Universities in the Netherlands are divided into two groups: research universities and universities of applied sciences (UAS).
Terms of payment
Higher education in the Netherlands is paid. Tuition fees at state universities for students from Ukraine (a non-EU country) will be:
from 6,000 - 15,000 euros/year for a bachelor's degree
8,000 - 20,000 EUR/year for a master's degree
To study at a Dutch private university, you will usually need a bigger budget. For some training programs you can expect to pay up to €30,000 per year. Medicine and business are among the most expensive courses.
All Dutch universities of applied sciences and research universities in the Netherlands have announced that they are reducing tuition fees for refugee students with Ukrainian citizenship for the 2022-2023 academic year. As a result, these students will pay a statutory tuition fee of €2,209 instead of the significantly higher tuition fees normally charged to students from outside the European Economic Area.
The official deadline for recruitment to educational programs has already passed. But many universities have postponed this deadline for students from Ukraine or will try to find an acceptable solution.
Admission conditions for Ukrainians
The Dutch university application process and basic university admission requirements are the same for public and private universities.
First, you should contact the international office of the university you are interested in to check whether your educational document (diploma, certificate, etc.) obtained at home in the Netherlands is recognized. You can independently check and compare which Dutch diplomas correspond to Ukrainian ones by following the links
If your academic record is sufficient to apply, check the website of the university and program of your choice for information on the application process. Please note that some programs have a selection process and an application deadline of January 15. For most programs you first need to register via the Studielink tool https://www.studielink.nl/
Please note: you should first check with the institution of your choice whether you need to register via Studielink. Some institutions use a different method of registering students from abroad!
Educational institutions may reject your application or ask you to take some entrance tests if they think you are not fully qualified. Required GPAs vary by university and major.
Learn more about the application process for admission:
What certificate is required
You should contact the international office of the university you are interested in to check whether the level of your diploma (certificate) is sufficient for admission to the program you are interested in. If you have not yet decided on a university and program, but you want to know the level of your degree in advance, there are 2 options:
See the level of your diploma in education systems at the link: https://www.nuffic.nl/en/education-systems/ukraine
If you cannot find your degree level, you can request an accreditation assessment via IDW : https://www.idw.nl/en/procedure-EN.html. The IDW website explains how to apply. Please note: this is not free.
Types of visas, visa issues
Ukrainians with biometric passports do not need a visa to enter the Netherlands, but a student visa and a residence permit are required to study at a higher education institution. Requirements and necessary documents at the link: https://www.studyinholland.nl/plan-your-stay/get-prepared
Duration of study
Dutch universities used to offer only 4-5 year courses. Since 2002, most of them offer 3-year bachelor's programs and 1- or 2-year master's programs.
A bachelor's degree offered by research universities in the Netherlands requires 3 years of study, while a bachelor's degree offered by universities of applied sciences requires 4 years of study.
Language of education
English, Dutch.
A minimum level of English is required for study, not only in English-taught programs, but sometimes also in Dutch-taught programs. Main recognized English tests:
IELTS Academic
TOEFL iBT
PTE Academic
Sufficient command of the English language: TOEFL (minimum 550 paper, 213 computer), IELTS (minimum average 6) GMAT or GRE.
Conditions for scholarships, links
The Dutch Organization for Internationalization in Education (NUFFIC) (https://www.nuffic.nl/en) is the key source of information on scholarship opportunities, study programs and work rules in the Netherlands.
Study in Holland (https://www.nuffic.nl/en) offers general information on available scholarships for students in the Netherlands.
Tilburg University is raising an emergency fund to support its students directly affected by the war.
The University of Amsterdam (uva.nl) provides emergency funding to students from Ukraine, Russia and Belarus who are experiencing financial difficulties due to the war in Ukraine.
On the page of the universities of the Netherlands, there is a list of special pages of Dutch universities that provide support to students and employees affected by the war in Ukraine. https://www.universiteitenvannederland.nl/en_GB/news-items.html/nieuwsbericht/828-p-strong-support-to-ukrainian-russian-and-belarussian-students-and-staff-members-at-dutch-universities-strong-p
Important links
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