Bachelor in Digital Arts and Entertainment (DAE), English-taught

About the course

This is a three-year, 180-credit professional bachelor in game development and digital art, taught in English in Kortrijk. Howest also runs a Dutch-taught version. Majors listed on the Howest programme page include Game Development, 3D Animation, Game Graphics Production, Visual Effects (VFX), Independent Game Production and Game Sound Integration. The course is hands-on and project-based, and it focuses on the games and animation industry.

Entry requirements for Irish students

• Howest asks for a secondary school diploma that gives access to higher education in your own country. A full Leaving Certificate that meets Irish university minimum entry rules should meet this, but Howest does not publish a specific Leaving Cert rule, so confirm with Howest admissions. You upload your diploma and transcript (English is an accepted document language), and you also need to send a motivation letter.
• Howest’s pages mention no entrance exam or portfolio requirement for DAE. Admission is based on your diploma, English proof and motivation letter.
• English: you need B2 level. Howest’s listed proofs are TOEFL iBT 79, IELTS 6.5, Cambridge certificates, the IB, the European Baccalaureate, Duolingo 110, or at least one year of full-time English-taught study. The Irish Leaving Certificate is not named on this list, so ask Howest in writing whether your Leaving Cert English is enough before you book a test.

How to apply

1. Explore the majorsRead the Howest DAE programme page and compare majors such as Game Development, 3D Animation, Game Graphics Production, VFX, Independent Game Production and Game Sound Integration.
2. Check requirementsOn Howest’s page for English-taught degree applications, confirm the 2027 deadlines and the English proof you need. Ask admissions whether the Leaving Cert is accepted as English proof.
3. Apply onlineFrom 1 January 2027, apply on apply.howest.be for the English-taught DAE bachelor. Upload your ID, school results, English proof and a motivation letter, then pay the €50 fee before the EEA deadline (about 1 July).
4. Send results and enrolUpload your final Leaving Cert results when they come out in August, then enrol and pay the tuition fee before classes start in late September.

Costs

• The most recent EEA fee Howest shows is for 2024-25: a fixed €288 plus €13.80 per credit, which comes to €1,116 for a full year of 60 credits on English-taught bachelors. Flemish fees are set by the government and go up a little each year, so expect the 2027-28 fee to be slightly higher. There is also a one-time €50 application fee. Students from outside the EEA pay much more (€8,000 a year for 2026-27). Budget separately for a laptop and software.

At a glance