You've been dreaming of becoming a doctor since childhood. In Belgium's French-speaking community, that dream has exactly one gatekeeper: a single, seven-hour competitive exam held on a Thursday in late August. There are no second chances within the same year. There is no retake in September. You prepare, you show up at Brussels Expo, and you give it everything you have. This guide tells you exactly what you're walking into.
1. What Is This Exam, Really?
The Concours d'entrée et d'accès aux études de médecine et de dentisterie is Belgium's official, government-mandated gateway to medical and dental studies in the French-speaking community (Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles). It is organized by ARES — the Académie de Recherche et d'Enseignement Supérieur — and introduced by decree in March 2017.
For years, it operated as a simple pass/fail entrance exam (the EXMD) with two sessions per year and a fixed score threshold. In 2023, everything changed. The exam was overhauled into a concours — a full competitive ranking system with a single annual session and a government-set quota of seats. This shift is the single most important thing to understand about this exam, because it changes your entire preparation philosophy.
You are no longer just trying to "pass." You are trying to outperform thousands of other candidates for a finite number of spots.
In 2025, 5,205 candidates sat the exam. Only 1,520 were admitted — a pass rate of approximately 29.2%. Roughly one in three students makes it.
This exam grants access to five French-speaking universities in Belgium:
| University | City |
|---|---|
| UCLouvain | Louvain-la-Neuve / Brussels |
| ULB | Brussels |
| ULiège | Liège |
| UNamur | Namur |
| UMons | Mons |
You choose your target university at registration. Importantly, your choice of university does not affect your national ranking — all candidates are ranked on the same national list by ARES.
2. The Official 2026 Exam Date — And Why It Matters
The 2026 exam takes place on Thursday, 27 August 2026.
The exam is always scheduled between August 16 and 31 of each year — specifically on the last Thursday of August. It takes place at a single, centralized location (see Section 6). There is no July session, no online option, and no alternative date.
Crucially, there is only one session per year. Since the 2023 reform, the old two-session system (with a backup in August/September) has been permanently abolished. If you cannot sit the exam on August 27, you wait until 2027.
Key 2026 Timeline at a Glance
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Registration opens | 18 May 2026 |
| Registration closes | 5 July 2026 (11:59 p.m.) |
| Equivalence application deadline (foreign diplomas) | 15 July 2026 |
| Last date to cancel registration (without using an attempt) | 13 August 2026 (11:59 p.m.) |
| Exam invitation available on your online account | ~20 August 2026 |
| Exam day | Thursday, 27 August 2026 |
| Results / attestation published | Early September 2026 |
| University enrolment begins | September 2026 |
The cancellation rule is generous and worth knowing. If you cancel your registration by August 13 — ten working days before the exam — the attempt does not count against your two-lifetime-attempt limit. If you register, don't cancel in time, and simply don't show up, that also does not count as a used attempt. You only "use" an attempt if you actually sit the exam.
3. Medicine or Dentistry? You Choose at Registration
This is one of the most misunderstood aspects of the exam. The same written test is used for both Medicine and Dentistry candidates. But at the moment of registration, you must choose one programme and one university. This choice is permanent.
After the exam, ARES produces two separate national rankings — one for Medicine candidates, one for Dentistry candidates — based on the same exam scores. You compete only against candidates who chose the same programme as you.
You cannot switch your choice after registering. If you pass ranked within the Medicine quota, you can only enrol in Medicine. If you pass ranked within the Dentistry quota, you can only enrol in Dentistry. There is no mechanism to "try for both."
Think carefully before you register. Your career direction and your competitive odds are both shaped by this single choice.
4. Who Can Register? Eligibility Explained
To register, you must meet these conditions:
- Hold a Belgian CESS (Certificat d'Enseignement Secondaire Supérieur) or a recognised foreign equivalent.
- Meet the general conditions for access to higher education as set by Belgian law.
- Not have exhausted your two-attempt limit within the past five academic years.
There is no upper age limit. Working professionals and career-changers sit alongside fresh secondary graduates every year.
For International Students: The Equivalence Requirement
If your secondary diploma was issued outside Belgium, you must obtain an official equivalence certificate from the Equivalence Service of the Ministry of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. This is a separate administrative process from registering for the exam — and the deadline for submitting your equivalence application is 15 July 2026.
Do not leave this until June. Equivalence processing takes time. Start in January or February if you are coming from outside the EU. Certain EU diplomas may benefit from exemptions or faster processing — contact the Equivalence Service directly for your specific case. ARES itself has no role in this process and cannot answer equivalence questions.
