Deeply rooted in Groningen is the University of Groningen. It is a research university. It has its fame as “a city of talent” with a world-class outlook. With over 400 years of existence, the university is the second oldest university in the Netherlands.
Owing to its success, the university has made a name for itself in Europe. This is due to its interest in academic research. As a matter of fact, it applies basic academic research in a creative way. As a result, so many international applicants have made it their first choice of higher institution.
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In case you are considering the University of Groningen as your study goal, it is good to prepare ahead of your application. This is why we have gathered all you need to know about the school in this article. It promises to be a lovely read as well.
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Why the University of Groningen?
There are so many exciting reasons you might want to choose this great institution again and again. Here are some of them:
- Overseas community: the university has one of the highest numbers of overseas students in the Netherlands. To be precise, out of the 30,000 students of the university, a measure of 6000 students are from over 120 different countries.
- Top degree programmes: the university offers more than 120 high ranking programmes. You will have many options of courses to choose from as a student. Among them are majors, electives, minors and exchange possibilities. In addition to that, most of these courses are taught in English.
- Excellent research programmes: in Europe, the University of Groningen is among the top research schools. Further, it shows in the quality of students that the school produces.
- Exciting student life: with a quarter of the people living in the city of Groningen as students, the university boasts of lively student life. Students are everywhere you go. They make the nightlife enjoyable. You can also see a huge number of them in the library, at the café, working part-time jobs or hanging out with friends. This also earns the city a position among the happiest cities in Europe.
- The city is safe and green: another crucial perk of Groningen is that it is both safe and green. It does not matter the time of the night; you can never have any fears of walking alone. The city is also green and has nature surrounding it. Students usually find themselves relaxing in the City Park too. There are also other cities where you can relax and study or do other interesting stuff. All that matters, after all, is that you are having fun.
Admission and Application at the University of Groningen
The university does not just offer admission to overseas students for a bachelor’s degree programme. The admission process involves three steps, namely: application, admission and registration.
The best possible time to apply for admission for a bachelor’s degree is from October 1. However, each course has a different application deadline. Since this is the case, you will need to visit the website of the course of your choice to find out the application deadline.
Besides, your nationality may determine the deadline. Also, there may be certain deadlines for scholarship candidates.
Steps for the admission and application procedure
The following are the methods you can apply for admission at the University of Groningen:
- Apply: to apply, you will need to register through Studielink. This is an online application and registration service for universities in the Netherlands. You will create an account and follow the method thus.
- Receipt of your application: when you have submitted your application, you will receive an email which the system produced as proof. Yet, the Admission Officers will send their confirmation email. This will happen after they have checked your application. If there is any missing item, the Admission Officers will notify you.
- Review: the university will send your application papers to the right Faculty’s Admission Board for review. Plus, this might take longer than 6 weeks.
- Decision: you will receive message about the decision of the Admission Board on your application. The decision will come in one of three forms: (a) you have received automatic admission. (b) your admission is conditional. (c) you do not have admission.
- Additional information: the information contains everything you need to know about your enrolment with the University of Groningen. This involves the deadline, registration and visa procedures, housing, etc.
- You will accept the offer by signing the necessary papers. After that, you will return the signed documents.
- Complete the admission process : this will involve your submitting the copies of your diplomas, transcripts and English test results.
- Finalise your enrolment: this involves paying your tuition, uploading your passport photo for your student card, etc.
You must also upload the following papers in a pdf format through email to the school:
- A pre-university diploma, including a transcript of studies
- The transcript of studies must show a GPA (Grade Point Average) or its equivalence to 7/10 (Dutch grade scale)
- Proof of English Language proficiency (IELTS 6.0)
- Letter of Motivation
- Curriculum vitae/resume
- Academic reference
- GRE/GMAT (for postgraduate courses)
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Acceptance Rate
The University of Groningen is one of the universities that do not give details of their acceptance rates. This is because they have more concerns about the applicant meeting the admission conditions. Here, the applicants do not need to compete with one another for enrolment. As long as you meet the admission conditions, you will stand a good chance to gain admission.
Despite the above reasons, we could get valued details on the acceptance rate of the school. Details on admission statistics and research profiles of nearby universities that have close rankings helped the situation. As a result, the acceptance rate of the University of Groningen has an estimation of around 50%.
Application Fees
The application fee for undergraduate students is 75 EUR.
Documents required include:
- Proof of English Language Proficiency
- Academic transcripts
- Travel and health insurance
- Photocopies of all original documents
- Personal statement.
University of Groningen Ranking
It is not just a university, this institution is proud to be a part of the list of top universities in the world. As such, it usually ranks among the top 100 on various ranking lists. For instance, it has a place in the ‘Top 100’ ranking in the ARWU Shanghai Ranking. It also sits among the best in THE World University Rankings and others. A few of the top rankings of the University of Groningen are below:
- #64 Academic Ranking of World Universities 2021
- #80 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2021
- #128 QS World University Rankings 2022
- #92 US News ‘Best University Ranking 2021
- #103, The Centre for World University Rankings 2021 – 2022.
