Top Universities and Colleges in Netherlands - Courses, Fees, Scholarships, Admission Requirements & Grades

Known for its quality education system, keen emphasis on research & a welcoming, multicultural environment, Netherlands is emerging as a reliable study abroad destination for international students. Around 3,500 Indian students are currently present in the country as per the latest data shared by MEA. 

The Orange Country is home to more than 50 universities and colleges, out of which the majority universities are located in Amsterdam, Delft, Rotterdam, and Groningen. These institutes consider test scores such as TOEFL, IELTS, and PTE for admitting international students. According to QS, the University of Amsterdam, Delft University of Technology, Leiden University, and Utrecht University are some of the best institutions for higher studies in the country. Some of the popular courses in Netherlands are MBA/PGDM, MSc, BBA, MS & BE/BTech. 

Generally, the duration of courses in universities in Netherlands is 12 months to 3 years. The universities and colleges in the Netherlands offer admissions during the February and September intakes every year. 

Why Study in the Netherlands? 

Study in Netherlands for international students is the preferred choice. Every year, the country hosts international students from over 150 countries worldwide and offers them quality education with many job opportunities. Students must look at all the aspects of studying in the Netherlands from the perspective of international students. Below are the reasons why Netherlands could be a dream destination-  

• Post Work Permit- International students get a Post-Study Work Permit in the Netherlands after completing the degree from the universities in Netherlands. 

• Part-Time Options- Part-time work option in Netherlands is available for international students and they can only work either no more than 10 hours a week throughout the year or full-time in June, July, and August – but not both. Some of the part-time work options for students in Netherlands are Cashier at Supermarket, Hotel Receptionist, Tutoring, etc. 

• English Taught Programs- Most of the universities in Netherlands offer the degrees and programs in English Language which makes it easier for Indian students. 

Top Courses in the Netherlands for Indian Students

International students can study top courses in Netherlands in degree, diploma, and certificate levels. Some of the top courses in the Netherlands for international students are given as follows: 

Course Name	Count of Universities
MBA/PGDM	37
BBA	34
MS	32
M.Sc.	31
BE/BTech	25
BSc	25
BA	24
MA	22
Others PG	19
BJMC	15

Top Universities in Netherlands 

There are more than 50 universities to study in Netherlands for Indian students that offer quality education in different degree levels. Netherlands is the home of some of the top-ranked universities in the world. Delft University of Technology and University of Amsterdam are the only universities in the country that ranked among the top 100 universities in the world. The below table includes the list of top ranked universities in Netherlands:   

University Name	Quacquarelli Symonds (QS)  World Rankings 2026	Shiksha Popularity Rankings 2026
Delft University of Technology	#47	#3
University of Amsterdam	#53	#1
Utrecht University	#103	#2
Leiden University	#119	#4
Eindhoven University of Technology	#140	#11
Erasmus Univeristy Rotterdam	#140	#6
University of Groningen	#147	#5
Wageningen University and Research Center	#153	#7
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam	#194	#8
University of Twente	#203	#12

Best Engineering Universities in the Netherlands 

As per QS, some of the best colleges in Netherlands for international students for Engineering are:  

University Name	QS World Engineering & Technology
Delft University of Technology	#14
Eindhoven University of Technology	#95
University of Amsterdam	#173
Wageningen University & Research	#184
University of Twente	#201
Utrecht University	#252
University of Groningen	#314
Leiden University	#376
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam	#401-450

Best Arts Universities in the Netherlands 

For pursuing an Arts program, the following institutes in Netherlands stand out: 

University Name	Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Art and Design
Design Academy Eindhoven	#10
Delft University of Technology	#11
Eindhoven University of Technology	#46
Royal Academy of Art, The Hague	#51-100
Amsterdam School of the Arts	#101-150
Utrecht School of the Arts	#151-200
Utrecht University	#201-260

Best Medicine and Health Sciences Universities in the Netherlands 

The best universities in Netherlands for Medicine and Health include: 

University Name	Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Medicine Rankings
University of Amsterdam	#36
Erasmus University Rotterdam	#42
Utrecht University	#64
Leiden University	#65
Maastricht University	#69
University of Groningen	#89
Radboud University	#103
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam	#107
Delft University of Technology	#301-350
University of Twente	#401-450

