As an international student, you are allowed to register your official address at Upkot.
This procedure is only applicable for international students and thus not for Belgian students.
Make sure to follow the procedure below.

STEP 1: Book an appointment with the Demography Service of your city.

STEP 2 for non-EU foreigners: Go to the counter with your international passport (obligatory).

Upon receiving the summons card, go to the counter on the date and time indicated on it, with the following documents:

• The summons card
• 3 or 5 passport-sized photos, depending on the case
• €50.9 + the price of the annexes and the residence permit based on the status
• Your national passport
• The documents mentioned on the summons card, depending on the status

STEP 2 for Europeans: Go to the counter with your ID card or national passport.

Upon receiving the summons card, go to the counter on the date and time indicated on it, with the following documents:

• The summons card
• 5 passport-sized photos
• €50.9 + the price of the annexes and the residence permit based on the status
• Your national passport or ID card
• The documents mentioned on the summons card, depending on the status

STEP 3: A police investigation will take place within 14 days.

This means that a police inspector will contact the Upkot coach to verify if you are actually residing at Upkot. Afterwards, you will be asked to visit the Demography Service again (same address).

! Please note: This procedure can take up to two months to complete.

Why do you need to open a bank account in Belgium?
Opening a bank account in Belgium is recommended if you plan to stay in the country for more than a year, as it eliminates any additional charges from your home country.

Keep in mind that you need to be domiciled in Belgium before you can open a bank account, so make sure to register your address first (see "request domiciliation Belgium" section). Also, remember to have some extra cash, a valid international debit card, a visa or other means of payment to cover your expenses during the transition period.

There are several different banks in Belgium that offer a range of services and products.
Here is a list of some of the major banks in Belgium:

• BNP Paribas Fortis: BNP Paribas Fortis is one of the largest banks in Belgium.
• KBC: KBC is a banking and insurance group that operates in Belgium and other European countries.
• ING Belgium: ING is a global banking and financial services company with a presence in Belgium.
• Belfius: Belfius is a Belgian bank that provides banking and insurance services.
• AXA Bank Belgium: AXA Bank is a subsidiary of the AXA Group, specializing in banking and insurance services.
• Argenta: Argenta is a Belgian bank.

You can find all the information you need about train transport in Belgium on the SNCB website.
This includes information on timetables, domestic connections and international rail links. You can also buy your train tickets online at this website.

Go to the website of SNCB

Bus
The bus is a convenient means of travel and the network covers a wide area not served by other forms of public transport. The bus routes in Belgium are handled by 3 different companies: De Lijn (in Dutch), TEC and STIB.

De Lijn is responsible for the Flanders network, while TEC handles bus travel in Wallonia. The STIB buses cover the Brussels metropolitan area.

Tram - metro
Tram and metro are the ideal means to get around in the city. They encounter little or no hindrance from other forms of traffic and bring you safely and quickly to numerous destinations in the city.

You can travel by tram in the cities of Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Charleroi. You can travel along the entire coast by taking the coast tram (in Dutch).

The metro is currently only available in Brussels. The metro forms part of the STIB network together with the bus and tram services of the Brussels metropolitan area.

Taxis are primarily run by private companies but there are standard regulations for taxis. The companies can fix their own rates within the maximum rates prescribed by law. You can find a comprehensive overview of this service on the Brussels metropolitan area taxi service website.

All the information contained on this website refers exclusively to Brussels metropolitan area taxi services. In other parts of the country, the companies may have different methods of operating.

In Belgium we might have other power outlets than you’re used to, so keep in mind that your electronic appliances might not fit in the power outlets here.

To fix this, you can get a plug adapter.

You are obliged to take out an insurance policy with an approved  insurance company to cover your liability and to cover the contents of the room against fire, storm, explosion, lightning and water damage, in accordance with the statutory requirements and obligations. It is your responsibility to ensure that the contents you bring into the room are properly covered.

Also check the insurance policy you or your parents already have. In a lot of cases, studying periods abroad are already completely covered.

Your parents’ fire insurance may cover your student accommodation, since you are only temporarily moving to Belgium. Check this in your parents’ insurance policy.

