Studying in Holland: Universities, conditions, opportunities and prospects

Dutch higher education has its roots in the 16th century, when the first university was established in Leiden in 1575. The modern system of higher education in the Netherlands includes dozens of universities and hundreds of thousands of students who earn diplomas in a wide variety of academic and professional fields.

One of the important features of higher education in the Netherlands today is the large number of English-language programs of study. Dutch universities offer more than 2,100 programs and specializations to study in English, a record number for continental Europe. It should also be noted that there are various programs to support students, making it possible to get scholarships and grants for education.

All this makes education in the Netherlands attractive and at the same time available to a large number of applicants from abroad: they account for 13% of the 700 thousand students who annually receive higher education in this country. Most come from Germany, China, Belgium, France and Spain. In recent years, the number of students from Russia has also been growing. There are quite pragmatic reasons for this. Firstly, the cost of paid education in Russia is quite high, and if you have to choose between Russian and European universities, the latter offer more opportunities for future employment. Secondly, the situation in the economy, when the growth of the dollar has led to a tangible decrease in income and savings of the population, requires a review of plans and optimization of expenses, including for education.

Two types of universities in the Netherlands

All higher education institutions in the Netherlands are divided into two large groups:

Studying in research universities allows students to immerse themselves in the academic environment as much as possible. There is a strong emphasis on scholarship, research and analysis. Such universities offer what is known as a classical education. Here students study history and theory of different disciplines, get deep knowledge of interconnections of different spheres of science and life.

For example, in economic and management programs economic crisis can be viewed from the standpoint of economic theory, cyclic nature of crises in history, forecasting of similar events in future for deep and complex analysis of current situation. Graduates, thanks to this approach, have a broad knowledge not only in their specialty, but also in related fields, and their diplomas are highly valued in the European and international markets. Universities in this group (there are 18 of them in the Netherlands) participate in international rankings. Universities of applied sciences (39 in total) are institutions of higher education which train professionals and specialists in different fields, ready to practice immediately after their graduation. The focus of study is on practical activities. For example, students in economics classes may be offered a case study on how to find a way out of a crisis situation for a particular company or organization. Lectures and seminars in these universities are necessarily combined with internships and project work directly at manufacturing enterprises, commercial companies and state or international organizations.

Scientific and research work during the study has an applied character and is aimed primarily at the practical solution of various problems in the chosen sphere. Many universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands have introduced a special method - Problem Based Learning (PBL). This approach allows students to gain new knowledge by solving complex practical problems, while developing group work skills. The pioneer, who developed and implemented this method in the mid-20th century, was Stenden University of Applied Sciences. A great example of this method is the student hotel of this university, where all administrative functions are carried out by students of different years of study.

Application options in the Netherlands

The education system throughout Europe allows the three academic degrees - Bachelor, Master and PhD - to be studied in sequence.

The Bachelor's degree takes 3 years at research universities and 4 years at universities of applied sciences, with the final year spent in practice.

The Master's degree is One or two years.

The PhD degree is 4 years of serious research at a university, which the applicant spends researching their topic and writing a research dissertation. It is only possible to obtain a research degree at research universities.

Summer school is a short 1 to 3 week course that allows you to gain knowledge in a field of interest or improve your English language skills during the summer vacations.

How to apply to universities in the Netherlands

The application procedure for admission to universities in the Netherlands requires the collection and submission of a set of documents, including copies of diplomas and/or degrees, certificates as well as a motivation letter.

Some research universities offer applicants who wish to obtain a bachelor's degree to take an entrance exam in their chosen field. Some universities in this group allow applicants to enroll not only with a high school diploma, but also with at least one year in a Russian university. This applies most often to technical universities, where a thorough knowledge of mathematics is required.

If you have a Bachelor's or Specialist's degree, you will be admitted without any additional tests.

To obtain a Bachelor's degree from a university of applied sciences, it is usually sufficient to have a certificate confirming knowledge of English. No other exams or tests are usually required.

In order to enter a master's degree at universities of applied sciences, several years of experience in the desired field is often required. Regardless of the type of university, you need to prove your English language ability with an IELTS or TOEFL certificate. For undergraduate degrees, the average score requirements are as follows: TOEFL 80, IELTS 6; for Master's degree: TOEFL 88, IELTS 6.5. Many universities also offer a year of preparatory language courses.

Such preparatory courses at the university you like are quite a good idea for those who have doubts about their knowledge of English, their chosen specialty or readiness to study abroad. Living and studying in Holland in a test-drive will give you a good insight into the country and university atmosphere and will help validate your decision.

With Diploma in hand

After getting your bachelors, masters or PhD degree you can of course look forward to working in Holland as well: International graduates have one year given to find and get a job in the Netherlands after finishing their studies.

Finishing your studies in the Netherlands

The choice of university and profession is the decision that will define, if not the rest of your life, then a large part of it. And you should definitely approach it with full responsibility. Where to study, what to become and how to plan your future? Answers to these questions should be given by weighing all your desires and possibilities, weighed against the readiness to responsibility and taking into account many other factors.

If you're interested in the possibility of studying in Holland, you can get free advice and answers to all questions in the information center Nuffic Neso Russia - the organization that officially represents the Dutch higher education in Russia.

2022-01-14 07:13:48
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