Intercultural Meeting Centre is here to help make meeting people easier. Pangaea creates a home-away-from-home atmosphere, supporting new students and helping them make new connections within the Leuven university community. Pop on in and start making friends!
To meet your fellow EIT InnoEnergy Master School students – check out Intake 2020 group on CommUnity!
A delicious history
If you like beer, you’re going to love getting to know the rich beer history of Leuven. Their best-known brewery goes way back to 1366 – which has given them a lot of time to perfect this golden brew. You can dive into the beer culture by visiting two different breweries that are open to the public: Stella Artois and Domus Brauhaus. The latter also serves great food so you can make a night of it!
Staying active
If you’re the sporty type, get the KU Leuven Sports Card to gain a full year’s access to over 70 organised sports. You can pick from 4 sports centres (dance, gymnastics & martial arts), 7 tennis courts, a swimming pool, 5 beach volleyball courts, a fitness gym (with small extra fee), an outdoor and indoor athletic track, 3 artificial soccer fields, and a rugby field. You will have access to all you need to keep your body as sharp as your mind!
Get into the culture
If you’re curious about the local scene, there’s no better way to see what’s up than grabbing a KU Leuven Culture Card. Learn all about the local activities, get great discounts, have access to free monthly performances, and even win free event tickets. You’re going to love all this city has to offer – from art to dance to music – so get the card (well worth the 20 EUR) and don’t miss a thing!
I hope these local tips have made you even more excited to arrive in Leuven. If you would like some more practical details, check out this brochure ‘Living in Leuven’ to help you prepare for your new life. Leuven is a great city place to study – and an awesome place to live!
By EIT InnoEnergy Master School Team
