Netherlands International Student Statistics
The Netherlands is an ideal study-abroad destination because of its prestigious universities, modern culture, and multiple English-taught degree programs. International students find a multicultural student population at Dutch universities and an open-minded community where everyone and everything is accepted.
Therefore the number of international students in the Netherlands is constantly increasing, with a total of 122,287 currently enrolled students.
Quick Summary
- According to the latest statistics, there are 122,287 international students enrolled in all degree levels at universities in the Netherlands.
- 85,296 students enrolled in undergraduate studies and 36,991 in postgraduate studies.
- International students from Germany make up the majority of international students in the Netherlands, with a total of 22,775 students.
- There are two types of higher education institutions in the Netherlands: the Research Universities and Universities of Applied Sciences.
- A total of 85,605 international students are enrolled in Research Universities, and 36,682 are enrolled in the Universities of Applied Sciences.
- The University of Amsterdam has the highest number of international students, 13,788 students.
- Amsterdam is the city with the highest number of international students in the Netherlands, with 23,231 students.
- Economics is the most popular field of study among international students in the Netherlands, consisting of 32,422 students.
- According to the latest statistics, 19,285 Dutch students are studying abroad.
Historical International Student Statistics in the Netherlands
- There are 122,287 international students enrolled in higher education institutions in the Netherlands, according to the Dutch Organization for Internationalization in Education.
- From the earliest data available until 2021, the number of international students enrolled in undergraduate studies has been higher than those enrolled in postgraduate studies.
- According to the latest statistics, there are 85,296 students enrolled in undergraduate studies and 36,991 in postgraduate studies.
- From 2006 to 2010, the number of international students increased by 53.4%, from 31,492 to 48,340 students.
- International student enrollment continued to increase from 2010 to 2015 by 28% and 64.5% from 2015 to 2020.
- A slight increase in the number of international students in the Netherlands occurred between 2020 and 2021, 7.0%.
| Year | Undergraduate Enrollment | Postgraduate Enrollment | Total Higher Education Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 85,296 | 36,991 | 122,287 |
| 2021 | 77,823 | 36,432 | 114,255 |
| 2020 | 69,160 | 32,671 | 101,831 |
| 2019 | 62,381 | 29,773 | 92,154 |
| 2018 | 55,910 | 27,907 | 83,817 |
| 2017 | 49,497 | 25,685 | 75,182 |
| 2016 | 44,206 | 23,426 | 67,632 |
| 2015 | 41,028 | 20,827 | 61,885 |
| 2014 | 39,474 | 18,302 | 57,776 |
| 2013 | 39,186 | 17,042 | 65,228 |
| 2012 | 38,344 | 15,695 | 54,039 |
| 2011 | 37,220 | 14,773 | 51,993 |
| 2010 | 35,112 | 13,228 | 48,340 |
| 2009 | 32,650 | 11,349 | 43,999 |
| 2008 | 29,386 | 9,635 | 39,021 |
| 2007 | 26,666 | 8,218 | 34,884 |
| 2006 | 24,552 | 6,940 | 31,492 |
International Students in the Netherlands by Origin
- According to statistics by the Dutch organization for internationalization in education, Germany is the country with the highest number of international students in the Netherlands, with a total of 22,775 students.
- Italy is ranked second among the countries with the most international students in the Netherlands, with 7,633 students.
- Among the ten top countries of origin with the highest number of international students in the Netherlands are Romania, with 6,717 students, and China, with 5,610 students.
- Ranked fifth among the countries with the most international students in the Netherlands is Spain with 5,599 students, Bulgaria with 5,112, and Belgium with 4,780 students.
- Other nationalities that bring the most international students to the Netherlands are Poland, with 4,650 students, France (4,635), Greece (4,406), India (3,504), and Hungary (2,433), Turkey (2,289).
- In 2017, the second country after Germany with the highest number of international students was China, with 4,435 students.
International Students in the Netherlands by Institution Type
There are two higher education institutions in the Netherlands: Research University and the University of Applied Sciences. The table below shows where most international students enroll throughout the years.
- According to the latest statistics by the Dutch Organization for Internationalization in Education, the number of international students enrolled at research universities is higher by 80% than at universities of applied sciences, with a total of 85,605 students at research universities and 36,682 at applied sciences universities.
