These student associations are not connected to a specific faculty but rather the students share a common interest or affinity. They can be divided into two main groups, region-based and thematic students associations.
The Asian Student Association Leuven is a dynamic student community in Leuven. It organises cultural events and social gatherings, welcoming both students with an Asian background and those interested in Asian cultures.
ASAL fosters visibility of African students within KU Leuven/Leuven, cultivates inter/intra-African knowledge and culture exchange and promotes African influence, diversity, outreach and transformation agenda.
Armenian Students Leuven unites students and young professionals with Armenian roots. Ultimately, it is ASL’s ambition to build an ever-growing, solid network to which young people with the notion of Armenia as a common denominator, can turn to and where one can indulge in new friendships, professional opportunities and life-enriching experiences.
Erasmus Student Network (ESN) is the largest international student organisation in Europe, welcoming all students to a wide range of social events. In Leuven, we organise parties, cantuses, day and weekend trips, cultural events, sports on the regular and more.
Indian Student Association of Leuven (ISAL) represents Indian culture, fostering unity among members and the community. Through cultural and recreational events throughout the year, we aim to positively influence perceptions of Indian traditions and history. ISAL provides a platform for talent showcase and career guidance, with a primary goal of making students feel at home in Leuven since its inception in 1972.
Karibu is a student association in Leuven that caters to students of the African diaspora. Our goal is to provide opportunities for learning about African identities, cultures, and the realities of those with African roots in Belgium. We organize diverse activities, including cultural evenings and sports events, to create an enjoyable and educational atmosphere. While our focus is on students of African descent, everyone is welcome at Karibu.
ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT
Academics for Development is a non-profit organization founded on social entrepreneurship. Through projects and on-campus events, we strive to give students the opportunity to enrich themselves and have durable social impact.
AFT of 'Academics For Technology' is een verenging die studenten dichter bij ondernemerschap, technologie en innovatie wil brengen. AFT organiseert workshops, evenementen en internationale reizen om studenten de kans te bieden zich voortdurend te ontwikkelen en uit te dagen.
AIESEC in Leuven is a dynamic and youth-led organization that operates within the international network of AIESEC. The local chapter in Leuven focuses on empowering young people to develop leadership skills and make a positive impact on society. AIESEC in Leuven facilitates cross-cultural exchanges, providing opportunities for students to participate in global internships and volunteer projects.
BEST is a non-profit organization that aims to develop STEM students beyond academia. There are around 90 groups all over Europe that offer a range of events, trainings and exchange possibilities. The BEST group in Leuven organizes a yearly 10-day summer course and different events throughout the year like softskill trainings with companies and a coding challenge.
BLASE Leuven is Belgium's first management and leadership hub bringing students closer to effective leadership practices, taught by companies and business schools.
Capitant is the largest finance student organisation in Belgium, with the desire to allow students to unlock their financial literacy and to introduce them to and further guide them in the world of finance. We warmly welcome both eager financial novices seeking to broaden their knowledge as well as seasoned finance students. We achieve this by organising local events such as lectures, workshops, and in-house days.
Emergent is the pioneering student organization that highlights the technical, ethical and commercial aspects of data science and artificial intelligence problems. We do this in close collaboration with industry and academia to bring students, researchers and professionals closer together.
EUROAVIA Leuven is a student association that brings students and aerospace together. We organize a multitude of fun and educative events such as lectures, aerospace company visits and more. Take a look at our website to see our future events! 🚀
The Leuven Juris Club is an association of law students who provide legal advice to students, individuals, start-ups, and (small and medium-sized) businesses.
Forecasting is the systematic practice of attempting to answer questions about future events. Forecasters produce probabilistic in diverse sectors like finance, politics, and technology, and their accuracy is evaluated upon resolution. The better our probabilistic predictions, the better we can navigate uncertainty, and the SFS brings best practices to students.
ARTS AND CREATIVITY
The Arenberg Orchestra is the largest symphonic student orchestra of Leuven, with about a hundred musicians. Each semester we organize concerts around a different theme. The program is a mix of classical music, film scores and everything in between! From Beethoven's fifth symphony to John Williams' Star Wars, from Leonard Bernstein's musicals to Disney classics such as Frozen and Beauty and the Beast; we play everything!
We are a student association where playing TTRPGs is central. We organise monthly game nights where you can come and learn how to play games or have a space to play your own game. In addition to this we organize workshops and teaching nights to learn more about the games we love.
We're a theatre group composed of students, Phds and theatre enthusiasts based in Leuven. Feel free to join us any time and let your mind and body express itself through scripted plays, sketches and improvisation. Our main aim is to have fun! We meet once a week to rehearse but we also often meet for dinners, walks or other occasions.
Pati Pati is the student solidarity choir of Leuven. We want to contribute to a better world, while singing. We do this by hosting a yearly concert, of which all profit goes to an self-chosen organization each year. Throughout the year we also give some smaller concerts, for example a Christmas concert in a retirement home.
The Photography Club KU Leuven aims to share information, opportunities and interests in photography in a social way. We organise classes from beginner to advanced levels. Besides that we have specialized workshops, and trips to photogenic places or photo art galleries and museums. For analog photographers we have workshops and a dark room to your disposal for analog film development, b&w and color printing and also a photo studio.
LGBTQI+
Spectrum is a student association. We want to create a safe space for LGBTQIA+ students in Leuven.
POLITICS
KULMUN, the official model UN association of the KU Leuven, is a diverse group of 54 local and international students who gather weekly to enhance skills like debating, negotiation, and public speaking. In addition to our regular training activities, we travel across Europe to participate in MUN conferences and connect during our social events.
Minos is a Leuven-based student organisation that aims to bring EU politics and policy closer to students. We organise debates and other events around different aspects of the European Union. Apart from this we also do fun, less serious activities for our members, such as a movie night or a weekend away. Everyone is free to join!
VOLUNTEERING
Bloedserieus Leuven is the student organization that organizes the Bloedserieus weeks in Leuven. Once per semester, a blood collection is held in collaboration with the Red Cross Flanders. In exchange for the blood donation, donors receive a goodie bag and additional discounts at fakbars or other events organized by Bloedserieus Leuven. During the Bloedserieus weeks in Leuven, around 2000 students come to donate blood. As a result, it can claim to be the largest blood collection campaign in Belgium
Humasol is a non-profit organization that aims to make renewable energy, water and sustainable technology accessible to everyone. We work on these themes mainly in Africa, South America and Southeast Asia.
The Leuven Juris Club is an association of law students who provide legal advice to students, individuals, start-ups, and (small and medium-sized) businesses.
WELLNESS
The Bahá'à Student Club aims to provide a safe and welcoming space for students to engage in deep, meaningful conversations on a variety of topics while it also serves as a breather from the stresses of the academic life, allowing students to relax, unwind, and participate in creative and enjoyable activities!