With quality education, a range of English- taught programs, stunning canals, and a large international community, the Netherlands is a popular study destination for international students. Perhaps, this could be you soon! To help you through your Dutch university applications, we’ve created an overview of the application process, basic information about Dutch university types, important deadlines, as well as financial information and some useful tips.
Types of Universities
There are three main types of universities in the Netherlands: Research universities, Universities of Applied Science, and University Colleges. You might be wondering what the differences between the three are.
| Research university (WO – Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs) | Focused more on research and theoretical education. Typical bachelor’s studies offered by research universities are Biology, Economics, Political Science, or Engineering. Examples of such universities include the University of Amsterdam, Leiden University, Maastricht University, and Wageningen University. |
| University of Applied Science (HBO – Hoger Beroepsonderwijs) | Focused on practical and profession-oriented education. Typical bachelor’s studies offered include International Business, Sports Studies, or Physiotherapy. Examples of such a university include The Hague University of Applied Science, Hanze University of Applied Science, and Rotterdam University of Applied Science. |
| University College | Focuses more on interdisciplinary subjects in the area of liberal arts.Through this, one would obtain a bachelor’s in Liberal Arts and Sciences. Examples of such a university include University College Utrecht, University College Roosevelt, and University College Tilburg. |
It is good to know the differences between the three universities, depending on whether you want your education to be more theoretical, profession-oriented, or interdisciplinary.
Overview of the Application Process
The main platform through which students submit their applications is Studielink. You start by creating an account for international students and adding your previous education (i.e., where you completed/will complete high school). To apply to a specific program at a chosen university, click ‘Study programmes’ and ‘+add new enrollment application’. From this step onwards you can find your selected program by filtering out the following:
- Educational institution: Either a research university or a university of applied sciences (Note: A University College will be listed under the main university it is a branch of. For example, the University College Utrecht is listed under Utrecht University)
- Study programme level: WO/HBO Bachelor’s or Master’s (Note: WO refers to scientific education offered by research universities, and HBO refers to Higher Professional Education offered by universities of applied science)
- Academic load: Full-time or part-time
- Main language: Dutch or English
The maximum number of applications you can submit per academic year is 4 (maximum 2 ‘numerus fixus’ or limited spot number programs). Therefore, choose wisely!
Applications via Studielink open on October 1st, and the general application deadlines are January 15th for ‘numerus fixus’ programs, and May 15th for all other study programs. However, make sure to check these deadlines with your chosen institution, as these dates may vary for your degree or university.
After you have filled out your digital application on Studielink, this will be forwarded to your university. You will then receive further information from your university via email, regarding any further application steps you must take before you can officially be (conditionally) admitted. The university may ask you to participate in a selection procedure, submit motivational letters, etc. This varies per institution and the study program, so you should check your institution’s website for specific details.
Common Requirements
IB point or subject requirements are specific to each individual study. To check this, the university’s website typically has an ‘Admission requirements’ section for each bachelor’s program, where you can check for this.
Financial Information
Some questions to consider before coming to the Netherlands to study are:
- What is my budget for monthly rent and expenses?
- What are my program’s tuition fees?
- What types of scholarships are offered?
- Am I eligible for government grants?
To answer your questions, here is some general information regarding expenses and funding your studies.
Firstly regarding living costs, some cities have a comparably higher cost of living in the Netherlands. According to Mercer’s 2024 Cost of Living City Rankings, Amsterdam was the 30th most expensive city in the world to live in, beating cities such as Abu Dhabi, Sydney, and Seoul. Other than your rent, some living costs you will need to consider are food, public transport, insurance, and books.
Secondly, it is important to acknowledge the difference between EU/EEA and non EU/EEA tuition fees. For each academic year, the Dutch government determines a statutory tuition fee for attending a bachelor’s program, which applies to EU/EEA students. For the academic year 2025-2026 as an example, the fee was €2,601. The tuition fees for non-EU/EEA students, however, can range from €9,000 to 20,000.
Lastly, to help fund your studies, students often apply for university scholarships, financial aid, government grants, or jobs. Scholarships and financial aid may vary per institution, so it is best to check an individual university’s website for more information. As an enrolled student, you can furthermore apply for Dutch ‘student finance’. This includes “the basic grant, the supplementary grant, the student travel product, the interest bearing loan and the tuition fees loan (for HBO and university only)”, according to DUO. For more information, including your eligibility for student finance, check out the website of the Dutch Executive Education Agency (DUO), www.duo.nl.
Tips for Applying
- Follow the university you’re interested in on their social media accounts or sign up to their newsletter. This will help you stay informed and receive relevant updates on time. Additionally, various universities such as the University of Amsterdam have social media profiles and newsletters dedicated specifically to their study programs, not only general information about the university.
- Sign up and attend Open Days for any university you may be interested in! Open Days help familiarize students with the programs they offer, what courses the program includes, potential career paths, etc. Universities often offer both on-campus and online introductions to their programs. Therefore, if you cannot come to the Netherlands in person, I highly suggest attending an online Open Day!
- Reach out to current students and alumni! Many Dutch universities use the program UniBuddy to allow prospective students (such as yourself) to ask questions concerning student life, the specific program, the city where the university is located, and more! To access this, look out for UniBuddy on a specific program’s website, under the ‘Contact’ or ‘Chat with a Student’ section.
Housing Crisis
Something you must be aware of before coming to the Netherlands is the severe housing crisis. With lots of expats and students living in the Netherlands, there is generally lots of competition and a lack of affordable housing options for students. Note that in the Netherlands, it is not common for the university to provide housing. Therefore in the majority of cases, students have to find housing themselves. For rent in larger Dutch cities such as Rotterdam or Amsterdam, you can expect to pay over €1000 per month (with or without utilities).
Some tips to help you succeed in finding housing are:
- Start early: Finding housing in the Netherlands can take months! Start searching early. For example, if your study program starts September first, you should have housing secured by August, and you should start looking around March. It is highly discouraged to come to the Netherlands without secured housing.
- Look for housing on a daily basis: Various student housing websites update their available lots on a daily or weekly basis. As soon as something is listed, it is also booked very quickly. To ensure you are the one to book the housing, keep an eye out for new listings on a daily basis!
- Websites: Typical platforms used by students to get housing in the Netherlands include Room.NL, Student Experience, the Social Hub, OurDomain, Hospi Housing, Kamernet, RoomPlaza, HousingAnywhere, Facebook groups, and HuurWoningen. Note that individual platforms offer housing in various and not all cities. Additionally, some platforms may require that you pay a platform fee to either view or book housing.
- Be aware of scams: Sometimes a listing may look too good to be true (e.g., it is under €800 but in an ideal location). In this case, but not all cases, the listing may be a scam. To avoid being scammed, do not transfer large sums of money before viewing the housing, research the address and landlord/agency, and be aware of illegal fees (e.g., agency fee, extremely high administration fee).
Conclusion
Generally, university applications can get quite stressful, so hopefully these tips and tricks will be able to help! My final word of advice is ‘Go for it’! Studying in the Netherlands is a very fun, unique, and memorable experience that will shape some of the best years of your life.