5. How and When to Register
Registration Portal
Registration is exclusively online via: www.concoursmd.be
You must create a personal ARES account on this platform. This account will also be where you:
- Print your exam invitation (required for entry on exam day)
- Access your results
- Download your attestation if you are admitted
Registration Window
Opens: 18 May 2026
Closes: 5 July 2026 at 11:59 p.m.
There are no exceptions for late registration. Once the portal closes, it closes.
Registration Checklist
Before submitting, confirm you have completed all of the following:
- Created a personal ARES account at concoursmd.be
- Chosen your programme: Medicine or Dental Sciences (one choice only, irrevocable)
- Chosen the university where you wish to study
- Indicated whether you are a resident or non-resident
- Uploaded supporting documents to prove residency or equivalence status
- Paid the registration fee of €30 online
Registration Fee: €30
The fee is paid by online bank transfer at the time of registration. There are no other fee tiers — €30 is the flat amount for all candidates regardless of residency status. Importantly, if you actually sit the exam on August 27, the €30 is refunded to you. You only forfeit the fee if you registered and neither cancel in time nor show up.
6. Where Will You Take the Exam?
Brussels Expo — Plateau du Heysel, Brussels
Every single candidate in the French-speaking community sits the exam in the same physical space: the Brussels Expo exhibition complex in northern Brussels. This is a deliberate design choice to ensure uniform conditions for all candidates nationwide.
It is not possible to take the exam in another Belgian city, in Wallonia, or from abroad. If you are an international student, you must physically travel to Brussels on August 27.
Book accommodation in Brussels before mid-July. Hotels near Brussels Expo and in the Laeken/Heysel area fill up quickly in late August due to the exam and other events at the site. Thousands of candidates converge on the same venue.
7. Exam Format and Structure
The exam is a single-day, written, paper-based assessment consisting entirely of Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), each with four options and one correct answer. It uses optical mark recognition (OMR) answer sheets.
The full exam lasts approximately seven hours, divided into two blocks across the morning and afternoon of August 27. Each block covers two subjects from Part 1 and two from Part 2 (the exact daily schedule is published by ARES ahead of the exam).
Question Distribution
| Part 1 | Part 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Knowledge and understanding of scientific subjects | Communication and critical analysis of information |
| Subjects | Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics | Reasoning & Analysis, Ethics & Empathy, Communication, Critical Thinking |
| Questions per subject | 15 MCQs | 15 MCQs |
| Total questions per part | 60 MCQs | 60 MCQs |
| Grand total | 120 MCQs |
The total exam is scored out of 160 points (not 120 — the scoring assigns differential weight to certain questions; always verify the exact marking grid in the official ARES annales for your sitting year).
On Negative Marking
The scoring modality for 2026 has not been definitively published at the time of writing. Some years have included negative marking; some have not. At least one major preparation provider explicitly warns candidates about negative points in their 2026 materials. Treat this as an active risk: never guess blindly. Eliminate at least two options before committing to an answer. Check the official ARES marking rules once published after registration opens in May.
8. The Full Syllabus Breakdown
The official syllabus is published by ARES on mesetudes.be. What follows is an expanded overview of priority topics, based on past papers (annales) and official documentation.
Part 1 — Scientific Knowledge and Understanding
The scientific content is drawn from Belgian upper secondary education programmes — broadly equivalent to the final two years of a science-track baccalaureate. However, the Belgian curriculum covers some concepts not always encountered in French, Indian, or international secondary programmes, so verify topic-by-topic against the ARES syllabus.
Biology
Cell structure, cell division (mitosis and meiosis), molecular genetics (DNA structure, transcription, translation, mutations), heredity and Mendelian genetics, human physiology (nervous system, endocrine system, cardiovascular system, immune system), ecology, and evolution. Biology consistently carries high question density across past papers.
Chemistry
Stoichiometry and reaction balancing, redox reactions and electrochemistry, acid-base equilibria (pH, buffers), thermodynamics (enthalpy, entropy, Gibbs free energy), chemical kinetics, atomic structure and the periodic table, and organic chemistry (functional groups, reactions, nomenclature). The Belgian chemistry programme goes deeper into thermodynamics than many equivalent international curricula.
Physics
Classical mechanics (kinematics, Newton's laws, energy, momentum), geometrical optics (reflection, refraction, lenses), waves and sound, electricity and circuits (Ohm's law, RC/RL circuits), fluid mechanics, and radioactivity and nuclear physics. Expect quantitative problems requiring calculation, not just conceptual recall.