If you are not covered by your parents’ insurance policy, you will have to take out an extra fire insurance for your student room. This should cover two risks:

• your liability (tenant’s liability and liability vis-à-vis third parties)
• the contents

You can contact a Belgium insurance provider or a bank for more information (f.e. Ethias)

When studying abroad, it is crucial to have proper medical insurance coverage to protect yourself in case of any health-related issues. Here are a few important points to consider regarding medical insurance when studying abroad:

1. Research your options:
    Before departing for your study abroad program, research different insurance providers and policies that offer coverage for international students. Contact your home country's insurance companies or explore options available in the country where you will be studying.
    
2. Check your existing coverage:
   Review your current medical insurance policy to see if it provides any coverage for medical expenses incurred abroad. Some insurance plans may offer limited coverage for emergencies outside your home country. However, it is often recommended to have dedicated travel or study abroad insurance for comprehensive coverage.

When staying in Belgium for a longer period, having a Belgian phone number might be a good idea to avoid unnecessary costs. There are two options:

• A prepaid SIM card (good if you need to use the Belgian number just once in a while). You can buy a prepaid SIM card in any newspaper shop. 

• A monthly phone subscription (good if you’re going to use your Belgian number as your primary number while staying here). You can buy a monthly phone subscription by a phone provider of your choice. In Belgium you will find different ones: Orange, Telenet, BASE and several others. You will find even more phone providers in the center of Brussels.

Your place description will automatically be sent to your e-mail address after signing. Be sure to check your spam too. Did you not receive it? Then you can easily find it on your personal portal at www.upportal.be.

Unable to find it? Send an e-mail to your Upkot coach and he/she will send you the document. 

No worries. Photos can still be added to your place description in the first two weeks. So check the entering place description carefully and check your room thoroughly.

Any other defects found? Please forward clear photos in a clear email via attachment as well as the location of the damage to kotgebouw@upkot.be (e.g. mia@upkot.be).

Feel free to send an email to backoffice@upkot.be with your question and our colleagues will be happy figuring it out for you.

For information about terminating your rental agreement during the academic year, you can always consult your rental agreement via your personal portal. In the rental agreement you will find the various modalities (General Terms and Conditions - article 20) that can be requested. You can always ask for advice from your Upkot coach.

If you wish to terminate your rental agreement, please send an e-mail to backoffice@upkot.be.

For (future) Erasmus students, we have a specific procedure whereby you sublet your kot or studio for a certain period of time. Contact the Upkot coach of your building.

Limoengroen is the in-house energy supplier of Upgrade Estate, the parent company of Upkot. For this energy, you pay a fixed monthly fee to Limoengroen. This flat fee includes the use of electricity, water, heating, internet and waste disposal.

This is a monthly fixed amount: that means there will be no final bill at the end of the year.

What should I do?

1. You want to organise a party or pre-drink Upkot.

Nice, but let the Upkotters of your kitchen know about it. Make proper arrangements and make sure the other Upkotters have no problem with this. In addition to your kitchen, it is best to also inform the other Upkotters in your building. That way they are aware that there may be some noise. The Facebook group of your Upkot building is the ideal place to inform your fellow Upkotters.

2. What should you do in case of noise pollution?

Is it before 10pm? Communicate with your fellow Upkotters and make good agreements, because good agreements, make good friends.

Is it already later than 10pm? Time to take action. Feel free to ask fellow Upkotters to turn down the sound. You can do this in your building's Facebook or Messenger group. Still notice no change after 10 minutes? Check with your fellow Upkotters and ask them to turn down the music. If you don't get an answer, send a message to the UpStudent or Upkot coach.

Partying in the chillroom or the kitchen is allowed if you respect the agreements formulated above. Make sure there is always peace and quiet in the building between 10pm-7am.

So move your party to another location in time, so that your fellow Upkotters remain happy too.

Sure, we really like this!
You can always share your personal Upkot stories on our Upkot channels.

PS: check out our latest filters on Snapchat. Scan the QR code and discover all the filters.

