Studying in the Netherlands: A Guide for International Students

The Netherlands, often referred to as Holland, is a popular destination for international students seeking quality education and a multicultural environment. While "Holland" is often used colloquially to refer to the entire country, it technically only refers to a region within the Netherlands. The Netherlands boasts a wide array of English-taught programs, a high level of English proficiency among its population, and a central location in Europe, making it an attractive option for students from around the world. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the requirements and processes for international students considering higher education in the Netherlands.

Why Choose the Netherlands?

The Netherlands offers several compelling reasons for international students to pursue their education there:

High-Quality Education: Dutch universities consistently rank among the top universities internationally, offering a focus on academic knowledge combined with critical and analytical skills.
English-Taught Programs: The Netherlands was one of the first non-English-speaking countries to offer higher education programs in English, and now provides a vast selection of courses.
International Environment: The Netherlands has a large community of international students, with over 112,000 students from around the world. International students can adapt better and faster if they enrol in a university with a high level of internationality.
Affordable Tuition Costs: Tuition fees are relatively affordable compared to other Western countries, ranging from approximately €6,000 to €15,000 per year for non-EU students.
Quality of Life: The Netherlands is a safe and happy country, consistently ranked as one of the happiest nations in the world.
Career Opportunities: The Netherlands has the 18th largest economy in the world and offers a plethora of professional opportunities. International graduates can apply for an orientation year to search for a job or start a business.
Location: Centrally located, making travel to other parts of Europe easy and inexpensive.
Tolerance and Liberal Laws: The Netherlands has a reputation for being one of the most tolerant and liberal countries in Europe.

Types of Higher Education Institutions

The Netherlands has three main types of higher education institutions:

Research Universities: Focus on the "why" of a subject, emphasizing theoretical knowledge and critical analysis. Degrees typically take three years to complete and do not usually include a placement year.
Universities of Applied Sciences: Focus on the "how" of a subject, offering professionally-oriented, concrete, and hands-on education. Degrees are usually four years long and include a placement year, essentially a year-long paid internship.
University Colleges: Smaller programs inspired by Liberal Arts and Sciences programs, providing a small-scale, international learning environment with English instruction. University colleges place an emphasis on holistic education and community building.

Application Process

The application process for international students generally involves the following steps:

Research Programs and Universities: Explore the different programs and universities in the Netherlands to find the best fit for your academic goals and interests.
Check Admission Requirements: Carefully review the specific admission requirements for your chosen program, as they may vary depending on the institution and field of study.
Register with Studielink: The first step for the vast majority of universities is registering with Studielink, the official application portal for Dutch higher education institutions. You will need a digital copy of your passport or ID personal data page in order to create your Studielink account. Please submit an enrolment request in Studielink at least 1 week before the application deadline. Make sure to enter your previous education in Studielink correctly.
Submit Required Documents: Upload all required documents to the application portal, including transcripts, proof of English proficiency, and any other program-specific materials.
Pay Application Fee: Pay the application fee, which is non-refundable.
Complete UvA Matching (If Applicable): UvA Matching for international students is an introduction to the Bachelor’s programme to which you are applying and is a mandatory part of the application procedure for all prospective Bachelor’s students who have completed their prior education at a non-Dutch educational institution.
Attend Interview/Audition (If Required): Some programs may require an interview or audition as part of the application process.
Accept Offer: If you are offered a place in the program, confirm your participation via Studielink within the specified timeframe.

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for admission to a Dutch university, international students typically need to meet the following requirements:

Read also: The Right Path After GCSEs

Educational Background

Diploma Equivalency: Students applying for one of Bachelor’s programmes should hold a Dutch VWO diploma, a Dutch HBO propaedeuse or an international diploma that is equivalent to one of these diplomas. Universities require a diploma equivalent to the Dutch VWO.
Use the Diploma Calculator to check if your secondary school diploma meets the admissions requirement of being equivalent to the Dutch VWO. You will then see a list of diploma equivalencies and requirements for various University of Amsterdam programmes. If your prior education or country is not listed in the diploma finder, you can still apply. The Central Admissions Office will assess your documents on an individual basis. The information in the diploma finder is compiled with the greatest care.
For applicants with GCE A levels: please check the list of GCE A level subjects. In this list you will find an overview of accepted and non-accepted subjects by the University of Amsterdam.
Predicted grades (as in the International Baccalaureate system) are not accepted.
GPA: AUC students have on average a secondary school GPA of 7.0 or above in the Dutch system. It’s good to keep in mind that this is only an average based on applicants from previous years. It also means that students with a GPA lower than 7.0 (or the equivalent in their grading system) have applied and have been accepted to AUC. Your GPA is only one indicator used when assessing an application alongside equally important elements such as individual motivation, a clear affinity for studying a liberal arts and sciences programme, and your personal interests and talents. We are also attentive to explanations of why your grades may not necessarily reflect your academic ability or other contextual factors that might have influenced your secondary school results. If you have a slightly lower GPA but meet our mathematics and English proficiency requirements, we strongly encourage you to apply.

English Language Proficiency

If you studied in a non-English speaking country, most colleges require you to demonstrate your English proficiency through the TOEFL, IELTS, or Cambridge Assessment English exams. Most universities will require a 6.5 or 7 on the IELTS or between 80 and 100 on the TOEFL.

By submitting a valid English language proficiency test certificate. Exemptions on an individual basis are possible. Other test versions or modules are not accepted. The PPLE programme and Liberal Arts and Sciences programme have their own English language proficiency requirements. The test must have been taken less than two years before the start date of the Bachelor’s programme.
The deadline for providing the UvA with an English language test certificate with sufficient scores for non-selective Bachelor's programmes is: 1 April for non-EU/EEA applicants, and 1 May for EU-EEA applicants. Make sure to book your test at least one month before the deadline, but the earlier the better.
Accepted tests and minimum scores:
- Cambridge C1 Advanced: 185 (with no partial score below 176)
- Cambridge C2 Proficiency: 185 (with no partial score below 176)
- IELTS Academic: A minimum average of 7.0 for all components, with no partial score lower than 6.5
- TOEFL IBT (including Home Edition): A minimum score of 100. (Minimum subscores: Listening 22, Reading and Writing 24, Speaking 25)
- Pearson PTE Academic: 70 (with no partial score below 60)
- Language CERT Academic: 75 (with no partial score below 70)
All English proficiency tests submitted will be verified online through their respective verification portals. With the exception of the TOEFL iBT Home Edition, we do not accept the online/home versions of any of the above tests.

Read also: Explore CFK
If you do not meet the requirements listed within the Diploma Equivalency and English Proficiency Requirements document, one of the tests indicated below will provide proof of English proficiency. The tests should not be more than 2 years old at the time of submitting the application.
It is advisable to take the English Proficiency test at least 2 months before the application deadline. For your application to be complete and considered, all documents, including proof of your English proficiency, must be uploaded before the application deadline. To treat all candidates equally, we cannot make exceptions. Your English proficiency results need to be in form of an official certificate or you need to authorize UCU to verify your results online. Incomplete applications cannot be considered and will be rendered inactive.

Mathematics Proficiency

Depending on the program you're applying to, you may need to meet certain math requirements. You can meet these through high school courses or through an Online Mathematics Proficiency Test.

The required level of maths depends on whether you are applying as a Sciences, Social Sciences or Humanities major. You must have taken maths as an examination subject at secondary school and achieved a good grade in the appropriate level of maths.
Please note that applications are likely to be rejected if you are not following the required mathematics programme for your intended major or have a significant deficiency in meeting the mathematics requirements. In such cases, it is strongly recommended to complete the appropriate OMPT (Online Mathematics Proficiency Test) before applying to AUC.

Conditional Offer

Any initial offer of a place at AUC will be on a conditional basis. The conditions will be specified in the letter offering you a place. You will have to meet those conditions before you can be formally admitted.

Deadlines

Deadlines range from December 1st through July 1st. The actual date may vary depending on both the program and the applicant’s nationality (for visa purposes), so make sure to check the deadlines for the programs that interest you. The deadline for all numerus fixus programs-programs that restrict the number of places offered-is January 15th. Note that most programs offered in English aren’t numerus fixus programs.

