Aside from the UK, Netherland is the best place to study master’s degree in Europe. They have scholarships and affordable master’s degrees. The Netherlands is a multicultural country with a moderate maritime climate which allows foreigners to enjoy the ambiance of the country. The Netherlands is also known as Holland, it is one of the countries in Europe with a very good and high standard of education. The country welcomes a lot of international students from all around the world to come and study for either a bachelor’s degree or postgraduate degree.

Although the national language of the Netherlands is Dutch they also speak the English language too which makes the country open to people from other parts of the world. There are also English language taught programs in the Dutch universities and so students who are from English-speaking countries do not have to study or learn the Dutch language before they can commence their studies. The country is also known to be very safe and has a low crime rate, this is surely one of the good features of the Netherlands.

Some of the popular master’s degrees in Dutch universities are in Business, Economics, Humanities, Engineering, and Social Sciences.  There are other master’s degree programs too that students may want to study aside from those listed above. In the Netherlands, degrees are offered in two distinct categories which are research-oriented programs and professional higher education programs. The research-oriented programs are offered at research institutions and they focus majorly on study areas such as engineering and agriculture while the professional higher education programs focus on professional programs such as education, the sciences, and they are taught in the applied science universities.

WATCH – Top 10 Scholarships in the Netherlands for International Students

Top 10 Things to Know Before Applying for a Masters’s Degree in the Netherlands

Studying abroad entails a lot of things, from finances to choice of the study program, accommodation, and much more. It is better when one is planning to study abroad whether for a master’s or bachelor’s degree to find out what that particular country or institution of choice is ready to offer. Most people make a lot of mistakes by choosing randomly any country or institution and when they get there, it becomes difficult to cope and adjust to the country’s rules.

The Netherlands is a study abroad destination for most foreign students but is it necessary to find out what and how the country or your preferred institution operates and what to expect generally. A foreign student who wants to obtain a graduate degree in any of the Dutch universities must know and put into consideration certain things about the country and these are surely what will facilitate your obtaining the degree at a good pace. Below are some of the things you need to familiarize yourself with as an international student before applying to the Netherlands for studies.

1. Quality education: the Netherlands is known as a country that offers quality education and accepts foreign students to come study in its universities. Dutch universities are reputable and world-class standards that meet all international standards of education. The higher institutions of learning in this country award internationally recognized degrees which are accepted by employers of labor in most countries of the world.
2. English taught programs: in the Netherlands, where Dutch is its formal language allows English is used for teaching in higher education. Most Dutch universities have English-based programs that are made available to attract foreign students either for bachelor’s, master’s, or other postgraduate degrees. Although, if you are an international student who is not from a native English-speaking country, you would be required to take an English proficiency-based examination such as TOELF, IELTS, and others. While you may study in the country and make use of English taught programs, it is always advisable to take up Dutch language classes either in the university or online to help you to stay smoothly in the country and ease your interaction with the locals.
3. Multicultural environment: Holland can be said to be an international hub with many foreigners from china, Germany France, Spain, Italy, and so on coming into the country either for studies or tourists. Since the Netherlands attracts so many foreign students each year, it is then a high-mix country that welcomes people from other countries and their opinions are valued as well.
4. Tuition cost: generally, studying abroad can possess as a big challenge sometimes, especially when you consider the cost of living and tuition fees too. Studying in the Netherlands is relatively affordable as foreign students may pay up to  €8000 to €20,000 yearly on tuition fees. Although, there are scholarships and grants in which international students can take part to help either help them fully or partially cover the tuition fee and other expenses. International students are also permitted to work while they study to support their living expenses too.
5. Health insurance: like in most countries that allow foreign students to study in their country, the Netherlands also requests international students who want to come into the country for studies to obtain health insurance which may be provided by their home country. This health insurance helps in taking care of the student health expenses which may occur during the course of study in the country.
6. Funding for international students: the Dutch government offers various means of funding for its master’s degree students. For an international student to be eligible for this type of funding or grant must fulfill some basic requirements such as; having lived in the country for about five years, must be below 30 years, working in the country, or having someone related to that is already working for about 56 hours per month in the country. To fully find out the criteria needed for applying for this government funding, you can request information from your host university in the Netherlands.
7. Universities: the Netherlands universities are categorized into different parts. These universities include; research-based universities, the university of applied Science, and other institutions. The research-oriented universities just as the name suggests focus on research studies such as agriculture and some sciences while the applied Science universities focus on professional studies like engineering, sciences, education amongst others. The universities are sectioned to provide ease of selection when applying for your master’s course of study in any of the Dutch universities.
8. Work permit: the Netherlands permits its students to work while they study and while its citizens or students from other EU countries do not require a work permit, other international students from other parts of the world must first obtain a work permit before they can be allowed to work. International master’s degree students can work throughout the duration of their study and after tax, a reasonable amount of money is been realized.
9. Affordable cost of living: generally in the Netherlands, the living expenses are relatively low as compared to other EU countries. Accommodation on-campus is provided by the universities but it may sometimes not be enough to go around and so students opt for accommodation off-campus. There are different types of accommodation off-campus and students prefer to stay in shared apartments to be able to share the expenses that come with the housing. Also, transportation in the Netherlands is cheap depending on the lifestyle of the student. The cities are bicycle-friendly in that, bicycles are acknowledged as a means of transportation and so there are special routes provided for bicycle riders. Other means of transportation such as; trains, buses, taxis are also available and the cost of transportation varies between cities and other local communities.
10. Safe environment: the Netherlands is one of the countries in the world that is very safe to live and study. The country has a very low crime rate and this feature endears most international students to the country because they can study there without fear of racism or other related crimes. The locals are also very welcoming and are always open to the opinions of foreigners who visit their country whether for tourist or educational purposes.

Application Requirements for International Student Masters Degree

As a foreign student that wants to study in the Netherlands for a master’s degree, there are certain general requirements that the country would insist such student possess before being granted a temporary residence permit in the country. Although, these requirements may vary from country to country so it is advisable to visit the proposed institution to get more information and updates about the requirements needed for the study. Below are outlined the basic requirements needed for a master’s degree in the Netherlands by international students.

• A copy of the student international passport
• Passport photography
• A personal statement in the English language for students from English speaking countries
• Copies of obtained diplomas, bachelor’s degree certificates, and other certifications as requested by the host university.
• Transcript of student results
• Proof of English or Dutch language proficiency
• Curriculum Vitae or resume which may include referees or as indicated by the university
• Samples of academic written work

Finally, as a very safe, crime-free, and multicultural country, the Netherlands or Holland is also known as a good destination for a study abroad program. The country has research-oriented universities, professionally applied science universities, and other institutions and so students are given a wide range of choices to make for their postgraduate studies. With the country offering English language teaching programs this definitely makes it easy for students who are non-Dutch speakers to enjoy their education in the country with no language barrier, also the educational system of the Dutch universities are world-class and some of its institutions are ranked globally. The Netherlands above all allows students to enjoy a world-class education that is affordable.