At Upkot, we want all students to have the time of their lives. To ensure good coexistence, we believe it is important that every Upkotter respects everyone in the Upkot community.

When good coexistence is compromised, a wake-up call may be given by your Upkot coach. This is a written warning. A second wake-up call may result in a decision not to renew the lease for the next academic year. A third wake-up call will result in immediate termination of the current tenancy agreement.

No, you cannot smoke in the room nor in other places in the building. Smoking outside is allowed. Moreover, we have zero tolerance on drug use (both soft and hard drugs).

Within Upkot, we respect each other's identity & personality. Because an Upkotter is like all people, like some people and like no other.

Upkot is a progressive and respectful community. We respect diversity and the identity of each Upkotter, Upkot coach and the building.

We create a positive atmosphere through connecting communication. If we encounter people who do not subscribe to our Upkot values or do not behave according to our agreements, we communicate about it.

However, our openness to a diversity of thoughts also includes a non-negotiable framework. What we cannot tolerate are actions and behaviour that go against our own basic values, human rights and the law. Inciting aggression, spreading hatred, deliberately insulting others, displays of sexism, transgressive behaviour and racism have no place in our community. Upkotters guilty of such behaviour should be held accountable by you. If the facts are serious, you should report it so that we can take the necessary consequences. In serious cases, the rental agreement will be terminated.

If you experience behaviour that cannot be tolerated in our Upkot Community, please report it by sending an email to respect@upkot.be. Your report will be kept strictly confidential.

It would be punishment if you have not yet met your Upkot coach during your entry, but just to be sure, you can find your building's Upkot Coach on our website, with a photo!

Your Upkot coach feels at home in all fields. He or she is responsible for your Upkot building: from building management to renting and organising the social activities. In short: he/she ensures that you lack nothing and that you can have the time of your life.

You can also go to the Upkot coach for both your practical questions and a good chat.

In most cases, our Upkot coaches also manage multiple buildings and thus often move between locations.

You can always contact your Upkot coach within the agreed working hours (9am-6pm). Communication is mainly via messenger and Facebook. So don't forget to add your Upkot coach as a friend on Facebook.

Outside working hours and on weekends, you can call on Upkot's Emergency Line. The number of this line is 09 395 98 98.

Please note that unnecessary interventions will incur an additional charge.

An urgency includes one of the following failures/problems:

• Electricity problems
• No internet (Wifi outage)
• Leaks
• Hot water problems
• Lift problems
• Fire
• blockages of pipes
• Entrance doors faulty
• Medical/psychosocial urgency
• Security issue

All matters outside the above, are not considered an urgency and are only dealt with during working hours. By the way, in case of medical and/or psychosocial urgencies, you can always contact your Upkot coach, even after working hours.

Please note: for unnecessary interventions, a fee will be charged.

When your Upkot coach is on holiday, his/her 'Buddy' will take over urgent tasks and emergencies. In the first place, you can also contact the UpStudent for questions or problems. If the UpStudent cannot be reached or it concerns an urgency during working hours, you can contact the Buddy coach. His or her contact details are always clearly communicated when your Upkot coach goes on holiday.

An UpStudent is an Upkot student who works as a job student and supports the Upkot coach in the building. You can contact him for small practical questions such as: emptying the letterbox, opening the door when you lock yourself out, asking for new rubbish bags, changing light bulbs in the kitchens, etc.

If this happens within working hours (Mon-Fri between 9am-6pm), you can always ask your Upkot coach or the UpStudent to let you in.

If this happens outside working hours or on weekends, you can ask the UpStudent.

If he/she is not present or unable to let you in, you will have to find a (temporary) solution yourself.

If you are staying in one of the buildings listed below, you can report your defect via this online form.

• Baudelo Upkot
• Gate Upkot
• Ganda Upkot
• Ter Plaeten Upkot
• Mia Upkot
• Whey Upkot

If you are staying in another Upkot building, report your breakdown to your Upkot coach.
Note: be aware that some repairs are the tenant's responsibility.

In our 'Let's Upfix It', we give you more information on this.

