Study in Netherlands

Holland is one of the most popular destinations for international students, and that’s not weird as it is rich with some of the elitist universities in the world. Moreover, study in Netherlands follows modern educational methods with European and international students. The Netherlands was one of the countries that previously adopted a system of granting Bachelor and MA degrees as well as offering several programs in the English language, as you could choose any major you aspire to among so many Bachelor and MA degrees in about 70 of higher education institutions. It's notable that there is a big number, estimated by 112.000, of international students who study in Holland.

About 16% of international students study in the Netherlands, and that’s one of the highest ratios anywhere in Europe. As many other European countries, universities in Holland are classified as whether “research universities” offer more research-oriented academic programs, or “universities of applied sciences” offer more practical-oriented programs.

Conditions for study and admission to Netherlands universities:

General requirements:

The Bachelor Degree:

If you have successfully completed high school in one of the countries that signed to the Lisbon Agreement, a valid school leaving certificate and a qualification to get undergraduate degree at your home country, you will also be qualified to get an undergraduate degree from Dutch universities. You might be asked to prove your command in the Dutch language or the English language. In some cases, you might be required to get extra qualifying training courses.

MA Studies:

If you apply for the Master program in one of the Dutch universities, you must have a Bachelor degree or any equivalent certificate from an accredited university

Doctoral Studies:

If you plan to get a PhD from a university in the Netherlands, you must be a bearer of a diploma or MA degree from a certified university.

Language requirements for study in Netherlands universities:

If you choose a specialization or a study program that’s taught in the Dutch language, you have to present a proof of mastering the language. That's can be attained by presenting the results you get in the following training courses:

1. Dutch language certificate as a foreign language: you can present the results you get in Profile Language Skills Higher Education (PTHO) or Profile Academic Language Skills (PALS).
2. The Dutch Language as a Second Language.

If you choose a major or a study program that’s taught in the English language, you are required to prove that you have an excellent command in the English language, through presenting the results you get in the following tests:

1. TOEFL: 550 (PBT), 213 (CBT) or 79-80 (IBT).
2. IELTS: score 6 at least.

Other tests may be admitted; therefore, it’s better to contact the university in order to know if the certificates you got are acceptable or not. Generally speaking, the European higher education institutions ask students to have a level of mastering the language in which the course is taught that’s equivalent to Level B1/Level B2 according to the European Passport Scale.

You can refer to your college or university in case you need a higher level of the language. Students are sorted out according to their grades’ averages based on their previous studies. Students who get an 8 score or more are automatically given a place in the training course they choose. In order to know how you will score at European universities, you can use the European Score Comparison Chart.

Why you should study in Netherlands:

1. Elite and world-ranking universities.
2. Open society and diverse culture.
3. A country with a competitive economy and high salary scale.
4. Healthy and active lifestyle.
5. International and multicultural environment.
6. Affordable study expenses.
7. Innovative teaching methods.
8. A wide range of specialisations taught in English.
9. Excellent travel opportunities, with easy application and admission.
10. Worldwide-certified academic degrees.

Study and life expenses in Netherlands:

Tuition fees in Netherlands:

• Tuition fees for students of the European Union (EU) and students of the European Economic Area (EEA) at public universities: if you are from an EU country, EEA country, Switzerland or Suriname, you will benefit from the low tuition fees at Dutch public universities. The tuition fees normally range from 700-2100 euros/ an academic year. You will be affected by the university in which you study, the major and the degree (Bachelor, MA or PhD).

• Tuition fees for students of non-EU and EEA countries at public universities: tuition fees for other international students are expected to be higher. It ranges from 6.000-15.000 euros/ an academic year for the Bachelor degree and 8.000-20.000 euros/ an academic year for the Master degree.

Tuition fees at private universities:

If you enrolled in a private Dutch university, you will normally need a bigger budget. As for some majors, you are expected to pay about 30.000 euros/ an academic year. It's worth knowing that Medicine and Business Administration are the most expensive majors.

