Netherlands

All prospective students can apply for an educational programme to a University in Netherlands, following instructions on the application pages of a particular university’s website. They have to check for the required documents and prepare them correctly in order to start application.

1. Universities ask candidates to apply via website, using own online application modules

In Netherlands, there is an abundance of degrees taught in the English language, which means that course options are almost unlimited for Indian students. Currently, more than 2,100 courses are taught entirely in English and they range from training seminars to Master’s degrees.

For each course, a minimum academic record of 60% and above in Standard XII will be required. Foundations and Diploma programs are available for students who have secured around 65%. The student should have completed 18 years of age before joining a degree program. For the province of Groningen, the required academic records might be different. So if you are applying to a university in Groningen, check with the institute. It is important to remember that even though entry requirements are lower at Dutch universities, the standards are not. So you need to think carefully beforehand whether you will be able to cope with the high standard of education through the course of the next few years or not.

An Indian Student planning to Study in the Netherlands requires a Visa to enter and stay there for the purpose. Depending on the kind, of course, the student is planning to undertake, he/she can apply for the relevant student visa – Schengen Visa (for courses less than 3 months) and Entry Visa – MVV and the VVR or the Residence Permit for bachelors/ masters from the Netherlands.

A student planning to take up a course which is over 90 days in duration would need a Residence Permit to stay in the Netherlands for the purpose of completing their education. As per the IND (Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Service), for students planning to stay in the Netherlands for a period of more than 90 days, the university/ institute is their ‘Recognized Sponsor’. Under the TEV (Entry and Residence Permit) Procedure, the visa for the student would be applied by the recognized sponsor. It is important for the student to understand that while the process is essentially the same, it might vary from University to University and he/she is to follow the guidelines as shared by the University.

Under the TEV Procedure, the University would request you to provide the necessary documents and submit the form on your behalf to the IND in the Netherlands. Once the IND approves your application, it would grant you an MVV (Provisional Residence Permit) which would be valid for 3 months. The student can collect the MVV from the Dutch Embassy/ Consulate and then fly to the Netherlands.

On arriving in the Netherlands, Students would then be required by their respective Universities to appear for and apply for a Residence Permit (VRV) within a stipulated time. Again, it may vary from university to university but is usually stipulated between 3 to 5 days. The application is then forwarded by the University for a Permanent Residence Permit which is issued within the following two weeks.

Lots of different scholarships offered to international students who want to study in the Netherlands. Some are specific to the level of study (short courses, bachelor, master’s, PhD), your nationality, or the field of study.

Most of the Dutch Universities have scholarships based on student profile and the student has to apply for the same during their application process.

This is an EU scholarship that runs between 2014 to 2020, encouraging international student movement and mobility. Erasmus + is for students who want to study abroad during their studies, or do a traineeship. It can be used between 3 to 12 months during a study abroad, or between 2 to 12 months for a traineeship. This must be within the EU. If you are a recent graduate, you can also apply for the Erasmus + grant if you meet certain requirements.

Various educational institutions take part in the OTS like Maastricht University, the University of Groningen, and the University of Twente, to name a few. By searching each individual country (for example, OTS Brazil), you will find out which institutions and courses are included. You can also find the application requirements and the total amount of scholarship funding that is available.

This scholarship is designed for international students outside the EEA who want to do a full-time bachelor or master’s degree in the Netherlands. The grant is €5,000, given to you in your first year of study. Therefore, it is not a full-tuition scholarship. The requirements include being a national of a non-EEA country and having no prior degree from the Netherlands. The participating intuitions – which include universities like Utrecht, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and many universities of applied sciences- have their own specific requirements. These you can find on the institution’s websites.

When thinking about the Netherlands, windmills often spring to mind. Truth be told, it’s a wonderfully eclectic place that has so much more to offer. As a student it’s one of the best places to be, as it offers a high standard of academia, as well as a brilliant work-play balance.

Life as an international student in Netherlands is really exciting. The Dutch are friendly people who are fond of football, fine art, good food and drinks like most Europeans. Students from India will experience a major culture shock in the beginning. The Dutch society is progressive and every one genuinely respects the state and the law.

Netherlands experiences mild temperature throughout the year, with cool summers and moderate winters. Since the country is geographically small, there is little variation in climate from region to region. Average temperature in winters is 2°C to 6°C. In summers, it is 17°C to 20°C.

