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International Master of Science in Fire Safety Engineering

Frequently Asked Questions

Application

It is not possible for me to get my diploma legalized before the submission deadline. Will this affect the selection outcome?

! As of October 2025, Ghent University uses a global verification service instead of asking for legalisations !

Read about it here.

If for some reason, you should still need a legalisation, it is always best to upload the legalized diploma as soon as possible. We understand that it can take up quite some time and cost a lot of money, so it’s possible to upload the non-legalized degree with a stamp of your university before the deadline in order to be able to submit your application in due time. This will not affect the selection process; it is possible to get a conditional admission to the programme this way. However keep in mind that you must provide the fully legalized documents before the start of the programme.

Once your diploma has been legalized:

  • Before the submission deadline: please upload a scan of the legalized diploma directly onto the Oasis platform

  • After the submission deadline: please e-mail admission@UGent.be  with the diploma attached in PDF format.

I will not be able to send my (new) English language certificate before the submission deadline Can I still send a (new) language certificate later on?

For example: you are still waiting on the test results or you have noticed that your language certificate has been expired recently.

Yes: it is possible to provide us with your (new) English language certificate after submitting your application. Make sure you apply before the deadline!

However, without a valid language certificate your application is incomplete and incomplete files might have lower chances of receiving a scholarship. We recommend you upload any proof of language skills you might have and mention that you're aware that you will still need to provide us a new language certificate that meets the requirements (mention your exam date if possible).

Provide us with your valid language certificate (email and upload to OASIS) as soon as possible and before the start of the programme (September) at the latest! Without a valid test, you will not be able to enroll!

For students who want to start in Edinburgh, having a valid language certificate is necessary to obtain your letter of admission. As long as you haven’t provided a valid language proof, you will not receive your letter of admission for Edinburgh and you will not be able to start other administrative processes like applying for a VISA or applying for Edinburgh University Accommodation!

can I still change something about my application after submitting it?

We strongly recommend to wait with submitting your application until you are sure that all information is correct and complete. A file will normally not be changed anymore once submitted.

However in some cases a change to your file is possible:

  • you have recently obtained your (bachelor) diploma: please e-mail admission@UGent.be and imfse@ugent.be with the diploma attached in PDF format.

  • you have obtained a new language certificate: please upload the certificate onto the Oasis platform yourself (also possible after the submission deadline)

  • your documents have been certified / legalized recently: please e-mail admission@UGent.be with the documents attached in PDF format.

Always mention your application number when you e-mail us!

Can I be exempt FROM submitting a language certificate (English language qualification)?

For the English language entry requirements we need to follow the rules of The University of Edinburgh: https://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/postgraduate/applying/your-application/entry-requirements/english-requirements. Most students are able to prove their English language proficiency with their obtained degree (from a majority English speaking country or from an university on the list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries) or with a language certificate such as TOEFL. The website clearly explains which degrees and which tests are valid (and how old they maximum can be).

We want to stress that we cannot deviate from this; we as a programme are not able to make changes to the exemption list.

You can e-mail us if something remains unclear after carefully reading all the information on the website mentioned above. However, it is of no use to e-mail us a request for exemption because we as a programme cannot go into that anyway.

HOW LONG SHOULD MY MOTIVATION LETTER BE?

There’s no real limit to how long or short your letter should be, but keep in mind our selection committee has to process a lot of files, so keep it to the point. A good reference would be to stick to one or two A4 pages at the most.

 

Visa

which visa should i apply FOR, when should i apply and what do I need to apply?

Visa applications are very important and can be quite complicated. Unfortunately there is no general guidance, as this depends from country to country, but once you have been admitted to the programme, you will receive all necessary information from us, including the necessary admission letters. It is crucial to start the application at the correct time and to have all documents ready.

 

Housing

Is University housing included when admitted to the IMFSE programme?

Applying for housing is always done through a different application than the admission application, but we will guide you in this process. While not entirely guaranteed, practically all students who prefer university housing are able to secure it. More information on the different university housing applications is shared with admitted students in due time.

is it possible to look for housing on the private market instead of applying for university housing?

Yes, this is possible, but this is then your own responsibility. It can be a good idea to check with other students/alumni who know about certain places on the private market. In Ghent it is important to mention that you should be able to register the address of the private housing as your actual address (domicile): this is necessary for the application of the residence permit.

 

Courses/Exams

Where can i find more information on the courses and course schedule?

A: The full programme can be consulted in the UGent Study Guide. Once admitted to the programme, you will receive extra information on the course schedule through the online platforms of the different universities.

How and when are the exams taking place?

The exams for the first semester and third semester take place in December, while at Lund University (second semester) they take place at different times during the semester (between March and June). Students starting the IMFSE programme in September receive all necessary information.

Will the IMFSE programme be on campus or online?

The IMFSE programme will be on campus. Attending classes in person is mandatory.

is it possible to follow the complete programme from home through distance learning?

No, this is not possible.

 

Erasmus Mundus Students and Alumni Association (EMA)

What is EMA and how can they help?

EMA is an association for students and alumni of Erasmus Mundus Master and Doctoral programmes. You can find out all there is to know about EMA through their website https://www.em-a.eu/. IMFSE has an EMA Programme Representative (PR) who can be reached via imfse@em-a.eu. You can read how an EMA PR can help you on the EMA PR webpage.

 

Student info

How well WILL IMFSE prepare ME for A job?

92,5% of our alumni say that they had the feeling that the IMFSE programme prepared them (very) well for a job and 87,8% of our alumni reported that they implement a lot of their IMFSE knowledge and skills (very) often in their job. 72,6% of our alumni explicitly mentioned that their IMFSE degree has impacted their level of salary in a positive way.
(According to our alumni survey in January 2022)

What is THE overall experience of most students of this programme?

A significant amount of 92,6% of our alumni said that their experience with the IMFSE programme was (very) good!
(According to our alumni survey in January 2022)

Are there any restrictions when it comes to nationalities?

There is no nationality restriction, all applicants from all nationalities are welcome in the programme. By now, already 77 different nationalities have participated in our programme!