Belgium has a long history of innovation in science and technology, making it a great place to work and study. Academic salaries for Flemish (Dutch-speaking) or Wallonian (French-speaking) universities are set by their respective governments. Each position has its own salary scale and your place within the scale is determined by your qualifications and seniority (time from completion of PhD). The salary statistics in this article are pre-tax. The tax rate in Belgium is between 45% and 52%.
Here are the salaries for the Dutch-speaking Belgian universities:
PhD Student
The PhD is the highest academic degree in Belgium and it is required to work as a professor or researcher. Broadly, the path to a Belgian PhD consists of four years of advanced research that culminate in the writing of a dissertation which is then orally defended. Some programs require PhD students to gain teaching experience as well. PhD students often are employed as assisterend academisch personeel (academic assistant staff) or an assistent (research assistant).
PhD salaries are determined by seniority and range from €23,469 to €39,716 per year. Doctoral grants are tax exempt.
Doctor-assistent
After earning their PhD, many researchers go on to do a doctor-assistent or postdoc. A postdoc is a continuation of the researcher’s training that allows them to further specialize in a particular field and learn new skills and techniques. Postdoc research is usually themed or project specific. A Belgian postdoc lasts three years. A postdoc is usually classed as an Assisterend Academisch Personeel (Academic Assistant Staff or AAP) position and uses a different salary scale than more senior academic positions.
A postdoc’s qualifications determine their place on the salary scale which ranges from €29 070 to €45,317 per year.
Docent
This position is equivalent to the rank of assistant professor or lecturer and is the first permanent academic position. The initial contract is often for three years and may become permanent following a positive evaluation. If the position becomes permanent, it is not uncommon for an academic to remain in a docent position until retirement. Consequently, universities are starting to introduce tenure-track docent positions. A more experienced candidate with the potential to become a hoofddocent can become a tenure-track docent. After four years their performance is evaluated and they can be promoted to hoofddocent.
A docent is the first Zelfstandig Academisch Personeel (Independent Academic Staff or ZAP) level position. There are two salary scales for docent positions, ZAPFT1 and ZAPFT1A. The first starts at €29,914 per year and increases to €44, 095 per year with 24 years of experience. The second goes from € 30, 255 per year to €47,444 per year with 24 years of experience.
Hoofddocent
A hoofddocent is equivalent in rank to an associate professor or senior lecturer. Traditionally to become a hoofddocent, a universitair docent had to apply for a vacant position. However it is now possible to be promoted to this position based on performance. This is a permanent position and it is not uncommon to remain a hoofddocent until retirement.
Hoofddocent is also a ZAP position with two salary scales. ZAPFT2 goes €34,256 per year and increases to €53,815 per year with 24 years of experience. ZAPFT2A goes from €34,735 per month to € 58,403 per month with 24 years of experience.
Hoogleraar
A hoogleraar is equivalent to a professor. They have substantial research accomplishments that have established them as an international or national leader in their field. The position is connected to a department, rather than a faculty. Unlike the North American tenure system, there is no automatic promotion to hoogleraar.
A hoogleraar is another ZAP position. A newly-appointed professor with no seniority receives €40,109 per year but can earn up to €61,224 per year with 18 years of seniority.
Gewoon hoogleraar
A gewoon hoogleraar is equivalent to a full professor and is at the top of the professorial hierarchy. They are part of a faculty and have a role similar to that of a department chair in that they supervise all the other professors in their department or group.
Gewoon hoogleraar is the most senior ZAP position. Their salary scales starts at €44,925 per month and make €68,633 with 15 years of seniority.
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The academic salaries at a French-speaking university in Belgium are a little different:
Etudiant en doctorat
The doctorat is the highest academic degree and it is required to hold academic positions. It is a research-only degree that culminates in the writing of a thesis which is then orally defended in front of a jury. It takes three years to earn a doctorate.
A typical PhD salary at UC Louvain is around €2,000 per month.
Post-doc
A postdoc is a continuation of the researcher’s training that allows them to further specialize in a particular field and learn new skills and techniques. Postdoc research is usually project specific. Postdocs in french-speaking Belgium last a maximum of three years.
A typical postdoc monthly salary at UC Louvain is around €2,500.
Chargé de cours
Chargé de cours is the normal entry level position at a Wallonian university. It is equivalent to an assistant professor and is usually a permanent position. Less experienced academics may be appointed as a temporary chargé de cours for a probationary period of three or four years. If their research and teaching are evaluated positively, their position will become permanent.
A newly-appointed chargé de cours at UC Louvain with no seniority earns €4,725, while those with the highest seniority earn €7,407 per month.
Professeur
A chargé de cours with at least eight years of experience can apply to professeur positions. A professeur is equivalent to an associate professor. Belgian professeurs have strong publication records, proven teaching skills, and have been successful as a PhD supervisor. They have usually established themselves as an international or national leader in their field.
A newly-appointed professor at UC Louvain with no seniority earns €5,527, while those with the highest seniority earn €8,423 per month.
Professeur ordinaire
A professeur can be promoted to a professeur ordinaire, the most senior academic position in French-speaking Belgium. It is roughly equivalent to an American endowed chair. In addition to research and teaching, these professors are expected to take on an academic leadership role in the department or faculty. It is only possible to become a professeur ordinaire through promotion.
A newly-appointed chargé de cours at UC Louvain with no seniority earns €6,188, while those with the highest seniority earn €9,439 per month.