Study abroad semester in the Netherlands

Welcome to the Netherlands!

Netherlands is an open-minded country. This status is probably the result of centuries of global trade and exploration. Despite its small size, the country has always been an important economic and cultural center during modern times. Even now its ports and airports are of vital importance for the world’s logistics. Netherlands is formally a kingdom that comprises the territories of: Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten.

So, the country enjoys a reputation of tolerance. Soft drugs and euthanasia are legal, while religious and personal freedom is highly respected. Netherlands was the first country to legalize same-sex marriages. It also has a solid social security system, considered to be one of the best and most complete ones in the world. It also has one of the best education systems in the world.

Environment is an important topic in the Netherlands. Huge efforts were made to reduce pollution and other environmental damage. Open air activities are encouraged, and, despite the cloudy weather of the region, the bike is a very popular mean of transport. Try to cross the road in Amsterdam: you’ll have more trouble crossing the bicycle lane than the vehicle lane.

What are the best universities in the Netherlands for semester students?

Are you still undecided whether or not Netherlands might be an appealing destination for you? On wearefreemovers you can find a selection of 12 academic institutions offering you the possibility of spending a semester or a full academic year in Netherlands. Let’s check some statistics about them.

Here you can see the positions of the Dutch institutions among the world’s best universities rankings.

NAMEQSTHEARWUCWURCWTSEduniversal palmesU.S. News & World Report's Best Global Universities RankingsWebometrics
University of Amsterdam - Economics and Business6166101-150838244027
University of Amsterdam - Law6166101-150838244027
University of Amsterdam - Science6166101-150838244027
Erasmus University Rotterdam - School of History, Culture and Communication1977280-131568158
Leiden University128-8079141-86541
Utrecht University1217552687735423
Maastricht University234121201-3002402495189319
University of Groningen - Faculty of Arts128806010410249242
University of Groningen - Faculty of Philosophy128806010410249242
University of Groningen - Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies128806010410249242
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam236116101-15014612838078
Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences--------
Amsterdam University of the Arts - Academy of Architecture--------
Avans University of Applied Sciences--------
Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (KABK)--------
The Hague University of Applied Sciences--------

Netherlands is for sure an awesome destination in terms of prestige of its institutions. A large part of the selection that you can find here on wearefreemovers is top-notch. Furthermore, as in the case of Denmark, competitiveness is not a discriminatory thing most of the times. Dutch universities are of course selective, but not without a purpose, and their goal is to educate the largest number of students in the best way possible. They are pretty popular as well, as the Webometrics ranking can attest.

Costs and fees

Netherlands is an expensive country. Monthly costs of living for a single person are higher than 900€. Keep in mind that, as a student, you could have access to various discounts which can include food, travel, and accommodation expenses.

When it comes to university’s fees, Netherlands is quite expensive, with a median 4100€/semester for EU free mover students and 5600€/semester for non-EU free mover students.

Which Dutch cities are available to free movers?

Currently there are many cities that accept free movers in the Netherlands. Have you ever dreamt of studying in Amsterdam or any other city in Netherlands? Here you can find institutions divided by city: