Why The Netherlands is no longer a safe bet for international students.

Since 2006 The Netherlands has seen its international student population triple, and it is easy to understand why: picturesque towns, high-quality education, affordable tuition, and easy mobility to other European countries. However, this appealing option has recently become far less accessible because of political and economic factors affecting the land of tulips and windmills.?

In December 2022, Robert Dijkgraaf, the Dutch Minister of Education, asked universities to stop actively recruiting international students. He called for universities to no longer attend college fairs in other countries and for higher learning institutions to suspend their advertisements to international students. Dutch officials believe that universities and cities lack the infrastructure to support the flood of international students. This recommendation does not appear to limit EU citizens as they are still able to study at any EU university under the same conditions as nationals, but Dijkgraaf stated that a plan to deal with the situation would be released in February which has the potential to affect EU students as well.

The demand to attend universities in the Netherlands has grown from roughly 31,500 international students in 2006? to more than 115,100 international students in 2021. Furthermore, nearly 40% of first-year students in 2021 were internationals causing a bump in enrollments, leading to overflowing lecture halls and a housing crisis. Despite warnings from several universities to international students to only come to Holland if they had secured housing, many students ignored these warnings and spent months couch surfing or living in hotels as they continued to search for housing opportunities.

The Netherlands is working on a plan to build 60,000 affordable student homes over the next 8 years, but for the time being, it appears that many schools will be forced to reduce the number of international students that they accept. However, some exceptions may be made for students who plan to study courses where there is a labor shortage such as healthcare, science, and education.?

Because of the stress that has been put on the education and housing systems in Holland, many students are reporting a less enjoyable experience as an international student. In an annual survey conducted by the Dutch National Student Association, less than 3 out of 10 international students said they felt satisfied with their international education in the Netherlands. Students cited lack of support from institutions, being treated as “second class citizens”, and difficulties navigating the Dutch health care and housing systems as reasons for their dissatisfaction.?

With less space and support available in the Netherlands students are beginning to look into other affordable international options. Many students from Latin America are considering Spain, as it offers programs in a range of subjects in both English and Spanish and affordable tuition for both public and private universities. However public universities do require that students take a challenging entrance exam so it is important that students adequately prepare for the exam before applying. Popular universities for international students include:

University of Navarra for its programs in Biology, Biochemistry, Law, and Audiovisual Communication

CEU University for its programs in Engineering, Architecture, Health Sciences, and Communications??

Complutense University Madrid? for its programs in Business Management, Economy, and? Informatics Engineering

Students who are intrigued by Business, or STEM degrees may find their match in Sweden. Many universities offer English-taught degrees in these areas at affordable rates. However, the cost of living can be high in Sweden so it is important to take this into account when deciding where to study. Some Swedish universities that offer highly rated programs in English are:

Lund University? which has 10 English-taught bachelor programs including Biomedicine, Development studies, and International Business?

Karolinska Institute? which offers a bachelor in Biomedicine

Stockholm University which has programs in Business administration and Marketing

For students interested in sports, business, or computer science Lithuania could emerge as an interesting alternative. Tuition costs are low for international students and many universities offer English-taught programs related to analytics and technology. The cost of living in Lithuania is also less expensive than many other European countries. International students may want to look into:

ISM University of Management and Economics which offers English-taught programs in Business, Finance, and Economics

Kaunas University of Technology which offers English-taught programs in Artificial intelligence, Nanotechnology, and Communication and Information Management

Lithuanian Sports University offers programs in Physiotherapy, Nutrition, and Sport Event Management.??

Deciding where to study as an international student can be a challenging undertaking as the process for application varies quite a bit from country to country. Having the guidance of experienced college counselors can help make the process less stressful. If you are ready to begin exploring your university options please reach out to Blue Ivy Coaching so that we can share our expertise with you and assist you with your educational goals for the future.

About The Author

Originally from South Carolina, Taylor received her BA in Psychology from Francis Marion University and Masters of Arts in Teaching from The Citadel Military College. For the last eight years, Taylor has taught in middle and high schools in Mexico and the United States. She has significant experience with the IB program, inclusion classes, and working with students with learning differences. She is a College Application Coach at Escuela Americana.