Student Welcome Leuven 2025
A new tradition !
Guess who's back? On 25 September, Leuven will be bursting with life once again as our students return! And we're not just celebrating; we're celebrating with a special edition of the iconic Student Welcome. A one-off event? Forget it, this is going to be a new tradition.
Don't miss it: this will be the official kick-off of the academic year in Leuven – and it's all completely free!
Thursday 25 Sept. 2025
- 18.00: Kick-off (Martelarenplein)
- 19.00: Student Parade (Bondgenotenlaan)
- 19.30: State of the Student (Grote Markt)
- 20.00: Party (Oude Markt & Vismarkt)
- 00.00: The end
18.00 – Kick off with free fries & more
Fill up before you get down! Start your evening at Martelarenplein with free Alma fries and beats by Nona Van Braeckel (StuBru-dj). From there, the Student Parade takes off — a brand-new tradition that marks students’ arrival in the city.
The student welcome starts at Martelarenplein at 6 PM — with you and your wheeled suitcase !
19.00 – Student Parade
The Student Parade makes its way from Bondgenotenlaan to the Grote Markt. Artists Benjamin Verdonck, Tine Van Aerschot and composer Daan Geysen contributed to this one-of-a-kind experience. The sound of a procession full of wheeled suitcases, a mobile DJ booth — created by Existenz & Atelier Circuler — and twenty amplified trolleys come together for a powerful sound performance. Together we’ll make it a noisy comeback: students + wheeled suitcases = the parade of the year. Parking for your suitcase is sorted!
19.30 – State of the Student
On the Grote Markt, the ‘State of the Student’ explodes: a musical tribute to student life in Leuven. Alan Van Rompuy (Azerty Klavierwerke) drew inspiration from the stories of 163 students and turned their ideas into a powerful composition — featuring choirs, a brass band, carillon, electronic beats, and yes, your voice.
Kaat Van Stralen and Maya Mertens (aka Vieze Meisje) will be firing up the crowd — you won’t be able to resist singing along.
Party on two squares !
This special edition hosts not one, but two stages. Oude Markt? Still the longest bar in Europe, this time with cool scenography and great DJs who will be pumping out the beats until midnight. At the Vismarkt, Industria, VTK and Ekonomika will ensure an unforgettable evening.
Oude Markt timetable:
19.00 - 20.00 yli
20.00 - 21.00 séa
21.00 - 22.30 Tjade
22.30 - 24.00 AMBER BROOS
Vismarkt timetable:
20.00 - 21.00 Jaël Ost & MagiK
21.00 - 22.00 MICHAEL AMANI
22.00 - 23.00 Mark with a K & MC Chucky
23.00 - 24.00 Karakals
A new tradition
Leuven is Belgium’s ultimate student city, with over 50,000 students bringing its heart to life. No wonder the tradition of welcoming students in style on the first Thursday of the academic year started right here. This year, as KU Leuven celebrates its 600th anniversary, the event gets a fresh new twist. From now on, this will be the annual kick-off of a new academic year, spread across various squares in the city. Unique collaborations and amazing artists will ensure that the city really cuts loose. It’s the ideal kick-off to an unforgettable academic year.
The Student Welcome is part of KU Leuven's 600th anniversary celebrations.
Partners
Het studentenwelkom is een samenwerking van KU Leuven, stad Leuven, 30CC, Hogeschool UCLL, LUCA School of Arts, LOKO, Industria, Ekonomika, VTK, vzw Oude Markt, Het Depot, maakleerplek, Atelier Circuler, Existenz, Alma, en vzw Martelarenplein. Powered by LEF!
See what else there is to experience during this celebratory year.
