Dutch higher education is divided in two. Research universities (WO) and universities of applied sciences (HBO) differ not in prestige but in purpose: academic preparation on one side, professional preparation on the other. That choice determines how long the programme runs, what prior education it asks for and how the teaching is organised. Most applications go through Studielink, the national portal, but some programmes select their own students and their deadlines fall earlier.
The key features that shape the route to admission.
Research universities (WO) prepare students academically: a bachelor's takes three years and 180 ECTS. Universities of applied sciences (HBO) prepare students for a profession: a bachelor's takes four years and 240 ECTS.
English-taught programmes are available at both levels, undergraduate included. In continental Europe that breadth of choice at bachelor's level is not found everywhere.
Application dates are set for the country as a whole rather than by each university. That makes planning straightforward, but it leaves no room for a late application.
The types of institution and typical examples. Click a name to open the university card.
A wide choice of English-taught programmes and a strong academic environment; the bachelor’s degree usually takes three years.
Engineering, computer science and design of technology, taught in close contact with industry and research institutes.
Economics and management, problem-based learning and the life sciences: universities with a marked specialisation of their own.
Practice-oriented programmes with work placements; a separate branch of the system with admission rules of its own.
The names open cards and link to the universities’ own websites. They map the academic landscape rather than form a ready-made list: the conditions of a specific programme are checked for the current year of entry.
Applications are submitted through Studielink, the national portal. Not every institution admits applicants from abroad through it: some run a procedure of their own, and that is checked before any preparation begins.
The deadlines apply nationally. Programmes with a limited number of places (numerus fixus) accept applications until 15 January; all others until 1 May. Selection for numerus fixus programmes runs from 15 January to 15 April, and an applicant may apply to no more than two such programmes in an academic year. A place that is offered has to be accepted in Studielink within two weeks, or it passes to the next candidate.
Universities may set earlier deadlines for applicants from outside the EU, in part because the immigration procedure takes time once a place is offered. The calendar is therefore built around the specific programme rather than the national date.
An applicant does not apply for the residence permit themselves: the university submits the application to the immigration service, provided it is listed as a recognised sponsor. The entry visa and the residence permit are then requested in a single procedure.
The exact conditions depend on the programme you choose and on your documents.
Research universities ask for preparation at the level of the Dutch VWO diploma; universities of applied sciences ask for HAVO level. Nuffic publishes country-by-country comparisons, but whether a particular qualification is sufficient is decided by the university itself.
For many programmes what matters is not the school-leaving certificate itself but which subjects it contains and at what level — most often mathematics.
Each programme sets the certificates it accepts and the minimum score, sometimes stated separately for individual sections of the test.
Programmes with a limited number of places run their own selection: tests, written assignments, an assessment of motivation. Registration closes before the general application deadline.
What is assessed is the content of the previous degree, not simply that it exists. A CV, a motivation letter and references may also be required, depending on the programme.
The exact set depends on the university and the programme.
Tuition comes in two forms. The statutory fee (wettelijk collegegeld) is the same across the country and is open to nationals of the EU and EEA, Switzerland and Suriname who have not already obtained a comparable degree at a government-funded Dutch institution. Everyone else pays the institutional fee, which each university sets for itself.
The institutional fee is appreciably higher and varies by programme and by university, so it is checked on the official page for that programme and that academic year. Some universities also charge a separate fee for processing an application.
The budget also has to cover accommodation, translation of documents, and the proof of funds the immigration procedure requires. Health insurance is required by law, but which kind depends on what the student does: a student from outside the EU who only studies cannot take out Dutch public health insurance and needs private student cover instead; taking a part-time job reverses the rule.
Every programme has its own calendar. We bring the stages together into a single plan.
We establish which type of institution — WO or HBO — matches the applicant's education and intention.
We compare programmes on requirements, language, form of selection and cost.
We build the schedule backwards from the earliest date: selection, scholarships, certificates.
We manage the application in Studielink or in the university's own portal.
We prepare the applicant for tests and assignments where the programme selects its own students.
We support enrolment and the immigration procedure the university submits.
Strategy, a strong application and control of the process – applied to the admissions system of the country you choose.
We establish which type of institution the applicant's education matches and what needs to be in place before applying.
We select programmes on requirements, language, cost and form of selection.
We manage the application and the documents, and prepare the applicant for selection where places are limited.
We support enrolment, the exchange with the university over the immigration procedure, and preparation for the move.
The university makes the final decision.
We strengthen everything that lies within our control.
The admission requirements on this page were checked against primary official sources. Last verified on . Requirements and amounts change between admission cycles, so we check them again before an application is submitted.
Statutory and institutional tuition fees, and how they differ for EEA and non-EEA students.
Central application portal for Dutch higher education.
Comparison of foreign qualifications with the Dutch system.
Visa and residence permit requirements, including proof of funds.
Tell us about your education, your goals and your budget. We will look at where you stand and set out which options are worth considering in your situation.
From the first assessment to enrolment.