The Netherlands is a coastal country located in Northwestern Europe; its capital is Amsterdam (the largest city) while the Government Offices are in The Hague, which is also the seat of the International Court of Justice. It has a highly developed economy with a marked regard for human rights, social justice and equality. With a large number of highly ranked Universities offering globally recognised courses, The Netherlands is a popular higher education destination.
Even though the official language of the Netherlands is Dutch,
English is widely spoken
and understood, making it an ideal destination for international students looking to gain a world class tertiary degree. Even though it is one of the smaller countries in Europe, it has a population of almost 18 million people, making it the second most densely populated country on the continent. Its temperate climate, flower gardens, clean energy focus, and expertise in agriculture combine to make it a formidable world power, one that attracts skilled international students and millions of tourists alike.
The Netherlands is highly ranked on several important indices for students and residents. Some highlights include:
There are two main kinds of higher education institutions in the Netherlands:
1. Academic and research Universities: These are very similar to Universities in other countries; they offer three levels of degrees (Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral) in a wide range of disciplines, from Art to Science and Humanities, and Engineering to Business and Medicine.
2. Universities of Applied Science or Polytechnic Institutes: There are more than 40 of these across the country; they offer Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in various technical fields. Their courses are designed to get students ready for the labour market and involve a heavy practical component. Bachelor’s Degrees at Polytechnics typically last 4 instead of 3 years due to the extended period of time spent on industrial projects.
Associate degrees can be thought of as bridges to a full Bachelor’s degree that take less time to complete. They normally last two years, and are awarded in various disciplines related to applied art and sciences. Once a student completes such a degree, he or she can choose to continue studying towards a Bachelor’s degree in the same field; an additional year of education usually leads to the accumulation of the required credits to earn a full undergraduate degree.
Students at Research Universities in the Netherlands can choose from among several Bachelor’s degree programs. These are designed to be comprehensive introductions to the University system, and usually entail over 30 courses taught over a three or four year period, with associated laboratory or project work depending on the field of study. The structure of these courses varies widely; most UG programs require completion of a Bachelor’s Thesis and associated coursework, while others mandate a certain number of completed credits towards a major and a minor discipline of study. Most students opt to enrol in a Master’s course after completion of their Bachelor’s degree in the Netherlands, though a substantial number start work immediately.
There are several different kinds of Master’s programs offered in the Netherlands. Academic Master’s degrees last a year, and are similar to advanced extensions of Bachelor’s degrees, with additional coursework and practical training. Research Master’s degrees are similar to postgraduate degrees in other Universities; they start with coursework and also involve a detailed introduction to research techniques, culminating in a Master’s Thesis presentation and defense. There are also Master’s programs related to Teacher Training; these last four semesters, and graduates are ready to teach students enrolled in Secondary Schools.
Master’s programs in Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Science, and Pharmaceutical Sciences take up to 3 years to complete.
The EngD qualification, which is offered by the four Universities of Technology, is intended for exceptionally talented Master of Science students whose interdisciplinary research work holds the potential to be extended and further developed. Projects which can lead to practical implementation and solve business problems are usually preferred. The EngD program takes two years after the MSc degree; the first year is spent on acquiring world class design and fabrication skills, and the second year is spent building prototypes and working products, usually at a cutting edge laboratory of a company that has a research and development collaboration with the University in question.
The Netherlands is a global leader in high impact research publications, usually ranked in the top 5 countries in the world by average number of citations per paper. PhD students in Dutch Universities are treated as valued members of research teams rather than mere students, and gain valuable exposure to research methodology and analysis. Doctoral degrees in The Netherlands usually last four years, and the thesis writing and defence processes are extremely rigorous. Given that the country is renowned for its research quality and output, international students with a PhD from the Netherlands will find that this degree is recognised worldwide, and that it opens doors for both academic and industrial employment.
The country has various universities that offer approximately all the disciplines of study. Some of the popular disciplines available in The Netherlands are-
| Energy Engineering | Agribusiness | Data Science |
| Environmental Engineering | Art History | Liberal Arts |
| European Languages & Cultures | Communication Technology | Spatial Design |
| Chemical Engineering | Clinical Psychology | Life Sciences |
| International Business Management | Quantum Physics | Hotel Management |
| Urban Development Planning | Education and Pedagogy | Data Science |
Here are some popular cities that have the most universities in The Netherlands.
| The Name of the City | No. of Universities |
| Amsterdam | 2 |
| Groningen | 1 |
| Leiden | 1 |
| Maastricht | 1 |
| Nijmegen | 1 |
| Rotterdam | 1 |
| Tilburg | 1 |
| Utrecht | 1 |
| Delft | 1 |
| Eindhoven | 1 |
Tuition fees in the Netherlands vary according to the course type and the country of origin of the student. For students from the European Union, the annual tuition fees are fixed at 2,314 Euros for most programs. International students who are not from the EU pay variable tuition fees according to the area of study; these can range from 5,000 Euros to 20,000 Euros per year, with the highest fees associated with Medical and Business Administration courses. These are higher than those in most European countries other than the United Kingdom. Private Universities charge even higher tuition fees.
Most international students in The Netherlands rent shared apartments close to their Universities. These usually cost between 300 and 700 Euros per month; the wide range is due to the variation in average rent levels between large cities like Amsterdam and smaller provincial cities. Other living costs total up to a few hundred Euros every month, including food, transport, recreation, and shopping for personal items. On average, most international students end up paying an average of 1,000 Euros per month towards living costs in The Netherlands.
Once an international student receives a Letter of Acceptance from a University situated in The Netherlands, the University submits the application for a visa and Residence Permit on the student’s behalf. However, the student must furnish the University with all the details and documents required. The full list of documents can be found on the webpage of the relevant University.
The Immigration and Naturalisation Department contacts the University with a decision within 60 days of the application. The status of the application can be tracked online. If the decision is positive, the student can travel to The Netherlands and start the course.
