Bachelor's Degrees in English in the Netherlands: Where They Are and What They Cost
Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.
The Netherlands has more English-taught bachelor's degrees than almost any other country in continental Europe. They are spread across research universities and universities of applied sciences, in large and small cities alike. The catch is the price: students from outside the EU pay an institutional fee that is several times the statutory fee, and housing is scarce.
How many there are
Our catalogue lists 381 bachelor's programmes taught fully or partly in English, out of 1,303 in the Netherlands. About half of them are offered in English only. The other half also have a Dutch-taught version or Dutch-taught components, so check which track you are applying to.
The full list of English-taught programmes shows the language, the institution and the fee for each one.
Where they are
- Amsterdam has the most, at the University of Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, arts academies and several private colleges.
- Groningen is a close second, thanks mainly to the University of Groningen and Hanze University of Applied Sciences.
- Enschede, Eindhoven and Maastricht follow, with the University of Twente and Saxion, Eindhoven University of Technology and Fontys, and Maastricht University and Zuyd.
- The Hague, Nijmegen, Tilburg, Breda, Rotterdam and Leeuwarden each have a substantial group, from Radboud University and Tilburg University to Breda University of Applied Sciences and NHL Stenden.
Almost all of these programmes are at publicly funded institutions. Private institutions account for only a small number.
Which subjects
Business and management is by far the largest group, from international business to hospitality and tourism. Arts and humanities come second, including history, languages and literature, and many music, dance, design and media programmes at arts academies. Engineering is third, followed by the natural sciences and mathematics, the social sciences (psychology, economics, political science, international relations) and computing. Health and law have smaller groups.
What they cost
For English-taught programmes in our catalogue, per year:
| Lowest | Typical | Highest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU/EEA students | €2,694 | €2,694 | €28,000 |
| Non-EU students | €8,250 | €13,200 | €28,416 |
EU/EEA, Swiss and Surinamese students at publicly funded institutions pay the statutory fee, €2,694 for 2026/27, whatever the programme. The highest EU figure is at private business schools, which charge everyone the same price.
Students from outside the EU pay the institutional fee, set by each institution and usually varying by programme. The cheapest English-taught options in our catalogue are at arts academies and agricultural universities of applied sciences; the most expensive are private business schools and a few university programmes, such as pharmacy. In our catalogue the typical non-EU fee at a research university is clearly higher than at a university of applied sciences. See how much it costs to study in the Netherlands.
Non-EU students also need to show €1,130.77 a month in 2026 for the residence permit, on top of tuition.
How to get in
You apply through Studielink, the national application portal, and then through the institution's own system. Deadlines for a September 2027 start:
- 15 January 2027 for numerus fixus programmes, which have a fixed number of places and select their students;
- 1 May 2027 for all other bachelor's programmes.
Applicants who need a visa or residence permit often face an earlier institutional deadline; Leiden University, for example, sets 1 April. Your diploma must be comparable to VWO for a research university or HAVO for a university of applied sciences. See how to get into a university in the Netherlands and credential evaluation for the Netherlands.
English requirements
There is no national minimum score: each institution sets its own. At the University of Groningen, for example, English-taught arts programmes ask for IELTS Academic 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each part, while International and European Law asks for 7.0. Many institutions exempt applicants whose secondary education was in English, such as the IB Diploma in English. See IELTS and TOEFL for European universities.
Do you need Dutch?
Not for the degree. Dutch becomes important outside class: without it, the choice of part-time jobs and of internships in Dutch organisations is much smaller, and some bilingual programmes switch to Dutch for parts of the curriculum. Ask your institution about Dutch courses for international students; starting early pays off if you want to stay after graduation.
Where to look next
- English-taught programmes in the Netherlands
- How to get into a university in the Netherlands
- How much it costs to study in the Netherlands
- Student housing in the Netherlands
- Scholarships and part-time work in the Netherlands
Official sources
- Studielink: application deadlines
- DUO: statutory tuition fee (in Dutch)
- IND: required amounts
- University of Groningen: language requirements and exemptions
Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.