9-Year-Old Set To Graduate University With Engineering Degree

A nine-year-old wonder boy from Belgium is all set to receive his bachelor’s degree upon graduating from university in December.

Laurent Simons is a student of electrical engineering at the Eindhoven University of Technology. Up next, he plans to pursue a Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering as well as a medical degree, Laurent's father told CNN.

His parents Lydia and Alexander Simons, who are doctors themselves, have no explanation for their son's astounding learning capability. Laurent's grandparents were the first to observe the child's brilliance. His teachers also noticed how gifted the child was after several class assessments.

"They noticed something very special about Laurent," Lydia said. "They told us he is like a sponge."

The University permitted Laurent to finish his degree faster than other students.

"Laurent is the fastest student we have here," Sjoerd Hulshof, education director of the TUE bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, told CNN. "Not only is he hyper intelligent, but also a very sympathetic boy."

Hulshof called Laurent "simply extraordinary" and that special students like him are able to adjust their schedules, similar to student-athletes.

Laurent is already being wooed by global universities. "The focus will be on research and applying the knowledge to discover new things," his father said.

However, Laurent’s parents put equal emphasis on ensuring that he enjoys his childhood as well as his education. Like most children, Laurent loves spending time with their dog Sammy and playing games on his phone. Then again, Laurent is no ordinary nine-year-old: he dreams of developing artificial organs.