Is Civil Engineering for you?
Want to know if you are suited to the master in Civil Engineering programme? See the information and activities below to find out.
What does this programme involve?
Civil engineers: more than concrete!
As a civil engineer you build bridges, literally and figuratively. You construct the world of the future, and have the knowledge and skills to do this in a sustainable way. You have a true impact on the lives of people and on society.
Who better to tell you what this programme is like than the students who've participated?
- Jessica Pereira Oliveira | Alumna
"I started my master’s degree in Civil Engineering in August 2020, and I'm really enjoying the experience. Even in these difficult times with the coronavirus pandemic, the university supported me and the online classes were as good as they could be. I've learned a lot during this short time I have been here. The professors’ interest in improving our engineering skills and knowledge is very clear. I am glad to have chosen VUB for my master, and I can see my growth as a student and as an engineer."
- David Martin Linn III | Alumnus
"I arrived in Belgium in the fall of 2017 to begin my master’s degree in Civil Engineering after completing my bachelor’s degree in the United States. I decided to attend VUB because I wanted to expand my experiences and welcomed new challenges. Indeed, the coursework was challenging but rewarding. The wide variety of topics in the coursework provided me with many new possibilities in my career as an engineer. I would highly recommend the master’s degree in civil engineering at VUB."
Why study at the VUB?
Studying at VUB gives you more than a diploma. You learn to view the world with an open mind and without prejudice. You hone your critical thinking, and you learn to express your opinion. You commit not just to study, but to participate in meaningful social projects that make the world a better place. In short, this is where you shape your identity. Who you are today and want to be tomorrow.
Spread the study load
Create your own studypath
Within the VUB, we want to maximize our commitment to personal development and give as many students as possible the opportunity to continue their studies and develop themselves. Depending on your personal situation, it may be more difficult to devote full time to your studies. For example, you combine your studies with a job, you do top-level sports, ...   
At VUB you study at your own pace. With a flexible study pathway you make room for your personal situation (elite sports, dyslexia, disability, etc.). More information?
Study and examination flexibility
Reflex status
Do you have a physical disability, learning disability or chronic illness, or are you starting a business or finding it harder to study because of your personal situation? If so, you qualify for Reflex Status.
With this you can ask for a flexible approach to your studies and exams, to maximise your chances of success. You may need access to course materials, for example, or more time to sit an exam, a translator or interpreter, staggered examinations, and so on.
Elite sports and studying
Elite sports and study
Keen to combine your elite sporting career with a programme at VUB? It makes sense, as it strengthens your position in the jobs market after your sporting career ends.
Our Elite Sports & Study department helps you work out a personal study pathway and guides you through to the end.
Studying with a disability
Studying with a functional impairment
Do you have a disability (for example, a learning disability, chronic medical condition, psychiatric or sensory disability)? If so, you qualify for a flexible approach to your studies and exams through Reflex Status, to maximise your chances of success. You may need access to course materials, for example, or more time to sit an exam, a translator or interpreter, staggered examinations, and so on.
Find out more about Reflex Status
For extra support there are other student services to draw on at VUB. For example, a wheelchair-adapted room, study guidance and a personal study-pathway, mental healthcare, medical care, etc.
Study Guidance
Study Guidance
An experienced team of student psychologists, student counsellors and study-pathway supervisors are there to give you personal study advice, guidance and training. At every phase in your study career.
- Individual - Advice on your choice of programme, stress and anxiety training, help with exam planning, help for students with dyslexia...
- Group (workshops, courses) - Choosing a subject for your bachelor's or master's thesis, learning to present, dealing with stress and anxiety...
- Tools - An example of good weekly planning, tips and tricks for a good study method, a step plan to help you choose the right programme...
Combining your studies with a job
The Master in Civil Engineering is a daytime only programme. Therefore, there is no option to combine this study with a fulltime job.
Studying abroad
Our programme explicitly encourages and supports you in taking part in international mobility, like an Erasmus exchange.