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Dutch higher education

The Dutch system of vocational and higher education

It is more common these days to continue your higher education abroad. Having successfully completed a secondary school education you have the following options:

  • Secondary vocational education (MBO)
  • Third level vocational education, college (HBO) or so called universities of applied science
  • MBO (middelbaar beroepsonderwijs) This is a senior secondary educational course taking from one to four years

Useful websites with English options unless stated

Regional Community College of Amsterdam (vocational education and civic integration courses)

MBO Raad (explanation of Dutch vocational education and training)

ROC (Dutch website, database for courses and work placements)

Study in Holland (an initiative from EP-nuffic, the organisation for the internationalisation of education)

Studyfinder (database with higher education courses in English and other useful information)

Dutch Higher Education

Higher Education Code of Conduct hik (for a list of institutions that have signed the international code of conduct in higher education)

Qompas (Dutch website, database for courses and career paths in the Netherlands)

Masters Portal (database of masters courses worldwide)

Other useful websites

These websites are in Dutch but give links to all courses, universities and colleges in the Netherlands at various levels of education. Most institutions found here will have English websites:

Applying for Dutch schools
Scholarships and Grants
Universities in the Netherlands

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