Admission requirements

Admission requirements are set by the institution of your choice in the Netherlands. They may vary by programme too.

You first need to find a study programme.

There are some general admission requirements at most institutions:

Are you qualified?

The education institution usually sets a minimum qualification requirement for admission to the programme. If you know which diploma is required for the programme of your choice, you can check how your own diploma compares to this on the Nuffic website.

Nuffic also advises higher education institutions on the value of foreign qualifications, if required.

Read more about diploma evaluation.

Language requirements

It is essential that you speak, read and write English well. You must have passed an English language test. IELTS and TOEFL are commonly accepted, but institutions may accept other tests as well, such as Cambridge English.

Required scores

  • TOEFL: at least 550 (paper based) or 213 (internet based);
  • IELTS: at least 6.

Preparatory year

Sometimes you are not yet eligible to the programme of your choice, but with a little extra preparation you could succeed next year!

Ask the Dutch higher education institution of your choice for more information.