A High-Value Study Abroad Option: The Netherlands! | UP-STUDY Educational Center

1. Dutch Higher Education Structure

Dutch higher education is generally divided into two types: research universities (WO, university of science/research university) and universities of applied sciences (HBO, university of applied science). About 98% of these institutions are public universities.

Both types of higher education offer bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

The bachelor’s degree at universities of applied sciences (HBO) typically lasts for 4 years, while master’s degrees can range from 10 months to 1 year, 1.5 years, or 2 years.

At research universities (WO), bachelor’s degrees generally last for 3 years, and the master’s degrees range from 1 to 3 years. If someone holds a bachelor’s degree from a university of applied sciences (similar to a technological university in Taiwan) and wants to pursue a master’s at a Dutch research university, they must complete a pre-master’s course to meet the required credits.

After graduating from a research university with a master’s degree, students can choose to proceed to a doctoral research project.

2. Famous Universities and Disciplines in the Netherlands

Although the Netherlands is not a very large country in terms of area, it has many top disciplines in higher education. There are 14 research universities and 41 universities of applied sciences in the country. In the 2021 QS World University Rankings, 13 Dutch research universities were ranked, all within the top 368 in the world. Let’s take a look at the famous universities and disciplines in the Netherlands!

2-1 Agriculture and Forestry

Wageningen University & Research (WUR) (https://www.wur.nl/en.htm)

In the fields of agriculture and food, Wageningen University is the world’s top research university. Its life sciences department is also among the best in Europe. In the QS World University Rankings for Agriculture and Forestry, it is ranked first in the world. Times Higher Education also ranks Wageningen University as 63rd in the world. Wageningen is the only university in the Netherlands that is directly funded by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, rather than the Ministry of Education.

Many people may not know that the Netherlands, which is about 1.3 times the size of Taiwan, is the world’s second-largest agricultural exporter, just after the United States. This again demonstrates the Netherlands’ strong capabilities in agriculture and environment-related fields.

2-2 Industrial Technology

Known internationally for companies like Philips and ASML, the Netherlands is also quite renowned in the field of industrial technology.

The three leading industrial universities in the Netherlands are Delft University of Technology (https://www.tudelft.nl/), University of Twente (https://www.utwente.nl/), and Eindhoven University of Technology (https://tuenl/en/). These universities consistently claim the title of the best industrial university in the Netherlands each year. Many well-known companies have close cooperation with these universities, and they regularly hold large recruitment events at these institutions, making them very attractive to students who aspire to join these major companies.

Delft University of Technology (https://www.tudelft.nl/)

According to the 2021 QS World University Rankings, Delft University of Technology is ranked 57th in the world. It has 23 departments that are ranked in the world’s top 100 in their respective fields. Its departments of Architecture & Building Environment and Civil Engineering & Structures are ranked 3rd in the world, Mechanical Engineering is ranked 7th, and Art & Design is ranked 11th.

2-3 MBA Fields

Rotterdam School of Management (RSM, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University) (https://www.rsm.nl)

In recent years, the most popular and in-demand field in business is definitely the MBA. Rotterdam School of Management is the most well-known MBA school in the Netherlands, ranked 29th in the world by the QS MBA rankings. The school places great importance on Taiwanese students, with dedicated staff coming to Taiwan each year to conduct one-on-one interviews and assist with applications. Applicants must have at least 3 years of managerial work experience, and around 95% to 99% of students each year are international. Rotterdam School of Management is one of the few universities in the Netherlands with relatively high tuition fees; in 2022, the tuition was 56,000 Euros, but the school offers many scholarships to outstanding applicants.

2-4 Comprehensive Fields

University of Amsterdam (https://www.uva.nl/en/education/education.html)

The University of Amsterdam is the largest university in the Netherlands, founded in 1632, and has produced 6 Nobel Prize laureates. The university comprises seven faculties, including the Faculties of Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Business, Law, Science, Medicine, and Dentistry. The university also has 5 museums and several libraries. Such abundant resources have contributed to the University of Amsterdam having 19 fields of study ranked within the top 50 in the world, including media and communication (ranked 1st in the world), sociology (ranked 13th), and more.

2-5 Applied Universities

Hanze University of Applied Sciences (https://www.hanze.nl/eng)

Hanze University of Applied Sciences is located in Groningen in the northeastern part of the Netherlands, a famous university city, and is surrounded by the University of Groningen (ranked 128th in the world). About 20% of the city's population consists of students, making it a vibrant place with many student activities, bars, sports, and more. Additionally, being close to the northern seas, Groningen has many offshore wind power facilities and energy companies, making the city rich in educational resources related to sustainable energy. One of Hanze University of Applied Sciences' key research focuses is sustainable energy.

Hanze University of Applied Sciences has a very friendly relationship with Taiwan, with nine Taiwanese universities being sister schools, such as National Chengchi University, National Taipei University of Technology, National Taipei University of Business, and so on. The university also attracts many Taiwanese students. Hanze University of Applied Sciences has seven faculties, is quite large, and has abundant resources.

3. With so many schools, where should I start looking?

Almost every school in the Netherlands has its own unique features, and this article cannot cover them all. Fields like transportation, arts, hospitality management, and more are also quite well-known in the Netherlands. So, where should you start?

In fact, all Dutch educational institutions are integrated into the "Study in Holland" website (https://www.studyinholland.nl/). Here, you can easily find information about all Dutch schools, programs, course start and end dates, application timelines, even tuition fees, and more. If you're interested, feel free to start exploring to see if there's a field that catches your attention, or consult UP-STUDY for more information!