Study in Netherlands: All you need to know

Studying abroad not only signifies quality education, it also gives you an opportunity to meet different people and explore diverse cultures and traditions. So, if you wish to pursue your education abroad, Netherlands should be your ideal educational destination as not only does it offer you a standardised higher education at an affordable rate, it also provides excellent occupational opportunities for international students.

Let’s have a look at the important aspects that Netherlands has on offer for you before you decide upon your educational destination.

Top colleges/universities to look for in Netherlands

Netherlands houses some reputed universities or institutions that students from all over the world vouch for. University of Amsterdam, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Utrecht University, Maastricht University and Leiden University are some of the high-ranking educational institutions which provide students with distinct courses in various disciplines at Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD, Diploma or Certificate level.

Scholarship opportunities

Education in Netherlands is affordable as compared to countries like US, UK and Australia. There are several scholarships on offer for those Indian students who want to study in Netherlands, such as Maastricht Master Scholarships, TU Delft Scholarships, Amsterdam Excellence Scholarship, Utrecht University Excellence Scholarship, Radboud Scholarship Programme, Leiden University Excellence Scholarship, Orange Tulip Scholarship 2018 and various others.

Application procedure

To apply for a course in a Dutch educational institution, candidates can complete their registration via Studielink which is an official portal. Studielink guides applicants with step-by-step enrolment process. Some institutions allow students to directly apply for their courses if they fulfil all the eligibility requirements. Before applying, students just need to make sure that they qualify for the desired course and have all the required documents with them in correct form.

Employment opportunities

The Dutch government allows foreign students to work for a maximum of 10 hours a week or full-time during summer season, that is, in the months of June, July and August. But, before you can work your employer needs to obtain work permit from UWV which stands for Employee Insurance Agency.

Cost of living

As compared to other European countries, the cost of living in Netherlands is low. Students should start looking for affordable accommodations early to avoid the rush during start of academic session. There are also several websites that offer information on cheap housing. Transportation, entertainment and food in restaurants are often discounted for students. Bicycle is the cheapest form of transportation here and it will keep you active too.

Visa procedure

The students whose courses will run for more than 90 days need to apply for Provisional Resident Visa or Machtiging tot Voorlopig Verblijf (MVV) which will allow them to stay in Netherlands for 6 months. Once the students will arrive in Netherlands, the host institution will have to apply for Resident Permit on behalf of the student.

Before apply for MVV, the student must keep intact the following documents:

A valid passport

Proof of sufficient financial means, i.e., bank statements, scholarship letter, etc.

Letter of acceptance from the host institution

Proof that all the fees have been paid