Dutch Education System

International certificate valuation

Primary Education

Secondary Education

Higher Education
There are thirteen 'regular' universities in the Netherlands, including three technical universities and the Agricultural University in Wageningen, which is financed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries. Besides these, there are 56 colleges offering 200 different programmes for a variety of professions in a range of social areas.

The distribution of government grants to the universities partly depends on such performance indicators as the numbers of diplomas, first-year students and doctoral degrees. Universities may divide their state aid between 'education' and 'research' as they see fit. Each university bears the cost of its housing and infrastructure.

Institutions for higher professional education (HBO institutions, also called 'universities of professional education') receive funding from a variety of sources. In addition to government grants, these institutions rely on tuition fees and revenue from external work (primarily contract education). Of the total state contribution, nearly 92% is made available in the form of a lump sum. HBO institutions independently decide on the most effective allocation of these funds to cover personnel, materials and housing costs.

Starting in 2002, the main change in higher education is the implementation of the Bachelor and Master degree system, which is intended to give students greater international mobility. In tune with this shift, the value of study programs must be more easily recognisable, and they will be accredited to indicate quality.

Anyone who wishes to attend an institution of higher education in the Netherlands will find all the relevant information on the system, degrees, curricula and diplomas on the NUFFIC website (Netherlands Organisation for International Cooperation in Higher Education levels and prevent dropouts.).