Universities in the Netherlands for International Students: Types, the 14 Research Universities and Real Entry Routes

The Netherlands has two main kinds of public higher education institutions: 14 research universities (WO), which teach academic research skills and lead to PhD level, and 36 government-funded universities of applied sciences (HBO), which prepare students for a profession through projects and internships. Students from outside the EU/EEA pay an institutional fee set by each institution: in 2026/27 a bachelor's year costs from $10,640 (€9,360) at a university of applied sciences to $22,000–25,000 for engineering and science at research universities ($22,627, or €19,906, at TU Delft), and medicine runs to about $36,000–39,000 a year. With a school-leaving certificate that Nuffic rates below the Dutch pre-university level, such as the Russian or Kazakh certificate, you can usually enter a university of applied sciences directly, while research universities tend to ask for a year of university study or a foundation programme first.

This guide explains how the system works, how institutions differ, which diploma gets you where, and how to build a shortlist of four to six programmes without taking unnecessary risks. For a country overview with housing and work, see study in the Netherlands.

The Dutch higher education system at a glance

Figures were checked against official sources on 24 September 2026; dollar amounts use the ECB rate of that day.

Research university or university of applied sciences?

In the Netherlands the type of institution matters more than the city or the ranking. It determines how long you study, what you pay, which school diploma is accepted and where you can go next.

The 14 research universities: profile, city and fees

We only list fees an institution has already published for 2026/27. Medicine is priced separately everywhere: $39,443 (€34,700) at UvA, $36,602 (€32,200) at Erasmus, $36,374 (€32,000) at Groningen and Maastricht. In-depth profiles: TU Delft and the University of Amsterdam.

Two lessons from the table. Fees for the same type of degree differ by $7,000–9,000 a year between universities, and within one university they depend on the faculty. And fees move fast: TU/e has already announced a rise from $21,140 (€18,600) to $25,460 (€22,400) for 2027/28. Our cost of studying in the Netherlands guide adds housing, insurance and permit costs.

Universities of applied sciences: who they suit

Hogescholen do not run large research programmes, so they barely appear in global rankings. Instead, programmes are built around a profession: projects for real companies, internships and sometimes work-study formats. The first year (propedeuse) tests whether you can keep up; the main phase lasts three more years.

Non-EEA fee examples for 2026/27:

• Saxion (Enschede, Deventer): $10,640 (€9,360) a year; the university arranges first-year insurance for non-EU students at $774 (€681) a year.
• The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS): $11,967 (€10,528) a year; English-taught master's $15,914 (€14,000).

StudyU also has profiles of Saxion and Fontys. An applied bachelor's is not a dead end, but a research master's often requires a pre-master first — see master's in the Netherlands.

University colleges and institutes for international education

University colleges are small honours colleges inside research universities, such as Amsterdam University College, University College Groningen and University College Maastricht. Students design an interdisciplinary curriculum across the arts, humanities, sciences and social sciences, all in English. Admission is holistic — grades, motivation, extracurricular activity, sometimes an interview — and fees are higher: $23,223 (€20,430) at AUC, $19,551 (€17,200) at UCG and $22,858 (€20,109) at UCM.

Institutes for international education target professionals with work experience and offer short courses and master's programmes; they rarely suit school leavers.

Private institutions: check accreditation and sponsor status

Private schools and business schools exist, for example Nyenrode Business University. Before paying, check two things the student residence permit depends on: the programme is accredited by NVAO (or registered in EQAR), and the institution is a sponsor recognised by the IND. Without sponsor recognition the school cannot apply for your permit; without accreditation your degree will not qualify you for the post-study orientation year.

Language of instruction: fewer English bachelor's than you might think

Universities of the Netherlands states that most bachelor's programmes at research universities are taught in Dutch, while English dominates at master's level. TU Delft is a clear example: only four bachelor's programmes are fully English-taught (Aerospace Engineering, the English track of Computer Science and Engineering, Earth, Climate and Technology, and Nanobiology). The rest require Dutch at VWO level.

