Why the Netherlands can be a high-risk destination for students

Places for international students applying to the Netherlands have not historically been capped. This meant that all students who applied for a course were allowed to begin studying it, as long as they met the minimum entry requirements.

This acceptance rate, along with other factors outlined below, exacerbated the international student drop-out rate in the Netherlands, creating a reputation of “easy to get into, difficult to finish”. 

In fact, according to the NL Times, international students are three times more likely to drop out in their first year of university than Dutch students: 17 per cent of international students drop out in their first year, compared with 6 per cent of Dutch students.

The article goes on to note that: “Dropout rate is also higher among international students in subsequent years. About a quarter of international students who start a university bachelor’s degree programme no longer study in the Netherlands four years later – without getting a diploma.”

In the light of these statistics, and based on feedback from international students studying in the Netherlands, I believe it is vital for applicants to conduct very detailed research and think carefully before accepting a place to study there. With applications to the Netherlands, the concept of “best fit” for the individual student becomes even more important.

Counsellors can help by emphasising the necessity of student-centred research, so that students are fully informed before making decisions and they will be aware of the reasons why they must be well prepared for their studies in the Netherlands. This knowledge and awareness will increase international students’ chances of succeeding in a system that can offer them a fantastic education if it is the right fit for the specific student.

Studying in the Netherlands: the Dutch education system

The education system in the Netherlands prepares Dutch students from a relatively young age for the specific type of university they will enter. So secondary students attend either the six-year university preparatory education (vwo) for research universities or the five-year senior general secondary education (havo) for universities of applied sciences.

The culture in the Netherlands promotes independence from a young age, so Dutch students are accustomed to using their initiative and being responsible for their learning through a problem-solving approach.

For some international students, whose own culture and style of education at school might be very different, this can be rather challenging – especially alongside the challenges of adapting to life in a new country and coping with being away from home, often for the first time.

While some support is usually available at the universities, students need to take the initiative to actively seek it out. An excellent website for students to use during their research and for additional help and support is studenthelpr.

Study expectations

Students need to understand the expectations in terms of self-study, which is usually included in the course descriptions and often referred to during the application process.

As a rule of thumb, at the research universities it is normally around 20 hours of contact time, including lectures and group meetings, as well as at least 20 hours of self-study per week. At universities of applied science, the class sizes tend to be smaller and there are more contact hours.

The pace of study is intense and fast, so students need to adapt very quickly at the beginning of the first year so they do not fall behind.

The academic year is divided into either two semesters or four blocks, with exams at the mid-term and end of term, or at the end of each block. This intensity from the beginning can take students by surprise, particularly if they are familiar with the more relaxed first year offered by many universities in the UK, for example.

Students need to be aware of the Binding Study Advice (BSA) that universities provide their students with at the end of the first year. This will determine if students can continue on their courses and will depend on the grades and number of credits they have earned. If a student does not attain the correct number of credits, they will receive a negative BSA, which means that they cannot continue with their studies in the second year.

Teaching methods and style

The teaching methods require students to use their initiative to solve problems, while assignments can be challenging and necessitate a lot of personal research and study time. Many universities use problem-based learning, which “trains students to analyse and solve practical problems independently through emphasis on self-study and self-discipline”.

The teaching style is interactive and student-centred, giving students the freedom to develop their own opinions and creativity in applying their newly acquired knowledge. Much of the course content is dedicated to writing papers, group work that involves analysing and solving specific problems, acquiring practical work experience through internships and conducting experiments in laboratories.

Students are expected to be interactive in class and to develop and articulate their own opinions. They should not be passive learners, but rather actively question what lecturers or fellow students say.

It is these features of Dutch education that students should try to understand before embarking on a degree course in the Netherlands, in order to assess whether they are really suited to this style of education. If they feel they match this style of learning, they will flourish. If not, they will struggle and might end up losing their confidence and motivation.

Accommodation

Finding accommodation is usually difficult, and sometimes almost impossible. Students need to start their search early and be flexible as to what they are looking for. If a student has very high expectations about the type of accommodation they want, they might not find anything suitable.

If students do not have accommodation arranged before they start the course, universities often advise that they do not travel to the Netherlands to begin their studies.

Changes are on the way

A recent article on Times Higher Education outlines changes that are happening with regards to university policies and international students in the Netherlands. It highlights that universities are planning to cut the number of English-only undergraduate degrees and increase the number of programmes taught in Dutch. 

So it is anticipated that as places for international students are capped, competition for those places will become more intense.