KU Leuven in facts and figures

An academic forerunner

• Founded in 1425, 13 campuses in 10 cities across Flanders, 15 faculties, 64.476 students, 22.682 staff members, +250.000 alumni.
• Of the 64,476 students at KU Leuven, 16,791 are international, representing more than 140 nationalities.

One of Europe's highly ranked universities

• KU Leuven ranks consistently in Europe's top-15 universities in the Times Higher Education ranking. Ranks #43 worldwide in the 2025 edition of the same ranking.
• In the 2026 QS World University Rankings it occupies the #60 position worldwide.
• In the 2025 ARWU Shanghai ranking, KU Leuven is ranked #76 worldwide.

A comprehensive university

• 50 bachelor’s programmes, including 6 taught in English.
• 139 master’s programmes, with 74 offered in English and 1 in French.
• 42 advanced master’s programmes, of which 24 are taught in English and 1 in Spanish.

Research & Impact

• 8.126 researchers, 749,2 million euros in research expenditure in 2024, 7.310 PhD students,1023 doctoral degrees in the 2023-2024 academic year, 520 (51%) of these were awarded to non-Belgian researchers.
• 186 spin-offs created over the past 5 decades.
• In 2024, 131 patents were granted and a license-income of 174,2 million euro was obtained by KU Leuven.
  
  Sources: KU Leuven Fact & Figures and Research Figures.