- The earliest data show that the number of international students at research universities has always been higher than at universities of applied sciences.
| Year | Research University | University of Applied Sciences |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 85,605 | 36,682 |
| 2021 | 79,854 | 34,401 |
| 2020 | 69,925 | 31,906 |
| 2019 | 61,725 | 30,429 |
| 2018 | 55,282 | 28,535 |
| 2017 | 47,880 | 27,302 |
| 2016 | 41,765 | 25,876 |
| 2015 | 36,200 | 25,655 |
| 2014 | 32,055 | 25,721 |
| 2013 | 29,988 | 26,240 |
| 2012 | 27,729 | 26,310 |
| 2011 | 26,006 | 25,987 |
| 2010 | 23,344 | 24,996 |
| 2009 | 20,616 | 23,383 |
| 2008 | 17,657 | 21,364 |
| 2007 | 14,896 | 19,988 |
| 2006 | 12,683 | 18,809 |
Top Ten Universities for International Students in the Netherlands
- According to the Dutch organization for internationalization in education, the University of Amsterdam is the university with the highest number of international students, a total of 13,788 students.
- With 12,095 students, Maastricht University is the second university with the majority of international students in the Netherlands.
- The University of Groningen, with 9,422 students, and Erasmus University Rotterdam, with 7,739 students, also belong to the top ten universities for international students in the Netherlands.
- With 6,733 international students, the Delft University of Technology is ranked fifth among the top ten universities for international students in the Netherlands, followed by Leiden University with 6,491 students.
- Other universities with the majority of international students in the Netherlands include VU Amsterdam (6,110), Fontys University of Applied Sciences (5,963), Utrecht University (5,482), and Tilburg University with 4,442 students.
- Even though there are only 627 international students, they make up 80% of the student body at Design Academy Eindhoven.
- The majority of students at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy are international students, a total of 545 students, which make up 65% of the student population.
- 57% of the total number of students enrolled at Maastricht University are international students.
International Students in the Netherlands by Region
- Amsterdam is the city with the majority of international students in the Netherlands, a total of 23,231 students, according to the Dutch Organization for Internationalization in Education.
- The second most popular region for international students is Maastricht, with 12,434 students, followed by Groningen, with 12,502 students.
- Rotterdam, with 11,792 students, and Eindhoven, with 9,666 students, are ranked fourth and fifth among the regions in the Netherlands with the most international students.
- Among the regions in the Netherlands with the most international students are also Utrecht with 7,125, Delft with 6,727 students, Enschede with 6,626 students, and Leiden with 6,539 students.
- Cities in the Netherlands with a number of international students under 6,000 are South Holland’s Gravenhage with 5,141 students, Tilburg (5,095), Wageningen (3,097), Leeuwarden (2,762), Nijmegen (2,700), Arnhem (2,393), Breda (1,338), Heerlen (1,283), and Vlissingen with 695 students.
International Students in the Netherlands by Field of Study
- According to the Dutch Organization for Internationalization in Education, Economics is the most popular field of study among international students in the Netherlands, with a total of 32,422 students.
- The second most popular study field for international students is Behavioural & Social Sciences, with 19,481 enrolled students.
- Among the top ten fields of study for international students in the Netherlands are also Engineering, with 20,422 students, and Language & Culture, with 16,218 students.
- With 9,707 students, the field of Natural Sciences is ranked fifth among the most popular fields for international students in the Netherlands, followed by Interdisciplinary studies with 7,545 students and the field of Healthcare with 5,038 students.
- Other popular fields of study for international students in the Netherlands include Law with 5,153 students, Agriculture & Natural Environment with 3,660 students, and Education studies with 1,641 students.
- Economics is the most popular field of study among international students at universities of applied sciences, with 15,525 students. In contrast, Behavioural & Social Sciences is the most popular field at research universities, with 17,676 students.
Do Dutch Students Study Abroad?
The Netherlands is a popular destination for study-abroad students, with a total of 115,068 students. On the other hand, a total of 19,285 Dutch students are studying abroad, according to the latest statistics by UNESCO’s Institute for Statistics.
- With 4,275 students, Belgium is the country with the most Dutch students enrolled in their higher education institutions, followed by the UK with 3,669 students.
- Germany is also popular among Dutch students, who make up 2,162 of the total student population at German universities.
- There are 2,086 Dutch students enrolled in higher education studies in the United States, whereas 741 students from the Netherlands are enrolled in universities in Turkey.
- Other popular studies abroad destinations among students from the Netherlands include Austria, with 576 students, Switzerland (534), Denmark (489), Sweden (487), and France, with 464 students.