The Netherlands is a great place for students from around the world to study. The country has 13 universities in the QS World University Rankings 2026, and nine of them are in the top 200 best schools worldwide. Dutch universities teach many programs in English, so you don’t need to learn Dutch to study there.
From engineering schools like Delft University of Technology to big research schools like the University of Amsterdam, Dutch universities are some of the best in Europe. They offer over 2,100 programs taught in English and cost less than schools in the UK or USA.
This guide shows you the top universities in the Netherlands for 2025. You’ll learn about their world rankings, what they’re good at teaching, how to get in, and what makes each school special. Whether you want to study engineering, arts, business, or science, this guide helps you pick the right Dutch university for your future.
Quick Answer: Top Dutch Universities 2025-2026
Here are the best universities in the Netherlands right now, ranked by their world position:
| University Name | World Rank (QS 2026) | Best For | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) | 47th | Engineering, Computer Science, Math | Delft |
| University of Amsterdam | 53rd | All subjects, Communication, Social Sciences | Amsterdam |
| Utrecht University | 103rd | Sciences, Medicine, Life Sciences | Utrecht |
| Leiden University | 119th | Law, Languages, History | Leiden / The Hague |
| Eindhoven University of Technology | 140th | Engineering, Technology, Design | Eindhoven |
| Erasmus University Rotterdam | 140th | Business, Economics, Medicine | Rotterdam |
| University of Groningen | 147th | Energy, Health, Sustainability | Groningen |
| Wageningen University | 153rd | Agriculture, Food, Environment | Wageningen |
| VU Amsterdam | 194th | Philosophy, Religion, Social Sciences | Amsterdam |
| Maastricht University | 239th | European Studies, Health, Business | Maastricht |
Bottom Line: TU Delft and University of Amsterdam are the #1 and #2 schools in the Netherlands. All these universities teach many programs in English and welcome students from around the world.
TU Delft #47
9 Institutions
2,100+
16% of Total
📑 What This Guide Covers
- Delft University of Technology: Leading Engineering & Technical Education
- University of Amsterdam: Comprehensive Academic Excellence
- Eindhoven University of Technology: Innovation in Engineering & Technology
- Leiden University: Oldest Dutch Institution & Research Leader
- Utrecht University: Interdisciplinary Research Excellence
- Wageningen University & Research: Global Leader in Life Sciences
- Additional Top Netherlands Universities: Rankings & Specializations
- FAQs: Common Questions About Dutch Universities
Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)
Delft University of Technology is ranked 47th in the world and is the best university in the Netherlands. Started in 1842, this school teaches engineering, computer science, math, and science to around 27,000 students. It’s the oldest and biggest technical university in the country.
TU Delft scores highly for international faculty and gets strong ratings for sustainability, having students from different countries, and being welcoming to everyone. The school makes almost 3,000 new science papers every year and creates cool new inventions like super-thin computer parts and robot designs.
What TU Delft Is Good At
The school is really good at engineering subjects like building things, making machines, and creating computer programs. It’s one of the best schools in the world for civil engineering (building bridges and roads), architecture (designing buildings), and mechanical engineering (making machines).
TU Delft has special research centers that work on important problems like making people healthier, finding clean energy, and building better transportation. Big companies like Philips and ASML work closely with the school, so students can learn real job skills while studying.
How to Get Into TU Delft
- For Bachelor’s: You need a high school diploma that’s as good as the Dutch pre-university diploma
- English test scores: TOEFL 90 or higher, or IELTS 6.5 or higher
- For Master’s: You need a 4-year college degree with grades of 8.5 out of 10 or 75% average
- You must have studied Math, Physics, and engineering subjects in school
- Application fee: €100 (you don’t get this money back)
- Deadlines: January 15 for some programs, May 1 for others
💡 Pro Tip: TU Delft has a special welcome program for new Master’s students. You can meet other students and teachers before classes start, which helps you make friends and learn about school life in the Netherlands.