Netherlands is one of the safest metropolitan areas in Europe. Violent crime rates are fairly low although some petty crimes like pickpocketing are not unheard of, particularly in major cities such as Amsterdam. If you are new in the country never leave your bags or valuables unattended in the public areas. When traveling, it’s always a good idea to have your country’s embassy contact details on hand, should you run into any problems.

The education system in the Netherlands focuses on teamwork, creating an ideal environment to make friends. The teaching style in the Netherlands can be described as interactive and student-centred, providing students with the attention and freedom they need to develop their own opinions and creativity in applying their newly acquired knowledge. By studying in the Netherlands, you will develop an open mind and increase your international orientation.

The Dutch system of higher education enjoys a worldwide reputation for high quality. Experience shows that people who have studied at a Dutch higher education institution perform very well in other parts of the world. This quality is achieved through a national system of regulation and quality assurance.

Students often engage in jobs along with their education. This helps them in a number of ways. Some students do jobs to help fund their education, while some others do jobs for extra money to enjoy. A lot of students work for the experience they can collect to help them land better jobs on completion of their course. It goes without saying that students enrolled in an English-taught programme and if they do not have know Dutch, certain jobs will be out of reach. For students who can speak a little Dutch, those which require native fluency will be out of reach. Always make sure you know about the relevant formalities and rules before you begin to look for a job.

A few rules and regulations need to be followed for the work opportunities. Working permit for students from different nationalities are different in Netherlands. Students can not apply for work permit themselves. Employers or the employment agency or the organization applies for the work permit on the behalf of the students. Dutch immigration laws have regulated the number of hours a person can work. Students are advised to limit it to 16 hours per week during a school week or full time during summer holidays.

International students who obtain a bachelor’s or master’s degree from a university in the Netherlands can spend a period of up to 12 months to find a job as a highly skilled migrant. Called the ‘search year’, this is the time given to graduates to look for a suitable job in the Dutch market.

With a residence permit for the ‘search year’, you can take up any paid or unpaid employment and your employer does not have to apply for a work permit. However, at the end of the ‘search year’ period, your residence permit cannot be extended. You either should apply for a ‘change of purpose’, or leave the country. If you do succeed in finding a job, your employer will usually assist you in applying for your ‘change of purpose’.

The International students are also eligible to apply for jobs in any of the European nations. Most of the universities have career service offices and will help the student finding a job.

Within the EU, Germany and Hungary will be designated high-risk areas. This means that travellers from these countries will need to show a COVID certificate (proof of vaccination or recovery or a negative test result) when travelling to the Netherlands. This requirement will come into effect on 6 September 9:00 am. Consult the travel advice (in Dutch) to find out what documents you need to show.

As of 4 September 0:01 am the United States, Israel, Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia will be designated very high-risk areas. This means the EU entry ban will apply to these countries. People travelling from these countries will only be able enter the Netherlands if they are fully vaccinated or fall under one of the exemption categories for the EU entry ban. They are also required to quarantine for 10 days on arrival as of 4 september 9:00 am. As of 6 September, they must also show a negative test result. Proof of recovery or vaccination will no longer be sufficient. Lebanon will be designated a high-risk area and fall under the EU entry ban as of 4 September 0:01 am, with fully vaccinated travellers exempt from the entry ban. The current COVID certificate requirement will remain unchanged.

As of 4 September 0:01 am, the category ‘very high-risk area where there is a variant of concern’ will cease to exist. Additional measures had been in place for the 16 countries in this category (South Africa and countries in South and Central America). As of 4 September 0:01 am these countries will be moved to either the category ‘high-risk area’ or the category ‘very high-risk area’. Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay will be designated high-risk areas. Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Suriname, Venezuela and South Africa will be designated very high-risk areas. As of 4 September 0:01 am, travellers who have been fully vaccinated or fall under one of the exemption categories for the EU entry ban will be able to enter the EU. The requirement for some travellers to show two negative test results will be lifted. However, other requirements still apply. People travelling from a high-risk area must show a COVID certificate (proof of vaccination or recovery or a negative test result) and the health declaration. People travelling from a very high-risk area must show a negative test result (proof of vaccination or recovery is not sufficient) and the health declaration, and must comply with the mandatory quarantine requirement. The EU travel ban will come into effect at 4 september 0:01 am, the mandatory quarantine requirement at 4 september 9:00 am and test obligations at 6 september 9:00 am.