Background
Facts and figures: studying in the Netherlands
Increasing numbers of international students are choosing to study in the Netherlands. Despite its small size, the Netherlands is an appealing study destination because many Bachelor's and Master's programmes are offered in English. The independent website Studychoice.nl provides an overview of no fewer than 800 English-taught Bachelor's and Master's programmes in the Netherlands.
What sets Studychoice.nl apart from other similar sites is its completeness: Studychoice.nl lists all degree programmes offered in the Dutch higher education system. In total, the list comprises 1200 Master's programmes, 600 of which are taught in English, and 1800 Bachelor's programmes, 200 of which are taught in English. Each of these programmes is accredited, ensuring that a Bachelor's or Master's degree earned in the Netherlands will also be accepted in other countries. In addition, all programmes on the list subscribe to the Dutch code of conduct for international students.
Bologna: studying abroad gains popularity
Studying abroad has become more popular in the past ten years. The Bachelor's-Master's degree system has been introduced throughout Europe, making it easier to 'study across the border'. The introduction of the Bachelor's-Master's system is a direct consequence of the Bologna Declaration, signed by 29 European Ministers of Education in 1999. This international agreement includes a pledge that the participating countries will work towards compatible degrees and accredited diplomas in higher education. Nearly three million students are currently studying abroad - 50% more than in 2000 and twice as many as in 1995 (OECD report ‘Education at a Glance 2008').
Where are the international students coming from?
In 2008, an estimated 76,000 international students from at least 59 different countries came to the Netherlands. Of these, 51,000 took a complete study programme, 48,250 of them in government-funded higher education. This figure represents a small increase compared to 2007. As in previous years, Germany, China and Belgium were the three main countries of origin (Internationalization Monitor of Education in the Netherlands 2008).
Dutch higher education enjoys prominent reputation
Dutch higher education is highly esteemed in other countries, according to the CHEPS report 'New Degrees in the Netherlands: Evaluation of the Bachelor-Master Structure and Accreditation in the Netherlands' (2008).
In 2008, the UK's Times Higher Education Supplement once again ranked 11 Dutch universities on the list of the best 200 universities in the world, more than any other European country.
Dutch universities also did well in the 2008 Academic Ranking of World Universities published by the Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Utrecht, Amsterdam and Groningen scored particularly well.
Dutch education system
The Netherlands has a binary system of higher education: academic programmes are taught at one of the 14 research universities, where the primary focus is on analysis and scientific research. These study programmes comprise a three-year Bachelor's phase, followed by a Master's phase lasting between one and three years. Three Dutch universities are primarily technically oriented: TU Delft, Eindhoven University of Technology and the University of Twente.
Higher professional education is taught at universities of applied sciences and focuses more on knowledge that can be applied in professional practice. The Netherlands has 54 universities of applied sciences. The Bachelor's phase at these universities takes four years, while the Master's phase takes one or two years.
The highest academic title awarded in the Netherlands is the doctorate (PhD). A doctorate involves at least four years of research, after which the PhD candidate writes a doctoral thesis and holds a public oral defence.
Internationalization Monitor of Education in the Netherlands (Nuffic 2008)
International Mobility in Education in the Netherlands (Nuffic 2006)
Internationalization in higher education in the Netherlands: key figures (Nuffic 2006/2007)
Education at a Glance (OECD 2008)
In the years to come, www.studychoice.nl will be further enhanced to support the fullest range of possible options for everyone interested in enrolling in higher education in the Netherlands.
Models on which Studychoice.nl was based:
www.unistats.com: Compares subjects at universities and colleges in the United Kingdom.
www.ucas.com: Lists all courses at universities and colleges in the United Kingdom; provides information about fees and bursaries.