Go to the Let's Upfix It document

Do you have a general complaint that you cannot address with your Upkot coach?

Then send us an e-mail at backoffice@upkot.be. The e-mail will then be followed up with you by our Community Managers.

Most buildings are equipped with a Fasttel system.

It can be found at the building entrance. Look in the contact list and type the number next to your name on the Fasttel's keypad. Because the system is linked to your phone number, you will receive a phone call.

Save this number as e.g. 'doorbell Upkot'. This way, you will always know if someone is at the door for you. You can open the door and/or gate with your phone by pressing key "2".

Tip: always include this info with your orders as well (e.g. Deliveroo).

Does your building have a different intercom system?

If so, be sure to ask the Upkot coach or UpStudent how it works.

Smartair

With badges and locks that work on Smartair, you have the handy feature of leaving your room door open. This function is called 'Escape Return' and you can use it to go to e.g. the kitchen or toilet without having to take your badge.

There are two types of ways to leave your room open. Be sure to watch the videos to see how to do this:

1. Escape-return function
2. Double badge system

Watch the video to see how it works

Important: Do you notice that your lock starts to flash red-green when badging? Then this means that the batteries are running low. In this case, contact your Upkot Coach as soon as possible.

Salto KS

With this system, in addition to the badge, an application for the smartphone is also provided. With the app, it will be possible to open the door via bluetooth or remotely. Wait for your Upkot coach's invite to create an account on the app. After you have done this, the app will show you an overview of all the locks you have access to.

If you lose your badge, you can simply purchase a new one on our webshop.

Your Upkot coach will contact you to create a new badge. The lost badge will also be immediately deactivated when a new one is created.

If you want an extra badge, you can also purchase it in the webshop and your Upkot coach will contact you to make a copy.

In the webshop, you will find other things you can purchase. Be sure to take a look at the products.

Go to our webshop

Log in via the following details:

• Network name: Upnet
• Password: UPkotIsTheBest1999

When there is a problem with the internet connection via telenet, it is often due to a general fault within the network. So first check this website.

If no general fault can be determined, contact your Upkot coach as soon as possible.

Contact Smarteye yourself via their (live) Helpdesk: 

• by email admin@smarteye.eu
• by phone on 09 395 6000 (24/7).

Always explain your problem as clear as possible. For example:

• Username: X
• Upkot: Upkot building, room ... floor ...
• Problem description: X

Only in buildings that have a Smarteye/Student Internet connection; it's possible to upgrade speed.

There is a fair-use soft limit of 150GB/month. You can track your personal usage via https://dashboard.studenteninternet.be and increase it yourself to 200GB/month for free. Visitors can use their school username and password to access the internet via Eduroam and therefore do not need to log in to your personal code.

More info via https://www.studenteninternet.be/index.php/eduroam/.

Another question? Then check www.studenteninternet.be/index.php/faq/ first.

Leaving the building as soon as possible, of course!

Your Upkot coach will share with you a detailed 'What to do in case of fire' to prepare the annual evacuation drill with you. You can always access this document in the general Facebook group under 'documents'.

These are the key steps:

• Contact fire brigade in case of effective fire and notify Upkot coach and follow evacuation procedure
• No fire in sight? Oef! Then contact the Upkot coach/UpStudent (during working hours) or the emergency line (after working hours) and not the fire brigade.
• The evacuation procedure is as follows:
  • You leave the building immediately (you cannot use the lift)
  • You go to the communicated evacuation site
  • You wait for further instructions from your coach

There’s no mattress or desk chair included when you rent the room.

You can buy them on the Upkot webshop (don’t wait too long) and it will be installed in your room when you arrive.

Go to Upkot webshop

Did you know that you can also find second-hand mattresses or desk chairs on Upkot Marketplace. It's an Upkot Facebook group dedicated to sell or buy items or furniture from other students (only for Upkot projects).

Go to Upkot Marketplace

Do you have your own thermostat in your room?

Fantastic, then you can control your heating from the screen. We always aim to keep your room or studio at a temperature between 20 and 22 degrees.