Mathematics
Algebra and functions, trigonometry, vectors, differential calculus (derivatives, optimization, curve analysis), integral calculus (definite and indefinite integrals, areas), limits, logarithmic and exponential functions, statistics, and basic probability. Mathematical fluency is critical because slow calculation will cost you time across all four science subjects.
Part 2 — Communication and Critical Analysis of Information
This section is systematically underestimated by candidates with strong science backgrounds. Yet it comprises half of your total score. The skills assessed here are not "soft" — they require specific practice with the MCQ format.
Reasoning and Analysis
Reading complex texts (medical, scientific, or social), extracting relevant data, identifying logical inferences, constructing and evaluating syllogisms, and spatial reasoning exercises. Speed and accuracy matter: the reading load is heavy.
Ethics and Empathy
Understanding the four principles of bioethics — autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice — and applying them to concrete medical scenarios. Demonstrating empathy, compassion, fairness, and respect in simulated patient interactions. These questions often present dilemmas rather than clear-cut answers; you are being assessed on your reasoning process, not just your conclusion.
Communication
Interpersonal and professional communication dynamics, active listening, recognizing conflict and potentially conflictual situations, and resolution strategies. Questions often present doctor-patient or team interaction scenarios.
Critical Thinking and Conceptualisation
Synthesizing information from multiple sources, critiquing arguments, identifying assumptions and logical fallacies, and forming reasoned judgements. This sub-section rewards candidates who can think quickly under reading pressure.
The connection between Part 1 and Part 2: Your scientific knowledge and your ability to think and communicate are not separate skills — they are what medicine actually demands. A doctor who understands pharmacology but cannot communicate a diagnosis clearly or navigate an ethical dilemma is not a good doctor. The exam's two-part structure mirrors the dual demands of the profession. Take Part 2 as seriously as you take your biology.
9. How the Scoring and Ranking Works
This is the mechanism that determines your fate, so understand it precisely.
How You Are Ranked
After the exam, ARES calculates each candidate's total score out of 160, based on all 120 questions across both parts. Candidates in each programme (Medicine and Dentistry separately) are then ranked in descending order from highest to lowest score.
The Quota System
Each year, the Government of the French Community (Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles) sets a fixed numerus clausus — the total number of spots available in Medicine and separately in Dentistry for the upcoming academic year. In 2025, 1,462 candidates were admitted to Medicine (including 219 non-residents) and 186 to Dentistry (including 27 non-residents).
The ARES jury selects candidates from the top of the ranked list downward, until the quota is filled. The candidate ranked at the exact cutoff point defines the minimum score needed that year — but this threshold is not published in advance and varies every year based on candidate performance.
What "Passing" Actually Means
There is no fixed score you need to achieve. There is no "10/20 minimum per part" anymore. You need to rank high enough to fall within the quota. In a year with stronger candidates overall, the same raw score might leave you outside the quota. In a weaker cohort, a slightly lower score might be enough.
This is why:
- Drilling past papers to understand typical difficulty levels matters
- Practicing speed matters (every point you leave on the table drops your rank)
- Mock concours that show you your relative rank among other candidates are more valuable than solo study sessions
The Attestation de Réussite
If you rank within the quota, ARES issues you a personalised attestation de réussite (certificate of success). This document is:
- Non-transferable (it is yours alone)
- Valid only for the immediately following academic year (if you receive it in September 2026, it is valid for enrolment in academic year 2026-2027 only)
- The mandatory document required to enrol at your chosen university in your chosen programme
If you do not use your attestation for the 2026-2027 academic year, it expires. In cases of genuine force majeure, ARES may consider extending its validity — but this is exceptional.
10. The Non-Resident Quota — Critical for International Students
If you are not a Belgian resident, this section directly controls your admission odds.
Who Is a Non-Resident?
ARES defines residency based on where your main residence is registered in Belgium. If you are not registered as a resident in Belgium — regardless of your nationality — you are classified as a non-resident candidate.
The 15% Cap
Non-residents are subject to a strict cap: the number of non-resident candidates admitted cannot exceed 15% of the total number of admitted candidates in each programme. This cap applies separately to Medicine and Dentistry.
This means that even if you score higher than some Belgian residents, you might not be admitted because the non-resident seats are already filled by other high-scoring non-resident candidates. Non-residents are ranked among themselves separately once the 15% threshold is reached.
For Indian, African, French, and other international candidates: This 15% quota is the defining constraint of your application. 1,462 total Medicine seats in 2025 means approximately 219 non-resident seats. These are extremely competitive. Your preparation must target the top percentile of all candidates, not just the pass threshold.