Campus Life and Getting Help
The TU Delft campus has one of the biggest science libraries in the Netherlands. It has lots of study rooms and even a VR (virtual reality) zone. There’s also a special building called “X” where you can play sports, do art, make crafts, and use creative labs when you’re not studying.
The school has helpers who can support you with schoolwork, personal problems, and mental health. They even help student athletes who play sports at a high level. According to Times Higher Education, TU Delft is one of the best schools in the world for working with companies and creating new inventions.
University of Amsterdam (UvA)
The University of Amsterdam is ranked 53rd in the world and is the second-best school in the Netherlands. Started in 1632, this school has around 46,000 students, with thousands coming from over 100 different countries. It’s a big school that teaches all kinds of subjects.
UvA is the best school in the world for studying Communication Science and Media. It’s also one of the top universities in Europe. The school offers over 170 Master’s programs taught in English, which is one of the largest selections in Europe.
What UvA Teaches
The school is really good at many different subjects. The Science department studies space, physics, math, computers, life, chemistry, and biology. Almost half of the teachers come from other countries. The Humanities department is the biggest in the Netherlands and is really good at Philosophy and Linguistics (studying languages).
The Social Sciences department is the best in the Netherlands. It teaches Political Science (how governments work), Sociology (how people act in groups), Communication, and Psychology (how the brain works). The Business and Economics department teaches about money, business, and how markets work, and it’s ranked highly around the world.
| What They Teach | How Good They Are | Main Programs |
|---|---|---|
| Humanities | Top 20 in World | Philosophy, Languages, Writing |
| Social Sciences | Best in Europe | Politics, Communication, Psychology |
| Business & Money | Top 50 in World | Economics, Finance, Business |
| Science | Top 100 in World | Physics, Chemistry, Math, Biology |
How to Apply and Get In
For Bachelor’s programs, you need a high school diploma that’s as good as Dutch schools require. You also need to show you’re good at English. You can take tests like IELTS (need 6.5 or higher) or TOEFL (need 92 or higher). Your test scores can’t be older than 2 years.
For Master’s programs, you need a Bachelor’s degree in a subject related to what you want to study. Some programs are harder to get into. For example, the Finance Master’s program needs good grades in finance classes, a GPA of 7.0 or higher, and you might need to take a GMAT or GRE test.
When to Apply: Most programs charge €100 to apply (you don’t get this back). Some popular programs have deadlines in January or February. If you’re from another country, try to apply by April 1st so you have time to get your visa and find a place to live.
The school has a special office that helps students from other countries. They have a program called the Cultural Exchange Ambassador Programme that won awards for helping students make friends and learn about Dutch culture. Research from ShanghaiRanking always puts UvA in the top 150 universities in the world for how good their research is.
Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e)
Eindhoven University of Technology is ranked 140th in the world and teaches engineering and technology. The school works closely with big companies like Philips and ASML. It makes almost 3,000 science papers, helps 140 people get PhD degrees, and creates 40 new inventions every year.
TU/e focuses on solving big problems in three main areas: keeping people healthy, finding clean energy, and building smarter ways to move around. The school is really close to tech companies, so students can learn real job skills while they study.
Research Centers and What They Study
The school has four big research centers. The AI Systems Institute studies how computers can think and learn. The Renewable Energy Systems center works on clean energy like solar and wind power. The Complex Molecular Systems center looks at tiny molecules to make new medicines and materials. The Hendrik Casimir Institute works on future technology like quantum computers and super-fast electronics.
What You Can Study at TU/e
- Applied Physics: Quantum computers and light technology
- Biomedical Engineering: Medical devices and health technology
- Chemical Engineering: Making new materials that don’t hurt the environment
- Electrical Engineering: Electronics, AI, and smart technology
- Mechanical Engineering: Robots, smart cars, and making things
What It’s Like to Study There
TU/e has a friendly campus where you learn by doing, not just reading books. The school is in Brabant province where people are warm and friendly. Almost everyone speaks English really well, so it’s easy to make friends and feel at home. The campus has a library, common room, sports center, innovation space where you can build things, and a language center. Teachers called academic advisors help you with school questions, and counselors help with money problems or other personal stuff.
