- \n
- Visa-free travel across the Schengen area and the EU<\/li>\n
- Programmes taught in English or in Dutch, depending on the faculty<\/li>\n
- Access to scholarships and research funding<\/li>\n
- A high standard of living<\/li>\n
- Low crime and a stable social environment<\/li>\n
- A wide range of roles in hospitals and clinical centres<\/li>\n
- Good salaries and stable employment in healthcare<\/li>\n
- Well-funded teaching and research facilities<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
With that in mind, here is what an international applicant needs in order to study medicine in the Netherlands.<\/p>\n
Read more: a complete guide to Netherlands permanent residence<\/a><\/p>\n
Requirements for non-EU applicants to study medicine in the Netherlands<\/h2>\n
To apply for medicine in the Netherlands you need 12 years of general education and a secondary school leaving certificate. English or Dutch at B2 level is required for admission, depending on the language of instruction. Faculties also look for:<\/p>\n
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- Evidence that you can cover tuition and living costs<\/li>\n
- A strong academic record, with a recommendation letter<\/li>\n
- A motivation letter explaining why you want to study in the Netherlands and where you want the degree to lead<\/li>\n
- Success in the faculty’s selection procedure under numerus fixus<\/li>\n
- An interview, where the faculty runs one<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Applicants have to apply for admission<\/span> and submit every document before the deadline the faculty publishes. Once admitted, the next step is to apply for a Netherlands student visa<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Deadlines vary from one university to another, and applicants must submit documents and attend any interview before the official closing date. For current information, follow the announcements of Nuffic, the Dutch organisation for internationalisation in education<\/a>, and check admission conditions with each faculty.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\nSelection for medical programmes<\/h2>\n
Dutch medicine has no single national admissions test of the kind used in some other countries. Every medical bachelor’s programme is a numerus fixus programme<\/span><\/strong> with a capped number of places, and each faculty runs its own decentralised selection procedure<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n
Applications go through Studielink, and the deadline for numerus fixus programmes is earlier than for other subjects, normally in mid-January for a September start. Selection typically weighs school grades in science subjects, a motivation statement, and selection activities set by the faculty, which can include written tests, online assignments, a sample lecture with an exam, or an interview. The point of the exercise is for the faculty to satisfy itself that the applicant has the knowledge, judgement and resilience needed to train as a doctor.<\/p>\n
Criteria differ between faculties, and each one publishes its own weighting. A Dutch medical degree takes six years in total: a three-year bachelor’s, largely theoretical, followed by a three-year master’s built around clinical rotations and hospital placements.<\/p>\n
Check the specific conditions of each faculty on its own website, because places for non-EEA applicants in Dutch medicine are extremely limited and competition is severe, with some faculties admitting only around 400 students a year in total.<\/div>\n\n
Also worth reading: our guide to the best universities in the Netherlands<\/a>.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\nDocuments for a medical application in the Netherlands<\/h2>\n\n
\n\n
\n\t \nDocument<\/th> Requirements<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n \n\t High school diploma and pre-university certificate<\/td> Certified translation into English or Dutch; equivalent to the Dutch VWO<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t English language certificate<\/td> IELTS Academic 7 or equivalent TOEFL 90+
\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\t Dutch language certificate (for applicants without English)<\/td> B2 minimum<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Motivation letter<\/td> Explaining your interest in medicine and your goal in studying in the Netherlands
\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\t Academic reference letter<\/td> At least one letter from a recognised academic<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Academic CV<\/td> Standard format, with relevant experience<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Application fee<\/td> Varies by university<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n Leading medical faculties in the Netherlands<\/h2>\n\n
\n\n
\n\t \nUniversity<\/th> City<\/th> World ranking<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n \n\t University of Groningen<\/td> Groningen<\/td> Varies by ranking system and edition<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Maastricht University<\/td> Maastricht<\/td> Varies by ranking system and edition<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Leiden University<\/td> Leiden<\/td> Varies by ranking system and edition<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Utrecht University<\/td> Utrecht<\/td> Varies by ranking system and edition<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Erasmus University Rotterdam<\/td> Rotterdam<\/td> Varies by ranking system and edition<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t University of Amsterdam\t<\/td> Amsterdam<\/td> Varies by ranking system and edition<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n Cost of studying medicine in the Netherlands<\/h2>\n\n
\n\n
\n\t \nCost<\/th> Amount<\/th> Notes<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n \n\t Medicine tuition (Bachelor\/Master)<\/td> Up to EUR 32,000 per year<\/td> Varies by university<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Medicine tuition - UvA (Bachelor)<\/td> EUR 34,000 per year<\/td> For non-EU students<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t MVV fee (long-stay student visa)<\/td> Set by the IND - check the current fee<\/td> Paid by the student; the IND re-indexes the fee each January<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Proof of funds<\/td> EUR 1,130.77 per month<\/td> IND amount for university and hbo students; revised each year - use the figure set for your academic year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n Budget separately for document translation, language classes and exams, any professional fees for handling the immigration file, and other incidental costs.<\/div>\nWhat to know about the costs<\/h3>\n
Studying medicine in the Netherlands is expensive<\/strong>, and applicants need either a scholarship or substantial documented funds; without them the residence application is at real risk. Some faculties also charge an application fee<\/strong> for each admission request.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n