Here is a list of the most recommended Dutch universities:

1. Eindhoven University of Technology.
2. University of Twente.
3. Utrecht University.
4. University of Amsterdam.
5. Wageningen University.

Living expenses for international students in Netherlands:

Your monthly expenses include residence, food, transportation, books, clothes and entertainment activities, too. In order to cover these expenses, you will need 800-1200 euros/ month.

Here are the average living expenses for international students in big cities:

Enschede: 650 - 920 euros / month.
Eindhoven: 850 - 1,350 euros / month.
Amsterdam: 1,000 - 1,500 euros / month.
Delft: 780 - 1,200 euros / month.
Rotterdam: 760 - 1,250 euros/month.

Accommodation costs:

Renting a room in Holland might cost you 300-600 euros/month. Students' houses are affordable; moreover, some universities provide international students with halls of residence inside the campuses. After being admitted to your university, it may help you get a suitable house. There is another choice for you, however. You can rent a house or share renting a more spacious house, but with more expensive costs.

The average expenses according to the house type:

1. Renting a single flat: 500-1000 euros/ month.
2. Sharing an apartment or a rented apartment:400-700 euros/ month.
3. Student housing or university housing: 350-600 euros/ month.

Other costs related to housing:

Take into your consideration that utilities aren’t always included in the accommodation costs. Therefore, when you rent a house, always ask about what’s included and how much you should expect to pay for utilities each month. You should always pay a deposit, usually equal to one month’s rent, if you don't damage anything in the place you will get the money back at the end of the lease.

Other expenses:

Utilities average costs: 100-230 euros/month.

Internet: 30-50 euros/month.

The best 10 universities in Netherlands according to QS Ranking:

The University	The University Ranking Worldwide	The University Assessment according to QS Ranking
University of Amsterdam	58	71.1%
Delft University of Technology	61	70%
Utrecht University	112	56.3%
Wageningen University	124	54.6%
Leiden University	131	54.1%
Eindhoven University of Technology	138	52.7%
University of Groningen	145	51.4%
Erasmus University Rotterdam	208	42.6%
University of Twente	212	42.4%
Vrije University Amsterdam	214	42.6%

The most important undergraduate majors to study in Netherlands universities:

1. Engineering.
2. Social Sciences.
3. Environmental Sciences and Agriculture.
4. Medical Specialisations.

Most important postgraduate majors to study at Netherlands universities:

1. MA in Strategic Urban Planning and Policy.
2. MA in International Relations.
3. MA in Business Administration.
4. MA in Media Studies with a Specialisation in Digitization, Surveillance or Societies.
5. MA of Science in Earth Structure and Dynamics.
6. MA in Urban Housing, Equity and Social Justice.
7. MA in Infrastructure or Smart Cities.
8. MA in Urban Economic Development: Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
9. MA in management and Leadership.
10. MA in Psychology, Concentration in Counselling Psychology.
11. MA in History with a Specialisation in Applied History.
12. MA in Arts and Culture Studies with a Specialisation in Arts or Culture and Society.

The most prominent Scholarships available for students in Netherlands:

Dutch Government Scholarship:

Eligible degree: Bachelor's or Master's degree.
Funding: living costs / tuition fees / free health insurance.

Orange Knowledge Program Scholarship:

Eligible degree: Master degree.
Funding: living costs / tuition fees / free visa / free round-trip tickets / free health insurance.

Maastricht University Scholarship:

Eligible degree: Bachelor's degree.
Funding: tuition fees / travel costs / accommodation / health insurance / assisting students to get a student visa / a salary of €11,400 per year.

University of Amsterdam Scholarship:

Eligible degree: Master degree.
Funding: tuition fees/part of living expenses.

Job and training opportunity in the Netherlands:

Eligible Degree: Bachelor degree, Master degree or finance.
Funding: free accommodation / monthly salary / acceptance letter to help in getting a student visa/ mobility within Schengen countries.