Netherlands

Dutch universities offer the largest number of English-taught programmes in continental Europe. About 2,000 programmes are taught entirely in English. The quality of Dutch higher education is well-recognised. The tuition fees and cost of living are considerably lower than in English-speaking countries. Holland’s many international students come from more than 160 different countries. Dutch society is diverse and inclusive. It is strongly connected to other cultures, the business community and the world. The Dutch are open-minded and direct, so it is easy to meet them and exchange ideas. Holland is one of the safest countries in the world, according to the 2018 Global Peace index and belongs to the top 10 happiest countries in the world. Read more about the good Dutch standard of living in the OECD’s Better Life Index. 

Holland has 10 University Colleges that respond to a growing demand for a more holistic type of education. You will not only study Liberal Arts and Sciences, but actually live it by studying, living and working together with students from different cultural backgrounds and with different disciplinary interests. You can find a brochure here.

International Baccalaureate

1. All universities require the full IB Diploma. Many courses have a specific mathematics requirement which is listed on the course or university website. 

2. English A Language and Literature SL and HL is usually accepted as proof of English. If a student has taken English B then it is better to take IELTS or TOEFL additionally. 

3. University colleges usually require a GPA of IB 30 and above for admission. 

1. Finalise the application plan to understand your deadlines. If a program has more applications than places, it falls in the Numerus Fixus category (e.g. Psychology, Business Administration). Deadlines vary if the program is Numerus Fixus or if you would like to apply at a University College. 

2. Create your account at Studielink (you will need a scanned clear copy of your passport with all 4 corners visible to register for an account). You can apply for a max. of 4 courses (but only 2 Numerus Fixus courses). 

3. Submit the application well in advance of the deadline.

4. Monitor your inbox for emails from different colleges. Each college will send you the login details for their portal. 

5. Open the university portal and upload all required documents. Please contact the counsellor for transcripts and a Preliminary Graduation Statement or Diploma Statement. This needs to be filled out for each university in its own format. 

6. Some universities require motivation letters or video interviews. Please speak to the counsellor for more details and deadlines as these are individual for each university. In the case of essays, please submit the first draft to your counsellor, receive and incorporate feedback and submit as soon as possible. You should always be aware of your submission deadlines. 

7. Wait for your admission decision. Usually, you will receive it via email. 

8. Many programs have a matching process or study check activity as part of their process. You will receive an email with further information about this. Please don’t forget to complete the activity before the deadline otherwise your application might get cancelled. 

9. Numerus Fixus programs need to be confirmed within 14 days after you receive a positive decision. If you decline the place you will not be able to get it back. You can confirm the place and later withdraw if you change your mind about the university. 

10. Once you have secured your place don't forget to look for housing. As housing is generally not available through the university, you need to make sure that you register your request in time and book your place as soon as you get it. 

Numerus Fixus courses need to be confirmed within 14 days of receiving the decision. If you don't confirm in time then place will go to the next student on the waitlist. 

The confirmation deadlines for other courses depend on your nationality (EU Citizens have a different deadline than non-EU Citizens). Usually, non-EU Citizens have to confirm before the end of June. 

University Colleges have their own deadlines which will be communicated by the college by email. 

Some universities give scholarships to non-EU citizens. Please check the university website for more information.