Dutch Higher Education
University-level, higher education in the Netherlands is available to students who have successfully completed their secondary education requirements. Full and part-time degree programs taught in English are offered for most all subjects.
HIGHER EDUCATION IN NETHERLANDS
Bachelor and Master degree programs are available at numerous schools of higher learning in Netherlands. The schools are oriented either toward academic research or applied sciences and curriculums can be quite different.
Research university programs are referred to in Dutch as Wetenschappelijke Onderwijs or ‘WO‘ for short, which translates to ‘scientific research’. Bachelor degree programs at these schools generally prepare students for further education, including Master and Doctorate programs. Bachelor programs are four years but some can be up to six years.
There are 13 research universities in Netherlands and several are frequently ranked among the Top 100 universities in the world. These include Leiden University, Utrecht University, Delft University of Technology, University of Amsterdam and Erasmus University.
Universities of applied sciences in Netherlands are referred to in Dutch as ‘Hogeschools‘. The term translates to ‘high school’ in English but they are schools of higher learning at the college level. The education curriculum in these schools is known as Hoger Beroepsonderwijs or ‘HBO‘ for short, and focuses more on practical training rather than research.
Combined Bachelor-Master degree programs, generally five years in length, have been introduced and are offered by both WO and HBO universities.
The academic year lasts 42 weeks with courses usually starting the first week in September. Tuition fees are payable by all students although these are much lower for residents than they are for international students coming from outside the European Union. Dutch residents (and some foreign students) under 30 years of age may apply for a study allowance based on financial need. The amount varies depending on personal circumstances.
For more information on study allowances, see the DUO website (in Dutch, with information for foreign students in English)
The Netherlands recognises entry qualifications from other European countries according to several bilateral agreements. However, EU citizens need to pass an English-language examination to ensure they are able to read and write the language well before being offered a place.
For more information on further education opportunities in the Netherlands consult: NUFFIC – Netherlands Organisation for International Co-operation in Higher Education.
The association of research universities, VSNU, provides a collective voice for the 13 Dutch academic research universities, while the UASNL provides the same for the 43 Dutch universities of applied sciences.
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