I think you are assuming the program in the United States exactly matches the Belgian program. Though even if that were true, many US programs include the wives of deacon candidates.
If the program receives public support from the State as an educational program, the case doesn't seem too far fetched.
I get that. However, there are no students, in general; the people admitted to the program are admitted because they are candidates for ordination.
So, it starts like this:
1. Is this person a candidate for ordination to the diaconate?
2. If yes, then this person needs to be a student in these formation classes. If no, then this person cannot be a student.
So the whole business of being a student *depends* on being a candidate in the first place. Not the other way around.
I think you are assuming the program in the United States exactly matches the Belgian program. Though even if that were true, many US programs include the wives of deacon candidates.
If the program receives public support from the State as an educational program, the case doesn't seem too far fetched.