“Low Lands,” Holland, the Netherlands – this is a special country with a rare charm. Once seen, you will never forget the Amsterdam canals, palaces, and towers. Life here is measured, orderly, and at the same time distinguished by freedom of morals, which young people really like. Due to its convenient geographical location, Holland is called the gateway to Europe. Indeed, from here it is easy to get to any European capital: Paris, London, Berlin, Brussels, or Vienna.
Education has traditionally been given an important place here. Since ancient times, this country has shared knowledge and experience with foreigners: among the first “students” from Russia was Peter the Great himself. And still today, the doors of Dutch universities are hospitably open to all who wish. It can be said that the accessibility of education in Holland is elevated to the status of a national idea.
Academic, Applied, International…
All higher educational institutions of Holland are divided into three types: universities, universities of applied sciences, and international institutes. The quality of education in any of them fully meets world standards, and the diploma is recognized in any country. However, when starting to select a suitable program, it is important to understand the specifics of Dutch universities.
Universities. For a small country, there are quite a lot of them – fourteen, including nine classical ones offering training in all specialties, two technical ones, one agricultural, and two open (with the possibility of distance learning).
Traditionally, Dutch universities are primarily centers for the study of humanities. The largest and most popular include the University of Amsterdam, Maastricht University, Utrecht University, and the Vrije Universiteit. These types of universities should be chosen by those who are oriented toward further scientific work, planning to continue their studies after a bachelor’s and master’s in a doctoral program.
The main difficulty when applying is high competition. If science is not your element, then you can pay attention to more applied options.
Polytechnics (universities of applied sciences). There are about 55 in total. From the walls of the polytechnics (Hogescholen) come economists, engineers, and doctors – the most sought-after and highest-paid specialists in Holland. The field of applied psychology and psychotherapy is very popular.
Studying for four years, one can obtain a bachelor’s degree, and then, if desired, complete a master’s degree. The study programs are primarily practice-oriented, so graduates are well prepared for work in their chosen field. The course usually includes practical classes and internships. Polytechnics have representative offices and branches throughout the country, but most of them are in Leeuwarden. The largest institution is CHN – University of Professional Education.
International institutes. They offer English-language retraining and second higher education programs in five areas: environment and infrastructure, science and technology, economics and social sciences, agriculture and natural resources, and management. The main contingent is graduates from universities in other countries who have several years of practical experience. The duration of study is one to two years.
For example, a year of study at Deventer Business School (DBS) allows you to become a bachelor in the field of management and finance, and after another year, you can obtain a master’s degree. This school was created with the participation of the University of Professional Education and the University of Aysland, and its branches are in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Groningen, and Maastricht. The non-state business school Dutch Delta Business School (DDBS) gives foreigners the opportunity to obtain both a bachelor’s degree and an MBA. The Utrecht School of Economics and Management is popular.
From Doctoral Candidates to Bachelors
Until recently, in Holland there was neither a basic general education course, as in domestic universities, nor a two-level diploma system, as in the UK and USA. Upon completion of training, all students were awarded the degree of doctoral candidate. The number of years spent at the university depended on the chosen specialty. For example, to become an economist, philologist, linguist (in short, a humanities specialist), one needed to study for four years. And to obtain the qualification of an engineer, mathematician, programmer – five years.
But for several years now, the educational system of Holland has been reforming under the Bologna Agreement. Therefore, some universities still adhere to the old approach and graduate doctoral candidates after four to five years of study, but most have already switched to a two-step system (three to four years – bachelor’s, one to two years – master’s).
The Dutch (and generally European) educational system has the following characteristic features:
* Higher education here is considered incomplete if the program is interrupted before the student fulfills all academic requirements and passes all exams. And the requirements for exams are very strict.
* All universities emphasize the main specialty in which the student will prepare a thesis project. General disciplines receive less attention. Therefore, foreigners are recommended to first take preparatory courses at the chosen university.
* One of the main tasks of Dutch education is to instill in students the skill of independent work. The diploma is a multi-page report based on original research. Particularly serious attention is paid to the thesis project at universities: if you want to successfully defend, you cannot get away with a formal compilation of other people’s work. The best works are published in scientific journals.