Admissions Requirements in the Netherlands for International Students

To get admission to top Netherlands universities, international students need to meet the entry requirements. For bachelor’s admission, it is compulsory to complete 12th-class education with a good GPA, and for master’s admission, students must have a bachelor’s degree with a good academic GPA. The admission requirements in Netherlands for Indian students are given as follows: 

• Minimum 75% during graduation  

• 2 LORs 

• A essay in English 

• Resume/CV  

• Proof of English Language Proficiency 

• Official Transcripts 

• Proof of Identity 

Entrance Exams Accepted by Universities in the Netherlands 

Some of the entrance exams accepted for courses in the Netherlands are given as follows: 

Entrance Exam	Count of Universities
GMAT	8
GRE	8

English Language Requirements by Universities in the Netherlands 

Some of the English Language Proficiency exams accepted for courses in the Netherlands are given as follows: 

English Language Exams	Count of Universities
IELTS	54
TOEFL	48
PTE	29
Duolingo	2

Cost of studying in Netherlands 

Before planning to study in Netherlands, students must ensure that you have sufficient funds to manage your studies and living expenses. The cost of studying in Netherlands for international students depends on the type of universities and colleges. On average, internationals have to spend tuition fee between INR 2 L - INR 5 Cr for international students. The below table includes the Netherlands universities fees:  

The first-year tuition fees in Netherlands are given as follows: 

1st Year Tuition Fees	Count of Universities
Max INR 10 L	24
Max INR 20 L	39
Max INR 30 L	43
Max INR 40 L	43
INR 40+ L	4

Cost of Living in Netherlands 

The Netherlands is a great choice for international students who wish to study abroad universities. The cost of living in Netherlands is low compared to other countries like the UK and the US. International students need to be well prepared when preparing to study in the Netherlands and the most important preparation is to consider your living expenses. This includes food, transportation, books, clothes, and accommodation. A student should prepare to spend around INR 70K - INR 96.2K per month in the Netherlands. 

Scholarships in the Netherlands 

The Netherlands offers several scholarship opportunities and education loan options for international students including non-EEA students. Best universities in Netherlands offer merit-based scholarships to Indian students to manage their tuition fees. International students can also apply for Education Loans in the Netherlands as it has become highly convenient with major financial institutions providing a loan at a lucrative interest rate. Here are some scholarships in Netherlands available for international students: 

•       Holland Scholarships 

•       Orange Tulip Scholarships 

•       Radboud Scholarship Programme 

Did you know, you can now study for next to no cost in Europe?

Check out the video below to know more:

Jobs Opportunities after Studying in the Netherlands 

Full-time & Part-time workers are in very high demand to employers in Netherlands, & as a result, individuals are paid very well for their contributions to respective industries, be it full-time roles in the Sales, Engineering or Business sectors or part-time roles as a waiter or nanny, everyone is compensated well.  

Check out the table below, where you can find the average annual salary in Netherlands made by international students across some popular roles:  

Role	Average Salary (in EUR)	Average Salary (in INR)
Brewer	EUR 28,643	INR 31.24 L
Head Chef	EUR 35,138	INR 38.32 L
Retail Store Manager	EUR 36,077	INR 39.35 L
Paralegal	EUR 37,711	INR 41.13 L
Mechanical Engineer	EUR 44,867	INR 48.94 L
Data Scientist	EUR 47,969	INR 52.32 L
Software Developer	EUR 48,925	INR 53.36 L
Project Manager	EUR 58,486	INR 63.79 L
Senior Software Engineer	EUR 70,577	INR 76.98 L

Source: Payscale 

Top job sectors & Economy 

The Netherlands has become an attractive place for international students. As of 2023, the three sectors that had the largest number of employees were health and social work, wholesale and retail trade, and other business support services. Some of the other in-demand job sectors in Netherlands in the same year were Manufacturing, Education, Information and Communication, Agriculture, etc. There were over 1.4 million jobs in the health and social work sector in The Netherlands. Some of the popular job sectors in the Netherlands are given as follows: 

• Engineering  

• IT Specialists 

• Healthcare Specialists 

• Finance 

• Energy Sector 

Kanishka Gambhir01-27-2026 12:51