According to Times Higher Education, TU/e is one of Europe’s best technical schools for teaching quality and working with real companies.
Leiden University
Leiden University started in 1575, making it the oldest university in the Netherlands. It’s ranked 119th in the world and 73rd in Times Higher Education. The school is connected to famous people like a U.S. President (John Adams), two NATO leaders, and 16 Nobel Prize winners!
The school studies five big topics: People in the World, Strong Societies, Technology and Society, Peace and Justice, and Health Sciences. Leiden is really good at Archaeology (studying old things) and Government studies.
Where You Study
Leiden University has buildings in two cities. Leiden is a small city where more than 10% of people are students. It has lots of student clubs and cafés in the old city center. The Hague is the second location – it’s known as the city of peace and justice and has more modern buildings. Both cities are connected by trains, so it’s easy to travel between them.
Help You Can Get at Leiden
- Study advisers help with your classes and choosing projects
- Student Services helps with picking your major, finding jobs, and money questions
- Counselors and psychologists you can talk to about problems
- Disability Centre helps students who need extra support
- Language Center teaches Dutch to students from other countries
- Sports Centre with over 50 different sports you can play
- Special help for students living in university housing
Students come from all over the world to study at Leiden. There are student clubs like the International Student Network that help you make friends. Data from QS World University Rankings shows that Leiden is really good at many different subjects.
Utrecht University
Utrecht University is ranked 103rd in the world and 55th in the ShanghaiRanking. Started in 1636, about 30,000 students go here, with thousands coming from other countries. The school has 12 Nobel Prize winners and 19 Spinoza Prize winners (a big award in the Netherlands) among its old students and teachers.
Utrecht works on big problems through four main themes: Youth (how young people grow), Open Societies (how to make fair governments), Life Sciences (biology and medicine), and Sustainability (taking care of our planet).
What They Study
The school studies five main areas. Earth and Sustainability looks at climate change and how to protect nature. Health and Life Sciences studies medicine and how our bodies work. Natural Sciences covers computers, AI, and physics. Social Sciences looks at how people think and act. Media and Culture studies art, history, and digital technology.
Three Different Campuses
Utrecht has three campuses. The University Quarter is in the old city center with beautiful old buildings. The International Campus has a special college that teaches all subjects together. The Utrecht Science Park is the biggest campus with science buildings, a hospital, and student housing all in one place.
The school has a building called UU for U Student Service where you can ask questions about anything. Study advisors help with school problems, and counselors help with personal issues. There are also psychologists if you need someone to talk to about feelings or stress.
Student groups like ESN and BuddyGoDutch help international students make Dutch friends and learn about the culture. There’s an app called Uni-Life that shows you over 75 student clubs and all their activities. According to ShanghaiRanking, Utrecht University is in the top 100 universities worldwide for research.
Wageningen University & Research (WUR)
Wageningen University is ranked 153rd in the world and 67th in Times Higher Education. It’s the #1 school in the world for Agriculture and Forestry (farming and taking care of forests) according to QS World University Rankings by Subject. The school’s motto is “To explore nature to improve quality of life.”
WUR studies important problems like climate change, unhealthy eating, protecting animals, and keeping the environment clean. The school works on the United Nations goals, especially ending hunger, keeping people healthy, fighting climate change, and protecting nature.
What Makes WUR Special
The school is really good at studying food, farming, and the environment. It looks at biodiversity (all the different plants and animals), circular economy (reusing things instead of throwing them away), food security (making sure everyone has enough to eat), nutrition (what foods keep us healthy), and using AI to help farmers.
Students from over 100 countries study at Wageningen. The researchers work all around the world to help solve food and environmental problems.
💡 Green Campus: Wageningen was named the most sustainable university in the world by GreenMetric ranking! The campus became carbon neutral in 2015, which means it doesn’t add bad gases to the air. The school really practices what it teaches about taking care of our planet.
How to Apply
To apply, you do it in two steps. First, you sign up on a website called Studielink. Then you upload your documents in another system called Osiris. For Bachelor’s programs, you need English test scores like IELTS 6.0-6.5 or TOEFL 80-93. For Master’s programs, you need IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 90-93.
