For the first time in years, the growth in the number of international students attending Dutch higher education institutions has halted, with enrollment remaining largely unchanged from the
previous year, as per provisional data reported by NOS.
In the summer, a marginal decrease was observed in the number of international students beginning bachelor's programs at Dutch universities, while there was a slight increase in the enrollment of international students pursuing master's degrees. In total, over 35,000 international students enrolled in Dutch universities, mirroring the figures from the previous year.
Universities of applied sciences also experienced a slight uptick in the enrollment of master's students and a modest decline in bachelor's students, resulting in an overall enrollment of over 12,000 international students in higher professional education.
While the number of international students in master's programs showed growth, over a third of them had previously pursued another study within the Netherlands. The number of master's students new to the Netherlands witnessed a decrease.
The Universities of the Netherlands attributed this decline to reduced international recruitment efforts by universities and active communication to prospective students about the shortage of student housing in the country.
Balancing the desire to maintain the international character of educational institutions with the need to avoid overwhelming the education system is crucial for Dutch universities. Given that international students fall under the broader topic of migration—a significant concern in the recent parliamentary elections—almost all political parties advocate for additional measures to control their influx.
Jouke de Vries, interim chairman of Universities of the Netherlands, emphasized the importance of not implementing drastic measures that could jeopardize the quality of education and research. He stated, "These figures show that the growth of international inflow at universities has come to a standstill."
While the total number of students increased at universities, there was a slight decline in students at universities of applied sciences. Notably, the sectors grappling with widespread staff shortages—science and technology (-6 percent), healthcare (-3.5 percent), and education (-0.5 percent)—experienced a decrease in student numbers.
On a positive note, there was a 7 percent increase in the number of students in higher professional education master's programs. Maurice Limen, chairman of the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences, welcomed this development, highlighting the importance of attracting more students to maintain leadership in innovation. He noted that an HBO master's degree, equivalent to a university master's but emphasizing professional practice, is crucial for this goal. Photo by Ymblanter, Wikimedia commons.