Please note that these target temperatures cannot be guaranteed during extremely high or low outdoor temperatures.

Do you have an invididual radiator in your room?

Then we have some more interesting tips for you:

• Always set your heating to setting 2 or 3
  • This way, you not only maintain a pleasant room temperature, but also save energy.
• You should never turn off your heating
  • If it's too hot outside, your heating will automatically turn off
• Even in sub-zero temperatures, you still have an indoor temperature of 20°C.
  • Please note that in extreme cold or heat, our target temperatures (between 20 and 22 degrees) may not be reached.
• In doubt about the temperature in your room? Measure = know! Get a minimum-maximum thermometer from your Upkot Coach.

Yes! We have a working ventilation system in every Upkot building. This is necessary to maintain good air quality, humidity and to keep your head cool.

DID YOU KNOW...

• No more fresh air is added if you close your ventilation grille and you also disrupt the entire system by doing so.
• The normal act background noise is 37 dB.
• You keep your room fresh by opening your window early in the morning or late at night.

First fix the problem yourself with a plunger. If you can't manage to unclog your toilet, contact your Upkot coach.

Better prevention than cure, therefore make sure you:

• always use the large push button when flushing
• hold down the big push button long enough (especially when you have been to the big toilet)
• never deposit condoms, sanitary towels, tampons, etc. in your toilet

If a professional unblocking firm has to come and it turns out that the toilet has become clogged due to bad use, the (high) unblocking costs will be charged to the tenant.

When you or your neighbour is in the shower for too long, he/she affects the water temperature of other neighbours who are showering at the same time. Hence comes the saying "If you take a one-hour shower, your neighbour will complain."

Therefore, we would like to encourage everyone to (try to) limit shower time to 5 minutes. Moreover, you should know that too hot water is not good for your skin and hair.

Did you know ...

• There has been an hourglass in every communal shower since this academic year to (try to) limit your shower time to 5 minutes

Twice a year, the Upkot coach and/or UpStudent will visit you to see if the room is well managed and/or if you need any tips to better maintain the room. These room rounds will be announced well in advance.

In our 'Tips & tricks document' you can find tips & tricks to keep your room/studio in optimal condition.

Discover the tips & tricks

To help you do this, we have prepared a 'Checklist for leaving your room'.

Discover the checklist

No, even though we cannot officially prohibit you from doing so. However, you will have to restore your wall to its original state at the end of your stay if it is damaged. As it would be a shame to waste money on this, we have provided plenty of space and tools to personalise your room with photos.

When you rent a room without an own kitchenette, you share a kitchen with other people. The idea is that after you use the kitchen, you should always leave the room tidy and take the necessary steps if a rubbish bag is full or a dishwasher needs emptying. The same principles apply to the general facilities.

Throughout the year, for example before the summer or after the first semester, a big kitchen clean-up is organised. Everyone who uses the kitchen is then assigned a task and carries it out by the deadline. Thus, throughout the year, the kitchen gets a deep and thorough cleaning!

For your food, we have provided an individual shelf for you in the fridge, freezer and cabinets via a label with your room number.

As for tableware, this is shared with the rest of the kitchen for practical reasons.

So you will see that shared cabinet space is provided for bags, glasses, plates, and so on.

As Floor Manager, you keep a closer eye on the cleanliness of the kitchen and make adjustments where necessary.

At the end of the week, you are in charge of cleaning the kitchen. After cleaning, you take photos of the result and post them on the kitchen's facebook page. When you are Floor Manager, you will find this on the kitchen lists in the kitchen.

These tasks are compulsory. So be sure to swap turns if you are not there or sick. Can't do this? Then send a message to the Upkot coach or the UpSudent.

Upkot aims to be net carbon neutral by 2035 and has developed a roadmap to achieve this ambitious goal.

Since 2018, no fossil fuels have been used in new Upkot projects to reduce CO2 emissions. In addition, parent company Upgrade Estate is pursuing a long-term strategy to generate its own energy with wind turbines and solar farms, and is investing in sustainably managed forests in Finland.

