# Studying in Netherlands > Entry routes, costs, visa and work rights for international students in Netherlands. - **Region:** Western Europe - **Admissions portal:** Studielink - **Annual cost band, EUR:** 20-35k / 35k-plus - **Budget note:** Tuition non-EU: most public unis €9.000–13.000/year (median €10.500), up to €20.000 BA / €30.000 MA (Nuffic). With living, typically €22.000+/year · 2026-27 - **Bachelor routes:** foundation-pathway, applied-sciences, direct-bachelor - **Master routes:** direct-master, language-prep - **Language-preparation routes:** language-prep - **Visa complexity:** high ## Overview The Netherlands hosts more English-taught degree programmes than any other country in continental Europe — over 2,100 accredited bachelor's and master's tracks at the start of 2026. This concentration means students who don't speak Dutch or German have a genuinely wide choice: technology, business, design, life sciences, international relations — all fully in English. Applied-sciences universities (HBO, Hoger Beroepsonderwijs) combine theoretical foundations with mandatory professional internships, producing graduates that Dutch employers actively recruit. The Studielink portal centralises all applications, deadlines are published one to two years in advance, and Nuffic — the Dutch credential office — publishes country-specific guidance on which foreign secondary certificates qualify for direct entry. The Netherlands ranks among the top five most international student environments in Europe. English is spoken at near-native level across the country, and the Randstad corridor — Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, The Hague — is one of Europe's most active graduate job markets in tech, finance, logistics, and creative industries. ## Strengths - Strong English-taught offer and clear Studielink process. - Good fit for applied sciences and business/science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) profiles. - Ukrainian аттестат accepted for direct entry to an applied-sciences university (HBO), per Nuffic; no preparatory year before the degree (foundation year) needed. ## Cautions - Housing and the financial proof for the immigration service (IND) need early planning. - English-taught bachelor capacity is under political pressure. - Architecture bachelor programs almost entirely Dutch-language; English design options (KABK, DAE) require portfolio. - Post-study stay-on looks high at 1 year (~57%) but drops to ~30% by year 5 — plan your long-term stay realistically (Nuffic/OECD 2026). - Amsterdam housing is not guaranteed: UvA says it can house only about 50-60% of applicants, and VU private-market rents often start around €750/month (UvA/VU, Aug 2026). ## Student work rights - **Hours per week:** 16 hours/week during term - **During holidays:** Full-time in July and August - **Separate work permit required:** no - **Legal basis:** Residence permit from the immigration service (IND) includes work rights - **Note:** Work rights are included in the residence permit — no long-stay entry visa (MVV) endorsement or separate work permit needed. ## Self-employment on a student permit - **Self-employment on the student permit:** allowed - **Separate permit or different residence title required:** no - **Counts against the employment limit:** not applicable - **Legal basis:** Wet arbeid vreemdelingen (Wav) — eenmanszaak needs no work permit; work for your own BV needs a TWV from UWV - **Norm last read:** 2026-09-03 - **Summary:** Self-employment is allowed on the student residence permit, but the legal form decides the paperwork: as a sole trader (eenmanszaak) you need no work permit, while working for your own BV makes you its employee — a TWV from UWV is required and the 16 hours/week cap applies. - **After graduation:** After graduation the orientation year (zoekjaar) permit carries full freedom to work and to be self-employed; a separate startup permit exists for founders. ## Scholarships - [Holland Scholarship](https://studyroute.app/scholarships/holland-scholarship.md) — €5,000 one-time (first year) - [Orange Tulip Scholarship (OTS)](https://studyroute.app/scholarships/orange-tulip-scholarship.md) — Partial to full tuition (varies by institution) - [Erasmus+](https://studyroute.app/scholarships/erasmus-plus.md) — Monthly mobility grant set by the home institution + possible top-ups - [Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters](https://studyroute.app/scholarships/erasmus-mundus.md) — Full scholarship: tuition + travel, visa & a monthly living allowance (set per programme) ## Institutions with published facts (49) - [Aeres Hogeschool](https://studyroute.app/institutions/aeres-hogeschool.md) — Almere - [Amsterdam University of the Arts](https://studyroute.app/institutions/amsterdam-university-of-the-arts.md) — Amsterdam - [ArtEZ University of the Arts](https://studyroute.app/institutions/artez-university-of-the-arts.md) — Arnhem - [Avans Hogeschool](https://studyroute.app/institutions/avans-hogeschool.md) — Breda - [Breda University of Applied Sciences](https://studyroute.app/institutions/breda-university-of-applied-sciences.md) — Breda - [Business School Notenboom](https://studyroute.app/institutions/business-school-notenboom.md) — Eindhoven - [Codarts University of the