The Netherlands, renowned for its high-quality education and welcoming environment, provides foreign students access to a wide range of English-taught programs and innovative teaching methods that help them adapt better to studying. If you want to study in a diverse environment with excellent career opportunities, look no further than the Netherlands. In this blog, we’ll explore the steps you need to take to relocate to the Netherlands through study.
The first step is:
- Choosing a suitable educational institution:
The Netherlands is home to a large number of prestigious and renowned universities you can explore, some of which include:
- University of Amsterdam
- Utrecht University
- Leiden University
- Delft University of Technology
- University of Groningen
- Wageningen University and Research
- Radboud University
- Erasmus University
- Tilburg University
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, etc
- Prepare to apply:
As a foreign student applying to any university in the Netherlands, you must conduct rigorous research on each of the universities you are interested in, which helps you choose the best university that aligns with your academic and career goals. While preparing, you need to carry out the following steps.
- You need to secure an international passport.
- Go through the required eligibility criteria you need to meet to secure admission on the school’s website or any other online platform.
- Prepare essential academic documents like your personal statements or SOP, certificates, transcripts, proof of English/ Dutch, motivation letter, sample of academic written work, etc.
- After securing admission, the next step is securing a Netherlands long-stay student visa or student residence permit, which allows you to study and complete your studies in the Netherlands for up to five years. This does not apply to you if you’re a citizen of an EU, EEA country, or a family member of a citizen from the EU, EEA, or Switzerland. The educational institution where you will be studying (recognized by the IND) will apply for your student visa on your behalf, alongside your Dutch residence permit, since you cannot apply for a Netherlands student visa yourself.
- Since your institution will be applying on your behalf, they will provide you with a list of documents you’ll need to prepare for your student visa. Some of these documents include an official letter from the institution, your academic transcript, a study plan explaining why you want to study your chosen course, proof of sufficient funds to support your studies, travel and health insurance, and your student visa application fees. Other documents include a tuberculosis test, which must be taken within the first 3 months after arriving in the Netherlands.
- With the student visa and residence permit, you can reside and even work (with a work permit) in the Netherlands for up to 5 years to finish your program.
- After graduation, you can apply for an orientation permit, which allows you to stay in the Netherlands for a year to look for work, and this can eventually help you land a permanent residency and, eventually, citizenship.
