Study in the Netherlands

Guides to studying in the Netherlands

Practical, sourced guides to Dutch admissions, the student residence permit, tuition, living costs and scholarships, written against the figures the government and the universities actually publish.

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Application Guides

How to Apply to a Dutch University: Studielink, Deadlines and What Comes After

Most applications run through Studielink, with 1 May as the general deadline and 15 January for numerus fixus programmes.

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Rankings & Comparisons

Research University or University of Applied Sciences? WO and HBO Explained

Dutch higher education has two main routes, WO and HBO, and the difference is in how the degree is taught, not in how good it is.

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Application Guides

Numerus Fixus: How Selection Works When a Dutch Programme Has a Fixed Number of Places

You can apply to at most two numerus fixus programmes a year, and the ranking numbers come out on 15 April.

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Application Guides

English-Taught or Dutch-Taught? How to Read the Language Column

The register records the language of instruction for many programmes but not all, so check the programme page before you plan around it.

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Study Guides

Dutch Tuition Fees: The Statutory Fee, the Institutional Fee and Who Pays Which

For 2026-2027 the statutory fee is €2,694, and students from outside the EEA usually pay a higher institutional fee set by the institution.

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Study Guides

Student Housing in the Netherlands: What to Expect and How Not to Get Scammed

Study in NL calls the housing shortage severe and tells students to arrange a room before they arrive.

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Residence Permit & Work

The Student Residence Permit and the MVV: Who Applies and How Long It Takes

Your institution applies for your residence permit, not you, and the permit can run for the length of your study plus three months, up to five years.

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Residence Permit & Work

How Much Money You Must Show for a Dutch Student Residence Permit

The IND wants you to show twelve months of the study norm, which is €1,130.77 a month for 2026.

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Residence Permit & Work

Working While You Study in the Netherlands: The 16-Hour Rule and the Summer Exception

With a student residence permit you may work 16 hours a week, or full time in June, July and August.

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