Studying in English in the Netherlands: choosing the right programme

The reason the Netherlands appears on so many shortlists is simple: you do not need Dutch to take a degree here. The country offers more fully English-taught programmes than anywhere else in continental Europe, across both WO and HBO, at bachelor and master level. But precisely because the choice is so wide, the selection step is the one people rush.

Three questions to answer before you fall for a name

How much of this programme is actually in English? Some are fully English, some bilingual, some English only in the first year. The programme page states the language of instruction — read that line rather than inferring it from the university having an English website.

What is the language requirement for this exact programme? IELTS and TOEFL thresholds differ between institutions and between programmes at the same institution. WO usually asks for more than HBO, and some programmes set minimums per skill rather than only an overall score.

What else is required besides English? Many economics, engineering and data programmes require a specified level of secondary school mathematics. This trips up more applicants than the language score does, and it is the hardest gap to close close to a deadline.

Do not choose by title

Programme names do not always mean what an international applicant assumes. An International Business degree at an HBO institution may be heavily practical, built around sales and supply chains, while the same title at a WO university leans towards economics and quantitative methods. The only way to know is to open the year-by-year curriculum and read the course names.

If staying to work is the plan, read the careers section too: the roles alumni hold, the companies that take placement students. That is better evidence than any ranking.

Dutch: not needed to study, useful to live

You can study, and work in an international environment, entirely in English. But a part-time job in a café, a letter from the municipality, a tenancy agreement — Dutch helps with all of them. Most institutions offer Dutch courses to international students, often free or nearly so. A basic course in your first year is a small investment that returns a lot.

The order to work through

1. Settle the level and the branch first — see WO or HBO.
2. Shortlist 5–8 specific programmes, not 5–8 universities.
3. For each, record: language of instruction, language requirement, subject prerequisites, deadline, and the tuition fee for non-EEA students.
4. Flag any programme with a numerus fixus — that group has an earlier and much harder deadline.
5. Only then compare and choose.

Check the official sources

• Study in NL — search English-taught programmes

Next steps

• Study in the Netherlands — overview
• The same topic across every destination
• School directory
• Talk to VNIS