The Netherlands is a vibrant country located in northwestern Europe. It is known for its picture-perfect canals, tourist-friendly cycling routes, and blooming fields of tulips. Moreover, the country is also sometimes referred to as Holland. As of 2024, the Netherlands’ population is at 17,523,000. Here, we will be looking at some of the affordable universities in the Netherlands for international students.
Education in the Netherlands consists of primary education, secondary education, and vocational education and training (VET) or higher education. Like the rest of the world, primary education is open to students aged 4 to 12. Afterward, once a child is aged 12, they go on to complete their secondary education.
There are three types of secondary education: preparatory vocational secondary education which lasts four years, senior general secondary education that takes five years to complete, and university preparatory education with a duration of 6 years.
Following this, the students are given a chance to pursue either vocational education and training (VET) or higher education. Under the latter, students can choose to attain a research-oriented education by attending a research university or a higher professional education by studying at a university of applied sciences.
Related Scholarships
- University of Amsterdam Scholarships
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Scholarships
- Radboud University Scholarships
Cheap Universities in the Netherlands
1. HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht
- Tuition Fee:
- Full-time & work-study Bachelor’s & Master’s program – €7,565
- Part-time Bachelor’s program – €6,837
- Part-time Master’s program – €7,359
- Tuition Link
HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht is an affordable university in the Netherladns that offers higher professional or vocational education, and its mission is to prepare all students for a job in their chosen field. As it is a university of applied sciences, students follow a practical approach to their studies. Moreover, the institution currently has around 35,000 students.
Much like almost all universities in the Netherlands, international students in this center of learning pay the institutional fees instead of the statutory fees. In addition to this, full-time & work-study students pursuing either a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree pay a slightly higher cost than part-time Bachelor’s & Master’s students.
2. University of Twente
- Tuition Fee:
- Alpha-Gamma Bachelor’s program – €8,166
- Beta Bachelor’s program – €9,666
- ATLAS Bachelor’s program – €11,834
- Alpha-Gamma Master’s program – €11,416
- Beta Master’s program – €15,166
- Tuition Link
The University of Twente is a public technical university. It was founded in 1961 and used to be called the Twente Technological University of Applied Sciences. Fast forward 60 years later, it is now a well-established institution. According to the Dutch university information guide Keuzegids Universiteiten, it is the best technical university in the Netherlands.
Interested students should note that it varies depending on whether one is taking up an Alpha-Gamma, ATLAS, or a Beta program when it comes to tuition fees. Students in the Bachelor’s level have 14 Beta programs and 5 Alpha-Gamma programs to choose from.
Moreover, there are 22 Beta programs and 10 Alpha-Gamma programs for Master’s students that are offered at the university.
3. NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences
- Tuition Fee:
- Bachelor’s program – €8,350
- Associate program – €8,350
- Master’s program – €11,800
- Tuition Link
Another affordable professional university in the Netherlands, NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, was established in the year 2008. It is a multi-campus university based in the northern Netherlands. Presently, the center of learning has around 11,000 students.
International students are also required to pay the institutional tuition fees. Applicants may choose from pursuing a Bachelor’s, Associate, or Master’s degree at the university.
4. Tilburg University
- Tuition Fee:
- Bachelor’s program – €8,900
- Master’s program – €14,700
- Tuition Link
Tilburg University is a cheap public research university located in the southern Netherlands. The institution specializes in the fields of social & behavioral sciences, economics, law, business sciences, theology, and humanities. Moreover, the university is home to a large number of international students from over 130 different countries all around the globe.
Although tuition fees may be varying depending on a student’s chosen program, the tuition mentioned above prices are the main institutional rates. Students may also be granted waivers and that may decrease the costs they will pay for the tuition.
5. University of Groningen
- Tuition Fee:
- Bachelor’s program – €8,916 to €32,000
- Master’s program – €13,216 to €17,416
- Tuition Link
The University of Groningen is a top 100 university, and it is known for its excellent quality of education, impactful research, and wide range of international networks. In line with this, it is also considered as one of the Netherlands’ most prestigious educational institutions.
For tuition fees, the regular international Bachelor’s degree programs only cost approximately €8,916 per year. Other programs such as those under the Faculty of Science and Engineering cost €13,716 annually, while the Medicine program is at a higher rate of €32,000 for one academic year.
For Master’s programs, the tuition fee depends on the field of study. Students pursuing a course under Arts & Humanities, Philosophy, and Theology & Religious studies will only pay €13,216 per year. On the other hand, students in Science & Engineering have a tuition fee of €17,416. Lastly, all other fields cost €14,816 annually.
6. Radboud University
- Tuition Fee:
- Bachelor’s program – €11,500 to €15,000
- Master’s program – €11,500 to €22,000
- Tuition Link for Bachelor’s degree
- Tuition Link for Master’s degree
Radboud University, an affordable university in the Netherlands, is located in the Dutch province of Gelderland, specifically in the Netherlands’ oldest city which is Nijmegen. It is named after Saint Radboud, a bishop of Utrecht from 899 AD to 917 AD. As per Keuzegids Universiteiten 2024, the institution is the best traditional university in the country.
All Bachelor’s programs at the university have a tuition fee of €11,500, except for the Computing Science program. As for Master’s students’ tuition fees, it can be as low as €11,500 if one is taking up a Theology course and as high as €22,000 if pursuing an Environment & Society Studies or an Information Sciences program. The other courses range from €16,000 to €17,000.
7. Wageningen University and Research
- Tuition Fee:
- Bachelor’s program – €14,616
- Master’s program – €17,616
- Tuition Link for Bachelor’s degree
- Tuition Link for Master’s degree
This research institution is located in the region of the Food Valley in the Netherlands. Moreover, it was established thanks to Wageningen University and the Wageningen Research Foundation’s collaboration. With a mission of exploring the potential of nature so as to improve the quality of life, this university focuses on food, feed, & biobased production, natural resources & living environment, and society & well-being.
Non-EU students are to pay the institutional fee, but of course, it can still be subject to change.