You also need a Bachelor’s degree in a science subject and good grades. You have to send a CV (a paper about your school and activities) that’s no more than 2 pages. The school usually decides if you’re accepted within 6-8 weeks.
Campus Life
The campus is huge (70,000 square meters) and has students and teachers from 103 countries. It has a sports center, supermarket, and restaurants. The city of Wageningen has 40,000 people from 160 countries, making it a really international place. Big Dutch cities are only an hour away by train.
There are lots of student clubs based on your country, interests, or what you study. Student housing is run by a company called Idealis, and it’s best to sign up early. Research from Wageningen University & Research shows the school is a world leader in farming and solving food problems.
More Great Netherlands Universities
The Netherlands has even more good universities besides the six we talked about. These schools are great at different things and are in different parts of the country.
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam)
VU Amsterdam is ranked 194th in the world. It’s good at studying religion, philosophy (big questions about life), and social sciences. The school has many programs taught in English and works with other schools around Europe and the world.
University of Groningen
Groningen is ranked 147th in the world and 69th in ShanghaiRanking. It started in 1614, making it the second-oldest university in the Netherlands. Over 31,000 students go here, with 4,000+ from other countries. The school studies Energy, Healthy Ageing (how to stay healthy as you get older), and Sustainability.
Groningen is called the “biking capital of the world” because everyone rides bikes! The city has an average age of 34 years, so it’s young and fun. There are lots of music events, art shows, and nightlife.
Radboud University (Nijmegen)
Radboud is ranked 279th in the world. It’s in Nijmegen, the oldest city in the Netherlands. The school is really good at brain science, particle physics (tiny particles), and language studies. Classes are small, so teachers can give you personal attention.
Maastricht University
Maastricht is ranked 239th in the world and says it’s the most international university in the Netherlands. Almost half of the students come from other countries! The school invented a special way of teaching called Problem-Based Learning where you work in small groups on real problems instead of just listening to lectures.
Maastricht is near Belgium and Germany, so you’ll hear many languages on campus. The city is famous for good food and European Union history.
Special Teaching Method: At Maastricht, you study in groups of 12-15 students and work on real-life problems. This helps you think for yourself, work with others, and solve problems – skills that jobs really want!
Tilburg University
Tilburg is ranked 347th in the world. It’s really good at economics (money and business), law, and psychology. The school teaches about being responsible in business and helping society. It has a small campus where everyone knows each other.
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Erasmus is ranked 140th in the world. It has over 3,000 scientists working on big problems. The school is really good at social sciences, business, and medicine. Erasmus MC is the biggest hospital school in the Netherlands.
| University | World Rank | Best For | Cool Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| VU Amsterdam | 194th | Religion, Philosophy, Social Studies | Studies how to help the environment |
| University of Groningen | 147th | Energy, Healthy Ageing | Second-oldest school (started 1614) |
| Radboud University | 279th | Brain Science, Medicine | Small classes with personal help |
| Maastricht University | 239th | European Studies, Health | Started Problem-Based Learning |
| Tilburg University | 347th | Money, Business, Law | Teaches helping society |
| Erasmus University Rotterdam | 140th | Medicine, Business | Biggest hospital school in Netherlands |
According to Study.EU, Dutch universities teach more programs in English than any other non-English speaking country in Europe. This makes it easy for students from around the world to study there.
Common Questions About Dutch Universities
Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) is the #1 university in the Netherlands. It’s ranked 47th in the world. TU Delft is really good at engineering (building things), computer science, and math. The school scores highly for international faculty and sustainability. The school works with big companies like Philips and ASML, so students learn real job skills. TU Delft has great research labs and makes cool inventions every year.
Nine universities from the Netherlands are in the world’s top 200, which is really amazing for such a small country! These include TU Delft (47th), University of Amsterdam (53rd), Utrecht University (103rd), Leiden University (119th), Wageningen University (153rd), Eindhoven University (140th), Erasmus University (140th), University of Groningen (147th), and VU Amsterdam (194th). This means you have lots of great choices when picking a Dutch school. Each one is good at different subjects, so you can find one that matches what you want to study.
