Frederik Buylaert studied medieval and early modern history at Leiden University, Ghent University (MA, 2003) and Columbia University in the City of New York (MA, 2004). He obtained his PhD from Ghent University (2008) and was appointed assistant professor in late medieval and early modern history at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in 2011. As of 2016, he holds the position of research professor at Ghent University. He is principal investigator of the ERC Starting Grant research project "STATE - Lordship and the Rise of the State in Western Europe, 1300-1600".
Frederik Buylaert is a guest lecturer at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel; a member of the Young Academy of Europe; and member of the editorial board of Low Countries Historical Review.