You have probably thought of the Netherlands as a viable place to pursue your education when
you consider studying abroad; you might have noted that it is a common place for international
studies, and that the Netherlands has begun to stand out in terms of higher education
opportunities.
The 4 benefits of studying in the Netherlands
1. The Dutch are bilingual wizards
You will be surprised to learn that in the Netherlands, more than three quarters of the population
claim to be fluent in English. That is real! If you are a foreigner and do not know any Dutch, this
is also a great help. The fact that English is everywhere would make it very easy to live outside
of the university campus. Of course, it's great to learn a language and you are encouraged to at
least learn a few simple Dutch words so that you can blend in better.
2. Your career will get the coveted
Netherlands boost
Dutch universities, competing with other popular UK and U.S. universities, are considered to be
among the world's best universities. You might claim that the Netherlands is one of the top non-
English-speaking countries where you can study abroad, obtain quality education and find tonnes
of degrees taught in English.
3. You have plenty of scholarships to choose from
In the Netherlands, both public and private universities charge tuition fees for Bachelor's,
Master's and PhD programmes. The easiest way to make sure you can afford the high expenses is
to qualify for a scholarship.
4. Get two Master's degrees for the price of one!
If you pay the statutory tuition fees for your first enrollment (in a Bachelor's or Master's degree),
if you plan to enroll in a second degree at the same time, you would be exempted from paying
any tuition for your second degree, according to a state law. This happens if, as long as they are
both public institutions, you study at the same or a different university. In addition, you can pick
as many elective courses as you like inside most Dutch universities and you do not have to pay
an additional fee.
A new policy also states that if you are from a country in the EU/EEA or Suriname and start
studying for a Bachelor's degree at a public university in the Netherlands in 2021-2022, in the
first year you will only pay half of the tuition fee. The main criterion for being eligible is that
they have not previously studied in the Netherlands. As long as you have begun higher education
in 2018-2019 or later, the fee rebate also applies to Master's degrees in Teaching.
Finally, bear in mind that if you start considering studying in the Netherlands, if you are from
outside the EU/EEA, you should remember to remind yourself about the visa requirements.