If you require a visa and/or housing through the UvA, we strongly urge you to apply before 1 April.

Numerus Fixus Programs

Two of Bachelor’s programmes apply selection procedures due to their small-scale and intensive approach. The UvA offers two programmes with limited places and an enrolment quota. The application deadline for these programmes is 15 January. More information about the entry requirements and application process can be found on the programme webpages.

Applicants participating in the selection procedure will be assigned a ranking number by Studielink on 15 April based on their results. If you are offered a place, you will have to confirm your participation in the programme via Studielink within two weeks. If you are not offered a place immediately, there is still a chance that you will be offered a place later, if one or more selected students do not accept their place. These places will then become available for the next student in line.

After Applying

Applications to non-selective programmes are processed using the rolling admissions policy: if you apply early, your application file will be processed early. If your qualifications are included in our diploma finder, you can expect your admission decision within one to two weeks. If you need early confirmation of admission for scholarship purposes, please let us know well in advance of your scholarship deadline.
You will automatically receive a link to confirm your participation unless you have applied for a programme with a fixed quota (Numerus Fixus). If you are still waiting for additional administrative procedures that will affect your decision to confirm your participation in the programme (for instance, waiting for a scholarship decision), please confirm your participation in the meantime. It will allow you to continue with other enrolment procedures, such as visa or housing applications. Please note that confirming your participation is not binding you to start the programme. You can still cancel your enrolment free of charge until 1 September through Studielink.

Visa and Residence Permit

International students from outside the EU/EEA will need a visa and/or residence permit to study in the Netherlands. The first step is to determine whether you will need a visa and/or residence permit. Only a higher education institution recognized as a sponsor can apply for you. There are several requirements for applying for a student residence permit, including proof of registration at a higher education institution and income requirements. Once you’ve gathered the required documents, your educational institution will submit the application and you’ll pay the € 207,00 application fee. You’ll receive a decision within 60 days and be notified when it’s time to pick up your student resident permit. You can read more about the process here.

If you hold a residence permit and did not obtain 30 ECTS, you cannot switch programmes, unless there are severe personal circumstances that would give you an exemption of the 30 ECTS.
You always need to comply with the requirements of your student residence permit and visa, also when you would like to switch programmes. You need to obtain 50% of the ECTS of your study programme each year, in order to be able to stay in The Netherlands. Furthermore there can be other restrictions on switching programmes due to your visa and Binding Study Advice (BSA). Please always contact the student counsellor about your options.

Housing

The UvA does not offer student housing on our campuses. We recommend that you familiarise yourself with the housing market in the Netherlands before you choose your study programme. For international students, the UvA has limited number of rooms available throughout Amsterdam, which you can apply for via UvA Housing. Study in Holland provides great tips for searching for housing. Note that university colleges often do offer on-campus housing for part or all of the degree program.

Other Important Information

Tuition Fees: Under Tuition fees you can find more information about the various payment options.
If your tuition fees for the 2026-2027 academic year are paid by the Foundation for Refugee Students (UAF).
You can pay the application fee of €100 by credit card (Mastercard, Visacard), Bancontact or iDEAL. You will be asked to pay the fee after completing your application form. *The application fee is non-refundable. You are not entitled to a refund even if you do not submit your application form, or if you submit an application form after the deadline (which will not be taken into consideration) or if you submit an incomplete application.
Introduction Day: In the week before the start of the academic year, most programmes organise a compulsory introduction day. You will receive more detailed information about the programme introduction day in the summer.
Student ID Card: A student ID card is a personal card which serves as proof of identity for examinations.
Switching Programmes: If you are registered at a different Dutch university and you would like to switch to a programme at the UvA, you need to submit your enrolment request in Studielink before 1 July in order to give the Admissions Office enough time to check your credentials.

Top Universities in the Netherlands

The following universities are among the most international in the Netherlands:

Wageningen University
University of Amsterdam
Utrecht University
Leiden University
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Delft University of Technology
University of Groningen
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Maastricht University
Radboud University Nijmegen

tags: #colleges #in #Netherlands #for #international #students