Arts](https://studyroute.app/institutions/codarts-university-of-the-arts.md) — Rotterdam - [De Haagse Hogeschool / The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS)](https://studyroute.app/institutions/de-haagse-hogeschool.md) — The Hague - [Design Academy Eindhoven](https://studyroute.app/institutions/design-academy-eindhoven.md) — Eindhoven - [Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam](https://studyroute.app/institutions/erasmus-universiteit-rotterdam.md) — Rotterdam - [Fontys University of Applied Sciences](https://studyroute.app/institutions/fontys-university-of-applied-sciences.md) — Eindhoven / Tilburg / Venlo - [Gerrit Rietveld Academie](https://studyroute.app/institutions/gerrit-rietveld-academie.md) — Amsterdam - [HAN University of Applied Sciences](https://studyroute.app/institutions/han-university-of-applied-sciences.md) — Arnhem - [Hanze](https://studyroute.app/institutions/hanze.md) — Groningen - [HAS green academy](https://studyroute.app/institutions/has-green-academy.md) — 's-Hertogenbosch - [Hogeschool Inholland](https://studyroute.app/institutions/hogeschool-inholland.md) — Haarlem - [Hogeschool Leiden](https://studyroute.app/institutions/hogeschool-leiden.md) — Leiden - [Hogeschool Rotterdam](https://studyroute.app/institutions/hogeschool-rotterdam.md) — Rotterdam - [Hogeschool Utrecht](https://studyroute.app/institutions/hogeschool-utrecht.md) — Utrecht - [Hogeschool van Amsterdam (HvA)](https://studyroute.app/institutions/hogeschool-van-amsterdam.md) — Amsterdam - [Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht](https://studyroute.app/institutions/hogeschool-voor-de-kunsten-utrecht.md) — Utrecht - [Hotelschool The Hague](https://studyroute.app/institutions/hotelschool-the-hague.md) — The Hague - [HZ University of Applied Sciences](https://studyroute.app/institutions/hz-university-of-applied-sciences.md) — Vlissingen - [NHL Stenden Hogeschool](https://studyroute.app/institutions/nhl-stenden-hogeschool.md) — Leeuwarden / Emmen / Meppel - [Nyenrode Business Universiteit](https://studyroute.app/institutions/nyenrode-business-universiteit.md) — Breukelen - [Protestantse Theologische Universiteit](https://studyroute.app/institutions/protestantse-theologische-universiteit.md) — Utrecht - [Radboud Universiteit](https://studyroute.app/institutions/radboud-universiteit.md) — Nijmegen - [Rijksuniversiteit Groningen](https://studyroute.app/institutions/rijksuniversiteit-groningen.md) — Groningen - [Royal Academy of Art, The Hague](https://studyroute.app/institutions/royal-academy-of-art-the-hague.md) — The Hague - [Royal Conservatoire The Hague](https://studyroute.app/institutions/royal-conservatoire-the-hague.md) — The Hague - [Saxion](https://studyroute.app/institutions/saxion.md) — Enschede / Deventer / Apeldoorn - [SOMT University of Physiotherapy](https://studyroute.app/institutions/somt.md) — Amersfoort - [Technische Universiteit Delft](https://studyroute.app/institutions/technische-universiteit-delft.md) — Delft - [Technische Universiteit Eindhoven](https://studyroute.app/institutions/technische-universiteit-eindhoven.md) — Eindhoven - [Thomas More Hogeschool](https://studyroute.app/institutions/thomas-more-hogeschool.md) — Rotterdam - [Tilburg University](https://studyroute.app/institutions/tilburg-university.md) — Tilburg - [Transnationale Universiteit Limburg](https://studyroute.app/institutions/transnationale-universiteit-limburg.md) — Maastricht - [Tyndale Theological Seminary](https://studyroute.app/institutions/tyndale-theological-seminary.md) — Badhoevedorp - [Universiteit Leiden](https://studyroute.app/institutions/universiteit-leiden.md) — Leiden - [Universiteit Maastricht](https://studyroute.app/institutions/universiteit-maastricht.md) — Maastricht - [Universiteit Twente](https://studyroute.app/institutions/universiteit-twente.md) — Enschede - [Universiteit Utrecht](https://studyroute.app/institutions/universiteit-utrecht.md) — Utrecht - [University of Amsterdam (UvA)](https://studyroute.app/institutions/university-of-amsterdam.md) — Amsterdam - [Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences](https://studyroute.app/institutions/van-hall-larenstein-university-of-applied-sciences.md) — Velp - [Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam](https://studyroute.app/institutions/vrije-universiteit-amsterdam.md) — Amsterdam - [Wageningen University & Research](https://studyroute.app/institutions/wageningen-university-and-research.md) — Wageningen - [Windesheim](https://studyroute.app/institutions/windesheim.md) — Zwolle - [Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences](https://studyroute.app/institutions/wittenborg-university-of-applied-sciences.md) — Apeldoorn / Amsterdam - [Zuyd Hogeschool](https://studyroute.app/institutions/zuyd-hogeschool.md) — Heerlen ## Sources Public sources: Studielink, Nuffic, the immigration service (IND) and WIB programme/visa notes; UvA/VU Amsterdam housing pages (Aug 2026). Ukraine route: Nuffic diploma guide, IND tijdelijke bescherming (May 2026). --- Canonical page: https://studyroute.app/countries/netherlands Source of this file: https://studyroute.app/countries/netherlands.md Each figure above carries the date its record was last checked against its sources. Where no date is shown, none is claimed — the figure is real, its check date is not on record.