More international students at universities

© ANP / Ramon van Flymen
In the 2022/’23 academic year, almost 123 thousand international students attended higher vocational education (HBO) or a university (WO) in the Netherlands. They made up 15 percent of the total HBO and WO student population. Over three quarters of the students came from elsewhere in Europe, mostly from Germany. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports this based on a new analysis for The Netherlands in numbers.

Where do international students in the Netherlands come from?Europe 93,410 Asia 21,130 Americas 5,260 Africa 2,230 Oceania 160 Stateless / unknown 110 Where do international students in the Netherlands come from? Europe 93,410 Africa 2,230 Oceania 160 Stateless / unknown 110 Asia 21,130 Americas 5,260

International students often at universities

In the 2022/’23 academic year, more than two thirds of all international students were studying at university. The majority were enrolled in a Bachelor programme (43 percent). Around a quarter of all international students were studying to obtain an HBO Bachelor’s degree. More than half of all Dutch (non-international) students were enrolled in a Bachelor’s degree programme at an HBO institution. Few students took a HBO Master programme. This applied to both the international and the Dutch student population.

Enrolments in HBO and WO, 2022/'23*
Studenten 2022/'23*Dutch students (x 1,000)International students (x 1,000)
HBO Bachelor429.0933.04
HBO Master11.233.52
WO Bachelor167.1452.37
WO Master91.2733.48
*Provisional figures

International Master’s students often choose technical university courses

International and domestic university students most often chose studies in the field of journalism, social sciences and behavioural sciences or law, administration, trade and business services. Compared to their domestic peers, international students were somewhat more likely to choose these programmes and less likely to opt for healthcare and welfare or education. Many international Master’s students attended a programme in technology or engineering.

University (WO) students, 2022/'23*
PopulatieEducation (%)Design, arts, languages and history (%)Journalism, behavioural and social sciences (%)Law, administration, trade, and business services (%)Mathematics and natural sciences (%)Informatics (%)Technology and engineering (%)Agriculture and veterinary sciences (%)Healthcare and welfare (%)Services (%)
Dutch Bachelor students632014240342304916019770703015180184018240730
International Bachelor students202370223501468032603630488080880220
Dutch Master students43106320130302339011750486011290160013750980
International Master students2402150719080204660274059907701300410
*Provisional figures

Art courses popular among international HBO students

Compared to Dutch students, relatively many international HBO students (both Bachelor and Master) attended programmes in the field of design, arts, language and history. They were less likely to study education or healthcare and welfare. A popular field among both international and Dutch students is law, administration, trade and business services.

HBO students, 2022/'23*
StudierichtingEducation (%)Design, arts, languages and history (%)Journalism, behavioural and social sciences (%)Law, administration, trade and business services (%)Mathematics and natural sciences (%)Informatics (%)Technology and engineering (%)Agriculture and veterinary sciences (%)Healthcare and welfare (%)Services (%)
Dutch Bachelor students6394029490244501115407190242703840045809108034160
International Bachelor students117081101350102002302180265032031403690
Dutch Master students51807204509304013099002430360
International Master students46018701801502060450040300
*Provisional figures