A feature of the Dutch education system is the interconnection and continuity of all levels of education and the ability to change the curriculum. For example, if an international student finds it very difficult to study in the first years, they can return to the level where difficulties arose and take the program again. Disrupting the order of levels does not affect the possibility of obtaining a diploma – the main thing is to pass all the necessary exams.
English Will Help Us
When potential applicants start gathering information about Dutch universities, they learn that many degree programs are taught only in Dutch. But this is not a reason to be upset: in total, there are about 600 full study courses in English at various universities and institutes. They are specifically designed for foreigners. The Netherlands is generally the European leader in organizing an international learning environment.
Entrance exams are not held, except for a written language test – for which knowledge at the Intermediate level is required. However, it is not accepted everywhere, mainly in economics and finance departments.
Nevertheless, good English proficiency and decent grades in your certificate are very important during initial selection and interview. It should be noted that if you have chosen an economics major, basic knowledge of economics will be required already at the admission stage.
And you can still be denied admission. Year after year, the number of applicants to Dutch universities exceeds the number of places. But if you have completed Dutch preparatory courses, your chances of admission to your chosen university increase dramatically.
Preparing and Going
So you have firmly decided to go study in the Netherlands. Where to start? First of all, thoroughly study all the publicly available information, visit the websites of Dutch universities. This country is very popular among students, and many universities in our country and educational agencies maintain connections with it. Travel companies also often offer assistance in arranging and preparing study trips, including long-term ones.
Having chosen an intermediary or selected a university, carefully prepare and send to its address full information about yourself and the program you are interested in (undergraduate, postgraduate, internship, etc.). Of course, many documents will be required, and every detail is important in their collection and preparation. That is why many turn to educational agencies, where you can get detailed advice: how to prepare a motivation letter, where to have documents translated, etc.
If during the preparation and first communication with a Dutch university it turns out that your English level or school knowledge is insufficient for a degree program, you can choose the necessary preparatory courses.
Who Gets a Scholarship?
The financial issue is one of the main criteria when choosing a foreign program. Most students want to receive a quality education without overpaying for tuition or living expenses. In the case of the Netherlands, this is quite realistic. Striving to make higher education accessible to students from other countries, the government actively subsidizes it and also encourages the creation of various financial funds that provide scholarships and grants. That is why the cost of education in the Netherlands is significantly lower than in the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia.
A year of study at Dutch universities costs about €9,000. That is a lot, but students from non-EU countries who have received a Dutch government study scholarship (studiefinanciering) are exempt from full tuition fees. To receive a scholarship (for example, from the Rembrandt Fund), you need to have good (or better, excellent) grades in your certificate, recommendations from teachers or a university representative, and also need to follow the rules for submitting scholarship documents – this must be done simultaneously with submitting the main package to the chosen university. The scholarship can cover from 25% to 85% of tuition costs and is paid for a period of one to five years. Some grants fully cover the cost of study. Searching for a scholarship program can also be entrusted to an educational agency.
What to Expect
A student in the Netherlands spends from €600 to €900 per month on housing, insurance, and food. However, if your student visa is issued for more than three months, you have the right to request a work permit, backed by a letter from the university or employer. Such a permit allows students to officially work up to ten hours per week, and during the summer months, unlimited hours. According to fellow countrymen, the main difficulties of working in the Netherlands are related to the multicultural environment, the need to show tolerance, and at the same time strict obedience to the law.
But if you have managed to overcome financial, psychological, and legal difficulties, then with a diploma from a Dutch university you can find a job in any EU country. The Netherlands lives up to its name 'Gateway to Europe' also in terms of career prospects.
Documents for Admission
* Application for a program of study at a university or higher school.
* Secondary school certificate (translated and notarized).
* English test results: TOEFL 550 points or IELTS 6.0.
* Two recommendation letters from teachers or employers.
* Essay on a topic determined by the university (for example: 'The Importance of Internationalization in Education').