The University of Groningen Tuition for International Students
The programme of studies you choose will determine the amount you will pay for tuition. Your financial situation, to a length, also determines the amount of tuition to pay. Here, you will pay the statutory fees or the university fees. Each academic year also determines the amount to pay as tuition. This runs from September 1. Plus, each tuition for the following year is stated during the present year.
However, you must pay the university fees if you did not meet all the conditions for statutory fees. To pay the university tuition, you:
- Must be recognised as a refugee by the UAF
- Have been recognised as a participant in an Erasmus Mundus degree programme at the University of Groningen. Hence, you do not qualify for statutory fees
- Are not a national of EU/EEA, are the spouse or partner of an EU citizen, and are residing in the Netherlands with their EU citizens. You will also need to submit a request to the Immigration Service Desk regarding this.
Without much worry, the university fees for international student in the 2021-2022 academic year is on the range of 8,916 EUR – 32,000 EUR. This is for undergraduate degree programmes. Most greatly, the school reduced the fees for this academic year from the original price. It is so because the University of Groningen uses it to reduce the effect of COVID-19 educational impacts on students.
Funding and Scholarships for International Students
The University of Groningen recognises gifted students. This, it does by offering a range of scholarships for international students and researchers. There are scholarships for international students who want to run for their undergraduate or graduate programmes. Short courses also receive scholarships.
That aside, the Dutch Government, the EU and inter(national) organisations, like the World Bank and Ford Foundation also grant scholarships for study or research at the University of Groningen.
Below are some of the scholarships you can access at the University of Groningen:
- China Scholarship Council – UG Joint Scholarship: this scholarship is for Chinese students and scholars to study abroad.
- Coimbra Group Short Stay Scholarship Programme for Young Researchers from Sub-Saharan Africa: the scholarship is for up to three months.
- Eric Bleumink Fund: The University of Groningen awards the scholarship to students from developing countries.
- Fulbright: scholarship from Fulbright for study and research to US citizens. Here is a guide on how to apply and win the scholarship
- Holland Scholarship: the scholarship only provides to the living cost of beneficiaries.
- Scholarship “Achille Latucca: a scholarship to promote scientific research in the field of Medicine and Surgery.
Other Opportunities at The University of Groningen
See also Scholarships in the Netherlands
Undergraduate Courses at the University of Groningen
The school offers 45 undergraduate courses to students. Around 35 of those courses are taught in English. The major courses that the school offers include mathematics, international business, artificial intelligence and economics & business economics.
Study Materials and other Related Expenses
In the Netherlands, tuition does not include the cost of study materials like books, stationery, printouts, photocopies, lecture notes, and other expenses. The exact cost of these expenses cannot be measured because they vary according to courses. However, for the 2020/2021 academic session, the official amount for each course should not be more than 700 EUR. Nevertheless, having some extra funds would not hurt. This usually comes in handy in case of emergencies.
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Cost of living in Groningen
The cost of living in the country includes travel, housing, feeding, clothing, medical, insurance, etc. For that reason, you will need up to 300 EUR per month for housing. It sometimes includes utilities like electricity bills and internet charges.
Also, the cost of feeding will not exceed 200 EUR per month. Still, there could be cases where you would need extra money for feeding.
For insurance, you need to budget between 40 – 90 EUR per month. If you enlist for language courses, you may spend 100 – 400 EUR per course. Again, if you would like to get a second bicycle to ease off the cost of transport, you need to budget around 80 – 120 EUR.
Nevertheless, these figures are not static. Hence, they might vary according to your choice of living. But if you are a student on a budget, they would take care of your needs.
Since the Dutch Government recognises excellent students, you may be lucky to receive some scholarships, grants, fellowships, etc. Yet, if you are not lucky, then, you would rely on your budget for your living costs.
Student life at the University
The city of Groningen is known for its bubbling activities. Over half of the people living in the city are students. This, no doubt, is the reason it is known as the student city.
As a result, a wide range of sporting activities takes place in the school. Surprisingly, nearly all sports have their associations. They also lease out their facilities at cheaper prices for students.
There are also several student unions at the University of Groningen. These unions organise social events for the members and other students who have the same interests.
Interestingly, as well, the campus is filled with students who enjoy riding bicycles to school. As a result of the prevalence of bicycles, there are mapped out paths for bicycles from the city to Zernike. For this reason, the city is popularly identified as the ‘World Cycling City.’
Student Accommodation in the University of Groningen
Sadly, there is no school-owned student housing in the university. However, students can get housing via SSH Student Housing. It operates student housing in different areas for students schooling in Groningen and its environment.
Moreover, a huge number of students live in privately-owned housing within the city. There are also strict laws for those who operate private housing in the Netherlands by the government. Therefore, this leads to a fair share of renting conditions. Also, landlords hardly hike prices to comply with the laws governing housing in the country.
Conclusively, applying to the University of Groningen is a step in the right direction. You need to be sure you understand the requirements for your application as it will enable you to cut some slacks. We have put down everything you need to know about the university. Having gone through the above details, it is important to note that your decisions are vital. Hopefully, you will make the right decisions. Your dreams are valid, remember.
