International students in the Netherlands are mostly happy with the standard of higher education, but they do face problems with student financing, housing and exclusion by their Dutch peers, according to an annual survey by three Dutch student bodies.
The survey, which involved 700 international students, found that eight in ten are happy or very happy with their teachers and feel well informed about their degree programmes.
However, they said communication with universities and student loan body DUO could be improved to cut down on long waiting times and language barriers. Most of the students in the survey came from EEA countries and may be eligible for some form of student financing if they work.
One in three said it had taken them more than three months to find a place to live and 40% are unhappy about the information provided by universities about finding accommodation.
They regularly experience discrimination – including adverts which state ‘no internationals’ – and more than half believe they pay higher rents than Dutch students.
While students are generally happy with their social lives, they often struggle to connect with their Dutch peers, who prefer to stick to the Dutch language and work together in Dutch.
Nevertheless, more than half are considering staying in the Netherlands after graduation, or returning at some point in the future.
Last November, the Dutch universities association UNL said the number of international students enrolling for degree courses had fallen for the third year in a row, following government measures to restrict numbers.
The new Dutch government has said it will not press ahead with the previous administration’s plan to cut back on the number of university courses taught in English, but there will be limits on the number of foreign students taking popular courses.
