🇳🇱 How to apply to university in the Netherlands

Applications go through Studielink. Programmes usually start: September; a few programmes also start in February.

Checked on 20 October 2026 against the official sources listed below.

The essentials

Application system: StudielinkThe national registration and application portal for most programmes; some institutions use their own system for applicants from abroad.
When programmes start: September; a few programmes also start in February.
International applicants: International students use the same Studielink route, though some institutions handle applicants from abroad through their own systems. For non-EU/EEA students the university usually applies for the residence permit after admission.
Language: IELTS, TOEFL iBT or Cambridge English for English-taught programmes (scores set per programme); Dutch for Dutch-taught ones.

Key dates

Add all these dates to my calendar (.ics)

Studielink states both as its national deadlines (23:59 CET). Study in NL gives them as general deadlines; each institution can set a different one, often earlier for non-EU applicants who need a residence permit.

Date	What	Who	Intake	Source	Calendar
15 January 2027	General deadline for numerus fixus (limited-place) programmes	Applicants to programmes with a selection procedure; check the institution's own deadline	September 2027 entry	Studielink — Make sure you are on time
1 May 2027	General deadline for all other programmes	All applicants; non-EU deadlines are often earlier and set by each institution	September 2027 entry	Studielink — Make sure you are on time

A window shows its opening date above its closing date. Individual universities and programmes can set earlier dates of their own — always confirm on the official page before you rely on a date. The calendar file adds each date as an all-day event with a reminder a week before.

Your checklist

The usual steps for an international student applying to a bachelor's in the Netherlands, in order. Tick them off as you go — your ticks stay in this browser, with no account.

1.Find a programme in Study in NL's Studyfinder and check its entry requirements, including how your diploma compares.
2.Check whether the programme has limited places (numerus fixus) — those have a selection procedure and a 15 January deadline.
3.Take an English test if the programme is in English (typically IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL).
4.Register and apply through Studielink, unless the institution tells you to use its own system.
5.Upload the documents the institution asks for and complete any selection steps.
6.Accept your place and pay the tuition fee or deposit.
7.If you're from outside the EU/EEA, the institution applies to the IND for your residence permit (and entry visa if needed); the €254 fee is paid through it.
8.Look for housing as soon as you're admitted — it is scarce in most student cities.

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Next steps

Sources

Written by CollegeMatcher in our own words from these official pages, checked on 20 October 2026. Dates change every year.