Studying and living in The Netherlands

Studying and living in a foreign country comes with certain dynamics and rules. This chapter talks about the (practical) matters that you need to know when you are considering to study and live in the Netherlands.

Study in the Netherlands

Let's examine what studying in the Netherlands is like.

Interaction in the classroom The Dutch are open-minded, transparent people that use direct communication. This results in dialogue and topical discussions in the classroom. Learning in The Netherlands isn’t a one-way street where the lecturer sums up the contents of the lecture; students actively participate. You’ll get to work on your analytic, reasoning and communicative skills — which will come in handy when you start working in your field. There’s also a lot of interaction between you and other students since universities of applied sciences in The Netherlands lean heavily toward working in project groups. Collaboration is at the centre of these projects: you will be working closely with your fellow students. This is a simulation of the dynamics of a Dutch working environment.

Internships Since studying at a university of applied sciences is practice-based, it’s relatively easy to find a suitable internship during your study. When you do an internship as part of a university of applied sciences study in your third year, it will be a work along internship combined with applied research. This internship can be done in the Netherlands, or abroad.

First internship You gain work experience and become familiar with your professional field.
Second internship Doing research represents 70% of your second internship, completed with about 30% of workalong activities.

One semester at a partner university Most Dutch universities will offer you the opportunity to specialise for one semester at a partner university abroad. HZ University of Applied Sciences has more than 100 partner universities over the world. This international experience adds value to your CV.

Extracurricular activities

Most universities of applied sciences — and universities throughout the Netherlands in general — recognise the importance of organising or facilitating extracurricular activities for their students. These activities — such as participating in sports club, or student board, or following an Honours Programme — are great for social contact, exploring new possibilities and gaining helpful (working) experiences.

Introduction week

Universities in the Netherlands organise a mandatory introduction week for all new (international) students. During this week, you will get all the information you need to make a good start with your studies in the Netherlands. You will also meet your classmates and your study career coach, and participate in a lot of fun activities.