Upkot has its own upcycling studio where a passionate team works with existing items to provide upkot projects with original and sustainable design. With this, we want to raise awareness and inspire our students to fight waste.

With Upkot, we want students to have the time of their lives. Therefore, we organise many initiatives so that they can enjoy their time as students with peace of mind. Some of the initiatives we enthusiastically organise for students:

• Feel free to talk: Admitting to yourself that things are not going well takes courage. Upkot reaches out with #feelfreetotalk. Enjoy a free session with a registered psychologist, sign up via this link or email to feelfreetotalk@upkot.be.
• Warmest winter market
• Grandma's soup
• Croque in the block
• Hotdog o'clock
• ...

Did you make a bad buy or have surplus food? Put these in the sharing is caring fridge at the entrance hall. If there is something in the fridge that you can use yourself, take it with you. This is how we combat food waste!

You are free to give the Upkot chickens some food waste, but be sure to read the instruction sign at their fence carefully. They lay eggs to thank you for your love and care, so feel free to take the eggs and make some scrambled eggs for your fellow Upkotters.

GO! You will find a timer in every communal shower, turn it on, you have five minutes to shower. This makes everyone aware about your water use.

Looking for stuff to furnish your room? Or like to sell things yourself? Then it's super easy to do it via the Upkot Marketplace Facebook page.

Go to Upkot Marketplace

With the 'Clothes for a cause' campaign, we encourage you to clean out your wardrobe and donate clothes you no longer wear to charity. This collection campaign is organised annually.

Do you have your own ideas to make your project more ecological and sustainable? Then don't hesitate to let your Upkot coach know. Then we will work on it together!

At Upkot, we use the Tapazz app to use the laundry room (washing machine and drying cabinet)

You have received an e-mail to download the app and create an account. Accept the invitation, download the app and log in. You will then get an overview of the devices present in your Upkot building.

• Open the Tapazz app.
• Click on 'Laundry' and reserve a machine of your choice.
• Indicate the correct time when you wish to wash/dry.
• Go to 'today' / 'bookings' where you will find an overview of your reservations.
• Make sure your bluetooth is on and your phone is connected to WIFI.
• At the reserved time, go to the Laundry Room, open your app and press 'start booking'.
• After several notifications, the app will search for the washing machine/drying cabinet and show an 'open/close' button.
• You will see that the washing machine or drying cabinet will now turn on to select the desired programme.
• After your wash, take your clothes out of the washing machine/drying cabinet.
• Click turn off and then finish your booking within the reservated hours.
• After your first booking, you will receive an e-mail to pay for the laundry.

In the laundry room itself, you will find a full overview with explanations.

A wash costs 1,5 euros/hour*. A wash lasts a minimum of 2 hours.

*These rates may change.

• Start booking within 15min. Later than 15min = no show fee.
• Terminate your booking on time. A penalty will be charged for late termination.
• Payment will be deducted from your account per wash.
• You will receive an e-mail reminder 10 minutes before the end of your wash.
• Make sure you always clean the dust filter and water tank after your wash. This will keep the appliances well maintained.

Then contact the helpdesk via support+naamupkotgebouw@tapazz.com (e.g. support+miaupkot@tapazz.com)

We have different types of waste streams:

• WASTE COLLECTOR: residual waste (waste may be placed in any bag)
• CARTON/PAPER CONTAINER: cardboard & paper
• PMD- CONTAINER: all types of plastic
• GLASS CONTAINER: all types of glass (coloured and white)
• GFT-CONTAINER*: green waste and food waste

Upkot considers it important to be conscious about waste management. So do your bit and sort properly.

Note: make sure your bin bags are always buttoned up before depositing them in the right container.

*Food surpluses - according to the information on the placard at the chicken run - may be given to the chickens.

Letters or small packages delivered in the letterbox are collected in the 'You've got mail' - letter holder in the entrance hall of your building.

Packages can be delivered Upkot, but are your responsibility.

They are usually collected at a central location, depending on your Upkot building.

Ideally, it is best to drop off your parcel at a collection point, as this is safest. The UpStudent empties the letterbox about twice a week.