Documentation for Residency Status
If you claim resident status, you will need to upload proof of Belgian residence dated no earlier than 1 May 2025. Various documents are accepted depending on your situation (Belgian ID, foreign residence permit, refugee documentation, family composition certificate, etc.). The official ARES registration page specifies which document applies to your circumstances.
11. Attempt Rules: How Many Times Can You Try?
Over any five consecutive academic years, you may sit the concours a maximum of two times (in two different academic years). You cannot sit the exam twice in the same year — there is only one session per year.
Worked example:
- If you first sit the exam in 2026 (for academic year 2026-2027) and do not rank within the quota, your five-year window begins in 2026.
- You may sit again in any one year between 2027 and 2030 (i.e., 2027, 2028, 2029, or 2030 — but only once more).
- After that second attempt, you cannot sit again within the five-year window.
The "no-show" rule: If you register but do not sit the exam (whether you cancelled in time or simply did not appear), that year does not count as a used attempt. You only burn an attempt when you actually hand in an answer sheet. This makes strategic timing important — if you are not fully prepared, it may be better to skip a year than to use your second attempt prematurely.
Force majeure exceptions exist: if extraordinary circumstances (serious illness, bereavement, etc.) prevented you from sitting, the ARES jury may waive the attempt count at its discretion.
12. What Happens After the Exam?
The exam closes on August 27. Here is what follows:
- ARES marks all papers and calculates individual scores out of 160.
- Two ranked lists are produced: one for Medicine, one for Dentistry.
- Attestations de réussite are issued to candidates who rank within the quota — published on your concoursmd.be account, expected early September 2026.
- Admitted candidates must immediately proceed with university enrolment at their chosen institution. You must enrol in the programme and at the university you specified at registration — you cannot switch to a different university after your attestation is issued.
- Candidates who were not admitted receive their results and ranking position. Some universities offer individual feedback sessions with professors or academic advisors to help you evaluate your results and plan next steps.
13. What If You Don't Make the Cut?
Not ranking within the quota is devastating — but it is not the end of your medical career. About 70% of candidates face this outcome every year. Here are your realistic options:
Option A: Prepare Harder and Retake (If You Have an Attempt Remaining)
Most candidates who eventually gain admission do so on a second attempt after a year of focused preparation. Use the full year strategically — not just more study hours, but better-targeted preparation based on your specific weak subjects.
Option B: Enrol in a Related Bachelor's Programme
Several Belgian universities — particularly UNamur — allow non-admitted candidates to enrol in the Bachelor in Biomedical Sciences or Bachelor in Pharmaceutical Sciences. These programmes:
- Cover significant overlap with the concours syllabus (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics)
- Allow you to earn university credits that may be recognised if you later pass the concours
- Give you a meaningful academic year rather than a full gap year
This is widely considered the most productive use of a "reset year" for serious candidates.
Option C: Explore Other Pathways
- The Flemish exam (Toelatingsexamen): If you have strong Dutch-language skills or are willing to study in Dutch, the Flemish system uses a different exam and different quotas. Some students sit both exams.
- Medicine abroad: Several European countries (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania) offer English-medium medicine programmes with different entrance requirements. These are recognised pathways but require separate research.
14. How to Prepare: A Realistic Study Strategy
Start Early — Really Early
The concours material spans the full Belgian upper secondary science curriculum. For students coming from non-Belgian secondary systems (French, Indian, international), there are topics you may have never encountered. Give yourself at minimum six months of dedicated preparation — ideally starting in February or March at the latest for an August exam.
Phase 1: Audit Your Gaps (January–March)
Before you open a textbook, take a recent past paper (available through the official ARES annales and platforms like classpro.be or the UNamur preparatory course). Identify which of the eight subjects need the most work. Do not prepare all subjects equally — concentrate firepower where your deficit is largest.
Phase 2: Subject-by-Subject Mastery (March–June)
Work through the ARES official syllabus subject by subject. For each subject:
- Learn the theory using the official ARES syllabi from a preparatory course (UNamur, UCLouvain, ULB, and private providers all offer preparatory materials)
- Practice subject-specific MCQs in timed conditions (15 questions per subject in roughly 25–30 minutes)
- Review every wrong answer: understanding why you were wrong is more valuable than getting more questions right by chance
For Belgian students: Your secondary school curriculum is your foundation. Focus on deepening and accelerating your recall speed.
For international students: Pay particular attention to Belgian curriculum-specific topics in Chemistry (thermodynamics depth), Mathematics (integrals and vector calculus), and Biology (Belgian ecological and physiological frameworks). Campbell Biology remains an excellent English-language reference for the biology content.
