Why Study in the Netherlands ?

• The Netherlands has a prosperous and open economy in which the government has reduced its role since the 1980s. The Netherlands has the 16th largest economy in the world, and ranks 10th in GDP (nominal) per capita. Between 1998 and 2000 annual economic growth (GDP) averaged nearly 4%, well above the European average.
• Since 1950 Holland is the first non – English speaking country which has been offering study programmes conducted in English and especially designed for foreign students.
• In 2009/10 year the Dutch universities propose 1,391 Bachelor, Master and PhD programmes and short courses taught in English.
• The Netherlands has been recognized as the knowledge centre of long educational traditions and well- known universities. Dutch international scientific research is placed in the very top ranks.
• The Dutch education system is interactive and focuses on teamwork, which makes it easy to meet other international students. During your study in Holland you will develop an open mind and increase your international orientation.
• Holland has received international acclaim for its ground-breaking Problem-Based Learning system. During study in Holland, students are trained to analyze & solve practical problems independently through emphasis on self-study & self-discipline.
• The Netherlands is an unique non – English speaking country where 95% of the inhabitants speaks English. This makes communication during your study in Holland comfortable and pleasant.
• Due to its central position, the Netherlands has been described as the Gateway to Europe. In reality, all famous European capitals are within easy reach: Paris and Berlin, Brussels and London are all situated within an hour flight from the Dutch capital – Amsterdam.
• The Dutch universities are an ideal starting point for study tours and exchanges with other European countrie

6 Reasons to come for study in Netherlands

Internationally recognized degree’s;

Multicultural study environment;

Practical studies with a business approach;

More than 1300 English taught Bachelor and Master programmes;

Enrollment twice a year: September & February;

Ph.D. candidates are paid workforce

Even for non-Europeans study expenses are relative low: on average 13,000 – 18,000 euro a year

Excellent facilities

• Education in the Netherlands is characterized by division: education is oriented toward the needs and background of the pupil. Education is divided over schools for different age groups, some of these are in turn divided in streams for different educational levels. Schools are furthermore divided in public and special (religious) schools. The Programme for International Student Assessment, coordinated by theOECD, ranks the education in the Netherlands as the 9th best in the world as of 2008, being significantly higher than the OECD average.
• Education policy is coordinated by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, together with municipal governments.
• Compulsory education (leerplicht) in the Netherlands starts at the age of five, although in practice, most schools accept children from the age of four. From the age of sixteen there is a partial compulsory education (partiële leerplicht), meaning a pupil must attend some form of education for at least two days a week. Compulsory education ends for pupils age eighteen and up.
• There are public, special (religious), and private schools. The first two are government-financed and officially free of charge, though schools may ask for a parental contribution (ouderbijdrage).
• Public schools are controlled by local governments. Special schools are controlled by a school board. Special schools are typically based on a particular religion. There are government financed Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Muslim elementary schools, high schools, and universities. In principle a special school can refuse the admission of a pupil if the parents indicate disagreement with the school’s educational philosophy. This is an uncommon occurrence. Practically there is little difference between special schools and public schools, except in traditionally religious areas like Zeeland and the Veluwe (around Apeldoorn). Private schools do not receive financial support from the government.
• There is also a considerable number of publicly financed schools which are based on a particular educational philosophy, for instance the Montessori Method, Pestalozzi Plan, Dalton Plan or Jena Plan. Most of these are public schools, but some special schools also base themselves on any of these educational philosophies.
• In elementary and high schools the students are assessed annually by a team of teachers, who determine whether the pupil has advanced enough to move on to the next grade. If the pupil has not advanced enough he or she may have to retake the year (blijven zitten, English: stay seated); this is an uncommon occurrence. Gifted children are sometimes granted the opportunity to skip an entire year, yet this happens rarely and usually in elementary schools.
• All school types (public, special and private) are under the jurisdiction of a government body called Onderwijsinspectie (Education Inspection) and can be (asked) forced to make changes in educational policy or risk closure.

EDUCATION SYSTEMS IN NETHERLANDS

As a result of the Bologna process, the higher education system in the Netherlands is based on a three cycle degree system, consisting of a bachelor, master and PhD.

Two types of programmes are offered in higher education: research-oriented degree programmes offered primarily by research universities, and professional higher education programmes offered primarily by universities of applied sciences.

HIGHER EDUCATION :

Higher education in the Netherlands is offered at two types of institution: research universities and universities of applied sciences. Universities specializing in engineering and agriculture, and the Open University. Universities of applied sciences include general institutions as well as institutions specializing in a specific field such as agriculture, fine and performing arts, or teacher training. Whereas research universities are primarily responsible for offering research-oriented programmes, universities of applied sciences are primarily responsible for offering programmes of higher professional education, which prepare students for particular professions. These tend to be more practically oriented than programmes offered by research Universities.

About Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands. The Netherlands is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy, located inWestern Europe. It is bordered by the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east.

Population

The approximate population of Netherlands is 16,570,620 (July 2007 est.) with Dutch being the most dominant ethnic group.

Surface

The total land area covered by Netherlands is 33,883 sq km.

System of government

The government of Netherlands is constitutional monarchy.

Capital

Amsterdam is the capital of Netherlands and has approximately 743,030 inhabitants.

Religion

Thirty-one percent of the people are Roman Catholics, while thirteen percent are Dutch Reformed Protestants.

Official Language

Dutch and Frisian are the two official languages.

Government

The government of Netherlands is constitutional monarchy.

Climate

Netherlands has a temperate climate, with cool summers and mild winters.

Currency

Euro and Dutch Guilder (1 € = 1.35 USD & 1 € = 2.20 NLG)

Time Difference

Netherlands is 3.5 hours behind India.

Economy

Netherlands has a well-developed open economy which depends a great deal on foreign trade. Transport and banking are other important aspects of Netherlands’s economy. Industrial activity mainly consists of food processing, petroleum refining,chemicals and electrical machinery. Netherlands is not a very expensive place, but with the advent of the Euro, prices have increased. A cost-efficient way of travelling in Netherlands is by trains.