In The Netherlands, schooling is compulsory up to the age of 16. All education, from primary school all the way to postgraduate-level research institutes is financed by the government, which also keeps an eye on standards through the education ministry's inspectorate. It is not a state system, however. In no way does the government dictate which curricula or textbooks should be used, nor does it advocate any particular educational philosophy. It merely sets rules regarding the duration of studies and the achievement levels that must be reached. The result is that The Netherlands has a broad spectrum of educational institutions of high quality, each with its own character and in some cases its own philosophical background.

Many of the educational institutes offer international study-programmes and courses, most of them conducted in English. Annually more than 5000 foreign students enrol in the 600 international courses. The curricula are intensive, at an advanced level, practically oriented and designed to meet the high expectations of students seeking specialised knowledge. The courses alternate theory with practice in real or simulated situations.

The Netherlands has three main types of higher education:
University education,
Higher Professional Education (HBO: hoger beroepsonderwijs),
International Education (IE).  

Transfer between University education and Higher Professional Education (HBO: hoger beroepsonderwijs) offered at the polytechnics and colleges known as hogescholen is possible.

The Netherlands' location makes it an ideal gateway to Europe. The Dutch people are internationally oriented and nearly every one speaks English as second language. This makes it easy for people from other countries to function well in Dutch society.

For more information about the courses, their admission requirements and tuition fees, apply to the institutes directly.

International Education (IE) is meant primarily for people at postgraduate level who already have some professional experience. These advanced courses are conducted in English.

Several institutes of International Education (IE) however, do offer the possibility of earning a doctor's degree or a Ph.d. and a small number of scholarships are available for this purpose.

The Netherlands has its own character and culture, and its gracefully historic city centres reflect age-old traditions. The country today is among the world's most modern and advanced.

In the field of education, research, science and technology, the Netherlands for many years has put great effort into maintaining its strong position. Because of its success in doing so, the Netherlands has taken special measures to make its science and education accessible to people from other countries. Students and scholars seeking to expand and deepen their knowledge are very welcome to the Netherlands.

The Dutch government is attempting to make Dutch higher education as accessible as possible to students from other countries, among other things by urging that more courses be conducted in English. Foreign students enrolled as regular students also pay the same tuition fee as local students; this is relatively low since regular higher education is heavily subsidized in the Netherlands. But the Dutch government does not make any scholarships available for foreign students who wish to take a complete degree programme at a Dutch university or hogeschool.

There are several possibilities for funding, however, which are described briefly here. Ask your employer or your own university if they have any funds for overseas training. The Asian Development Bank and the World Bank are other possibilities in this area.

In 1996 the Jan Tinbergen Scholarship Programme (TSP) got underway. Each year, this programme offers 40 Dutch students and 40 students from other countries the opportunity to obtain part of their education abroad, at an institution taking part in the Joint Financing programme for Cooperation in Higher Education (MHO). The purpose is to broaden existing cooperation between MHO partners. 

For those who want to study in the Netherlands and are looking for financial aid, information on a range of dutch scholarships for foreign students can be found  here.