Yes! Dutch universities offer over 2,100 programs taught completely in English. This is more than any other non-English speaking country in Europe. Most Master’s programs are in English, and many Bachelor’s programs too, especially for engineering, business, and science. The University of Amsterdam alone has over 170 Master’s programs in English. Plus, about 90% of Dutch people speak English really well, so it’s easy to make friends and get help even outside of class. You don’t need to learn Dutch before you go, but learning a few words can be fun!
The cost depends on where you’re from. If you’re from a European Union country, you pay about €2,200-€2,300 per year. If you’re from outside Europe, Bachelor’s programs cost €6,000-€20,000 per year, and Master’s programs cost €13,000-€22,000 per year. Engineering and special programs usually cost more. Many schools offer scholarships (free money you don’t pay back) to help with costs. Dutch universities are cheaper than schools in the UK or USA, so you get great education for less money. Living costs are about €800-€1,200 per month for food, housing, and fun activities.
Maastricht University calls itself the most international – almost half the students come from other countries! But several schools are great for international students. University of Amsterdam has thousands of international students from 100+ countries. TU Delft scores highly for welcoming students from everywhere. Wageningen has students from 103 countries. The best school for YOU depends on what you want to study. Pick TU Delft or Eindhoven for engineering, University of Amsterdam for social sciences and arts, Wageningen for farming and environment, or Leiden for law. All Dutch universities help international students feel welcome and have lots of programs in English.
Dutch universities accept several English tests. The most common are IELTS (need 6.0-6.5 or higher), TOEFL (need 80-93 or higher), and Cambridge English tests. Some schools also take the Pearson PTE test. Master’s programs usually want higher scores than Bachelor’s programs. Your test scores can’t be older than 2 years when you apply. If English is your first language or you went to an English-speaking school before, you might not need to take a test. Some universities also accept the Duolingo English Test now. Always check what your specific school and program needs because some want higher scores than the minimum.
It depends on the program. Many Dutch Bachelor’s programs use “general admission,” which means if you meet the requirements, you get in! But some programs like Medicine, Psychology, and International Business only accept a certain number of students, so more people apply than can get in. For Master’s programs, you need a Bachelor’s degree in a related subject with good grades (usually 7.0 out of 10 or similar). Some programs want you to write a letter explaining why you want to study there. Business programs might want GMAT or GRE test scores. The good news is that Dutch schools clearly tell you what they need, so you know exactly what to do to get accepted.
Deadlines are different for different programs. Programs that only take a certain number of students usually have a January 15 deadline. Regular Bachelor’s programs have deadlines around May 1 for European students and April 1 for students from other countries. Master’s programs also usually have April 1 or May 1 deadlines. Some programs let you apply later, even in June or July. It’s smart to apply early so you have time to find housing and get your visa if you need one. Some schools let students start in September (most common) or February. Always check your specific program’s website for the exact deadline because they can be different.
Yes, you can work, but the rules depend on where you’re from. If you’re from a European Union country, you can work as much as you want. If you’re from outside Europe, you can work up to 16 hours per week during school or full-time during summer (June, July, August). Your employer needs to get a work permit for you. Many universities have on-campus jobs for students like helping in the library or being a research assistant. The Netherlands pays at least €11-12 per hour depending on your age. Working helps you pay for things and get job experience. After you graduate, non-European students can stay for one year to look for a job or start a business.
Student life in the Netherlands is really fun and different from other countries. Everyone rides bikes everywhere – the Netherlands has the best bike paths in the world! Students live in different parts of the city, not all on one campus. There are lots of cafés, restaurants, and places to hang out. Dutch people care about work-life balance, so you’re encouraged to play sports, do fun activities, and maybe work part-time while studying. Cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Utrecht have museums, music shows, and events. The Netherlands is small, so you can visit other cities or even other countries on weekends. Students get discounts for trains, museums, and entertainment. Dutch people are friendly and speak English well, so it’s easy to make friends.
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