Phase 3: Part 2 Is Not Optional (Throughout)
Integrate Part 2 preparation from the very beginning — not as an afterthought in July. Practice reading comprehension under timed pressure weekly. Work through bioethics case studies. Practice identifying logical fallacies. Candidates who neglect Part 2 find themselves unable to maintain their science-section ranking because they drop heavily on communication and reasoning questions.
Phase 4: Full Mock Concours (June–August)
From mid-June, shift to full seven-hour mock exams:
- Saturday full mocks: Simulate the real exam day entirely — start at the same time, use paper answer sheets, take no extra breaks, eat what you would eat on exam day.
- Concours blancs: Platforms like ClassPro and UNamur's summer session (June 29–July 11) offer mock exams with real competitive ranking against other candidates. These are invaluable for understanding where you stand relative to the field, not just against an answer key.
- Review the official ARES annales (past papers with official corrections) to understand the exact style, difficulty, and traps of real questions.
The Seven-Hour Stamina Factor
This exam is long. Seven hours of continuous MCQ answering is cognitively exhausting in a way that shorter exams are not. Physical conditioning matters: sleep properly the week before, eat well on exam day (you will need energy for the afternoon session), and practice sustaining focus for multi-hour blocks during your preparation. Candidates who are physically depleted in the afternoon regularly underperform their own ability.
15. The Flemish Exam (Toelatingsexamen): A Quick Comparison
For completeness, if you are considering studying in Flanders (Dutch-speaking Belgium), the equivalent exam is the Toelatingsexamen Arts en Tandarts, organised separately by the Flemish government. Key differences:
| ARES Concours (French) | Toelatingsexamen (Flemish) | |
|---|---|---|
| Language | French | Dutch |
| 2026 date | 27 August 2026 | Typically early July (verify with Flemish authorities) |
| Sessions | One per year | Typically two sessions per year |
| Scoring | Competitive ranking | Has historically included correction for guessing |
| Non-resident quota | 15% | Different quota — verify |
| Portal | concoursmd.be | vlaanderen.be |
Both exams test similar scientific and reasoning content, but the question style, weighting, and administrative rules differ. You cannot use a pass from one system to enrol in the other community's universities.
16. Frequently Asked Questions
Can I study Dentistry with the same exam?
Yes — the same written test is used for both Medicine and Dentistry. However, you must choose your programme at registration. The two programmes have separate rankings and separate quotas. You cannot switch after registering or after receiving your result.
Can I sit the exam if I am still in my final year of secondary school?
Yes, provided you will have completed your studies and hold (or will hold) your CESS or equivalent by the start of the academic year. Check with ARES directly if your diploma situation is unusual.
Is the exam available in English?
No. The ARES concours is administered in French. The Flemish Toelatingsexamen is administered in Dutch. There is no English-language version of either exam. If you are an international student planning to study medicine in French in Belgium, you need strong French reading and comprehension skills — the exam is not the place to be developing them.
What if I registered but have a family emergency and cannot attend?
If you contact ARES before the cancellation deadline (13 August 2026) and cancel via your online account, your attempt is not counted. If the emergency arises after the cancellation deadline, you may apply for force majeure consideration with ARES after the fact. Not showing up without cancelling does not count as a used attempt, but you forfeit your registration fee.
How do I find out my ranking, not just whether I passed?
ARES publishes results via your personal account on concoursmd.be in early September. Your ranking position within your programme is visible. Some universities also offer individual feedback meetings where professors can review your performance by subject.
What is the passing score?
There is no fixed passing score. Your score must rank you within the annual government quota for your chosen programme. In a competitive year, a high absolute score may still fall short if the cohort is strong. In 2025, approximately 29.2% of candidates were admitted.
What is the official website?
For the French-community concours: mesetudes.be and the registration portal concoursmd.be
Final Thought
Every doctor practicing in Belgium today sat in your position at some point — uncertain, over-prepared in some areas, under-prepared in others, and genuinely unsure whether they would make it. The exam is hard by design. A 29% pass rate is the point. Medicine demands exactly the kind of person who prepares seriously, adapts to setbacks, and keeps going.
Whether this is your first attempt or your second, the path forward is the same: understand the rules exactly, prepare with focus and honesty, and show up to Brussels Expo on August 27 ready to compete.
Good luck.
Sources: ARES official portal (mesetudes.be), concoursmd.be, UNamur Faculty of Medicine, University of Mons Faculty of Medicine, StudentAcademy.be, ClassPro.be, UNamur Preparatory Courses (summer session 2026). All dates and figures reflect official announcements available as of April 2026.