Policy has shifted as well. For several years a law was discussed that would have forced some English programmes to switch to Dutch. In February 2026 the universities' association reported that the new coalition agreement plans to scrap the compulsory language-of-instruction test and keep the current range of foreign-language programmes. Universities can still cap intake on an English track separately — at UvA, for instance, the English tracks of Business Administration, Economics and Business Economics and Political Science, as well as Psychology, have a 15 January deadline. Always check the language and intake rules of the specific track for your intake year.

Which diploma gets you in

Nuffic compares school-leaving certificates with Dutch diplomas. HAVO gives access to universities of applied sciences, VWO to research universities. Russia's certificate of secondary general education is rated "at least HAVO" and Kazakhstan's certificate of general secondary education is rated HAVO. Typical routes:

Nuffic's comparison is advisory: the university decides and can set entrance exams in missing subjects (at TU Delft, VWO-level exams must be passed before 1 September). For routes after school see bachelor's in the Netherlands; for the application itself, applying to Dutch universities.

Nationality-specific restrictions

There is no general ban on Russian or any other nationality: admission is decided by the university and the residence permit by the IND under the usual rules. The restrictions that exist are targeted and mostly affect technical fields.

In practice: if you are considering microelectronics, aerospace, quantum technology or a similar field, read the programme page and ask the admissions office before applying whether your nationality could limit projects, internships or thesis topics. For business, economics, humanities and social science bachelor's these rules rarely matter.

Russian citizens collect their MVV entry visa at the Dutch embassy in Moscow; the consulate-general in St Petersburg is temporarily closed. More in our guide to the Dutch student residence permit.

How to choose: six checks before applying

1. Goal. Research, a European master's, a fast start in a profession or relocation — the answer decides the type of institution.
2. Diploma. Confirm that the university accepts your certificate directly; if not, plan a year of university or a foundation year the university actually recognises.
3. Track language. Check the language of the exact track; bilingual programmes require both languages.
4. Fixed quota. A numerus fixus programme means a 15 January deadline and a limited number of attempts.
5. Fee for your intake year. Not the current one.
6. City and housing. Universities do not guarantee rooms; UvA has no campus housing and its UvA Housing allocation does not cover all international students.

Rankings: where they actually matter

Use rankings for a first filter and compare subject rankings in your field; QS, THE and ShanghaiRanking weigh reputation and research output differently. For graduates of a Dutch accredited bachelor's or master's, rankings play no role in the orientation year permit. The top-200 condition (in at least two of the THE, QS and ShanghaiRanking tables, general or subject) applies only to graduates of foreign universities, and only after a master's, PhD or post-master's programme.

Common mistakes

• Choosing the Netherlands "for English programmes" without checking that the target bachelor's is taught in Dutch.
• Planning direct entry to a research university without reading the requirements for your country's diploma.
• Paying for a foundation year the target university does not accept.
• Budgeting with last year's fee.
• Enrolling at a private school without checking NVAO accreditation and IND sponsor status.
• Leaving housing until after the visa.

FAQ

Sources

• Universities of the Netherlands: 14 universities, language of instruction, coalition agreement, 6 Feb 2026 — checked 24 Sep 2026
• Vereniging Hogescholen: 36 universities of applied sciences — checked 24 Sep 2026
• Study in NL: tuition fees, university colleges, bachelor's, NL Scholarship — checked 24 Sep 2026
• Nuffic: Russia, Kazakhstan — checked 24 Sep 2026
• 2026/27 fees: UvA, TU Delft, TU/e, Erasmus, Groningen, Maastricht, THUAS, Saxion, Twente Pathway College — checked 24 Sep 2026
• TU Delft: admission requirements, VU Amsterdam: diplomas per country, UvA: applying for a bachelor's — checked 24 Sep 2026
• IND: student residence permit, orientation year — checked 24 Sep 2026
• University of Twente: sanctions-related restrictions, legislative calendar: knowledge security screening bill, education minister's letter to parliament, 11 June 2026, National Knowledge Security Guidelines, July 2026, NetherlandsWorldwide: MVV in Russia — checked 24 Sep 2026
• Exchange rate: ECB, 24 Sep 2026, €1 = $1.1367

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