7 Reasons to Study in the Netherlands

The Netherlands is an incredibly attractive country for international students and hundreds of students arrive every year to study. And this mesmerizing nation provides every reason to leave your country behind and study in the Netherlands.

The quality of education is among the best in the world and many universities offer various English-language programs. Also, studying in the country is affordable compared to western European and other English speaking countries.

Further, studies show that foreign students are coming to the Netherlands as a total of around 1,22,000 students from 162 countries follow a degree program at a university of applied sciences or university, according to an analysis by NUFFIC (the Dutch organization for internationalization in education). It is widely prevalent that Education in the Netherlands meets all international standards and a degree or diploma from a Dutch university gives a successful career in any country of the world.

Check out the reasons below why you should choose the Netherlands for your further study.

1. An international and multicultural environment

The Netherlands is a multicultural country which shares borders with Germany and Belgium. The country provides exquisite boat trips on canals and lakes, lazing on beaches, mesmerizing view of the woods, a moderate climate and the crossroads where many other cultures meet others.

The country also hosts a large number of international students from all over the world at its education system. Learning in the Netherlands is fun and efficient as most of the Dutch universities have international student associations, which help students throughout their studies.

The Netherlands is also known for its huge English speaking population where approximately 95% of locals speak English. This factor makes living, studying, and working for Indian nationals in the Netherlands very convenient, comfortable and pleasant. The Netherlands is also very open and tolerant country where people love to welcome everyone, sharing their faith and beliefs.

2.  Affordable study costs

Studying in the Netherlands is not expensive compared to other European countries or English-speaking countries such as the UK or US. Since the higher education in the Netherlands is subsidized by the government and tuition fees are relatively low. Thus, studying here becomes convenient and affordable.

The Netherlands also has the advantage of low living cost and high living standard when compared to other English speaking countries. Country’s renowned standard of education and comparatively low cost of living, studying in the Netherlands will is a true value for money.

Further, the country also lets you earn while you learn and meanwhile having a job alongside your studies. Also, you can declare these expenses, and get some money back from taxes. Additionally, many Dutch universities offer grants and scholarships that can reduce or fully cover the tuition fees of study programs.

3.  Innovative teaching methods

It is well known that the educational system in the Netherlands is of high quality and universities are acknowledged worldwide for their well-designed, modern courses and facilities offered on campus.

Additionally, the teaching style in Dutch universities focuses on teamwork making it easy for international students to meet Dutch people as well as other international students.

Dutch universities emphasize a strong interpersonal relationship with students & professors and hence let you freely ask for any problems inside and outside the classroom. The main purpose of teaching and practical experiences is one-to-one interaction so most tutorials and seminars take place in small groups of around 15-30 students only.

Most of the coursework will consist of group work, developing not only the academic skills but also the ability to work together as part of a team and degrees include various practical elements while training.

4. Affordable living expenses

When compared with other western European countries, the Netherlands is an affordable option with its relatively low living cost. The Average cost of living in the Netherlands is between €800 and €1,000 per month which can be funded either by part-time jobs or finance.

For boarding and lodging, one can find various places to live in the Netherlands using various useful websites. It is advised to students to start looking for accommodation early because there is a huge demand for quality rooms.

As a student, while studying in the Netherlands, one can avail various discounts in places like bars, restaurants, an ISIC Student Card to get many more benefits and discounts.

5.  A plethora of degrees taught in English

The Netherlands is known as the first non-English speaking country where universities started to design higher education study programs in English, to attract students coming from abroad.

The Universities in Netherlands offers more than 2,100 study programs and courses that are specifically taught in the English language which further covers a broad study area including degrees in bachelor’s, master’s, Ph.D., diploma or certificate courses.

The whole idea of studying in the Netherlands is romantic as you can get a high-quality and affordable education in many disciplines in the top universities in an international, open-minded and culturally rich country.

For English language, it should be noted that Dutch universities do have strict language requirements for non-English language speaking students and in that case, the aspirant is required to take the TOEFL, IELTS or a similar English language test to prove their proficiency.

6. Internationally recognized degrees

Recognized as a knowledge center, Netherlands has rich study traditions and a plethora of well-known universities. Most Universities in the Netherlands are state-funded and are split into two categories: research universities and universities of applied sciences.

In the research universities category, there are 14 varsities whereas there are 41 universities in the applied sciences category.  The research universities are known for offering more research-intensive education, while the latter is focused on preparing students for a particular professional field.

In addition to the state-subsidized institutions, Netherlands also have a huge range of private universities and university colleges. Amid a wide range of world recognized universities, a number of Dutch universities are ranked in the Top 100.

7. Transport

The Netherlands, being a small country is connected with efficient, well-connected train lines where one can avail a 40% student discount. With such efficient and affordable means of transport, they really don’t need a car in the Netherlands.

The country has an extensive network of bicycle paths that are a famously popular and healthy and eco-friendly way to get from A to B.