Admission requirements

How to decide what to study?

The first step is to consider what is the most interesting field you are interested in is. Second, find study programms which are offered by the universities in the Netherlands. You can find bachelor and master study programs in HESC web page in section: “Education in NL” – “Programmes”. If you can not find anything that fits your interests, you can search for most appropriate program in Nuffic web page. Universities in the Netherlands offer more than 1500 study programs in English.

What to do next when you know what to study?

When you have found the most appropriate study program for you, you should find the admission requirements – what kind of documents do you need to prepare. Usually all universities in the Netherlands have web pages in English with precise information about admission requirements. You can find information one the most popular universities and their study programs in HESC web page in section “Partner Universities”.

How can I apply for studies in the Netherlands?

Every university has an individual application scheme, thus you have to check for each program separately. Usually it includes a registration on www.studielink.nl as well as submitting the following documents along with your application:

• TOEFL or IELTS test result
• Copies of diplomas and transcripts translated into English language by a certificated translator
• Statement of motivation
• Recommendation letter(s)

Is a motivation letter important?

Most universities in the Netherlands ask for a motivation letter and it may be one of the most important documents evaluating your admission papers. HESC advise you to pay attention to your motivation letter and its quality. It should reflect your personality, your talents and most imporantly – why you want to study in that study program and university and why it is so special for you.

What to do if I do not have my diploma and certificates in time when I need to send my application documents?

This is usually the case for almost all prospective students. In this case you should send to the receiving university your transcript of records. This means, collect all your marks of last semester. If it is needed, you can send also your marks from 10th and 11th grade. Transcript of records need to be translated in English with stamp which proves that translation is correct. Stamp can be from your secondary school director or from translation office.

Do I need to pass an English language test?

You need a good command of the English language before you can apply for a degree programmes in the universities. In most cases, this means that you need to take a TOEFL or IELTS test before you can make a request for admission. For additional information and scores, please check with your university web page. Need to mention that some exceptional universities do not ask for English proficiency test.

Where can I pass TOFEL or IELTS tests?

For TOFEL, please register on www.ets.org/tofel
For IELTS, please contact the following agencies:

• In Tallinn, Estonia
  Tallinn Information Centre
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  phone: 00 372 6998300, 6998301
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• In Riga, Latvia
  Riga Information Centre
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  fax: 00 371 67317631
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• In Vilnius, Lithuania
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  +370 698 54 348
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  LT-01116 Vilnius
  Lithuania
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Study loans, grants and benefits

Are there any study loans offered for studies in the Netherlands?

In Latvia, prospective students who plan to study abroad can apply for a study loan and a loan to cover living costs. More information is available at Studiju fonds web page. For more information about other opportunities to get study loans HESC advises to contact your receiving university and ask for more information.

Can foreign students get any benefit from the Netherlands government?

Yes, students can get two kinds of benefits from the government of the Netherlands. First, if a student works a minimum of 32 hours per month, he/she can apply for a benefit that is around 260 euros per month and public transport in this case is free. To get the benefit you need to register your place of staying (make sure that your landlord will allow you to register at your place of stay) and get your taxpayer number. For more information HESC suggest contact your receiving university. Second benefit is for those students whose parents’ salary is lower than the Netherlands average salary. The amount of benefit is around 250 euros. For more information, please, contact your receiving university.

Can foreign students get any scholarship?

The Dutch government attempts to make Dutch higher education as accessible as possible to students and mid-career professionals from other countries. In Holland, higher education is subsidized, which means that tuition fees can be kept relatively low. The online search engine www.grantfinder.nl gives a complete overview of scholarships available for students who wish to come to Holland.

Housing

How to find a place to live?

Holland does not have a tradition of on-campus accommodation. Most students live in or near their university town. If some universities offer a campus, you should take into consideration that costs are quite high. Another option is to look for room or apartment/house by yourself. Many foreign students use social networks which offers some groups – it could be concrete university fan group or city fan group. For example, www.draugiem.lv has different groups concerning Holland with discussions about living opportunities and so on. Another is www.facebook.com where you can find pages for almost all universities and students who live and study there. Make concacts with them and may find something. If you can not find anything, HESC advise to contact with your receiving university and ask for some consultation or help.

How much do I have to pay for an accommodation?

It depends from the city and your expectation, but in average you should count on around 250 – 350 eur per month.

Job opportunities

Can I work in the Netherlands?

As a citizen of Latvia, You can work in the Netherlands and you do not need a working permit. You have to have a SOFI nr and valid Dutch bank account. International student in the Netherlands are allowed to work part-time, just as many Dutch students do. A job can help you to cover the costs, you can get some work experience, it can help you to make contact with the Dutch and it makes it easier for you to learn the language. However, keep in the mind, that it may not be easy to find a job especially if you do not speak Dutch.

How do I find a part-time job?

The easiest way to find a job is through an employment agency, or uitzendbureau. Some agencies specialize in jobs for students. The student affairs office at the Dutch institution where you are enrolled can provide addresses or may even have their own job agency. Of course, you can also respond to advertisements or search for a job on the Internet. The following websites may be helpful:

• www.undutchables.nl
• www.international.monsterboard.nl
• www.dutchisnotrequired.nl
• www.studentenbaan.nl (in Dutch)

Formalities and rules

Your position is different from that of Dutch students and you will have to take several practical restrictions into account, such as your probable lack of fluency in the Dutch language. It goes without saying that if you are enrolled in an English-taught programme and have not had to learn any Dutch, certain jobs will be out of your reach. Nevertheless, even if you do speak Dutch, some jobs simply require the fluency of a native speaker. Always make sure you know about the relevant formalities and rules before you begin to look for a job.

Work permit

If you are a citizen of the EU/EEA (except for Bulgaria and Romania) and Switzerland you do not need a work permit. There is no restriction on the number of hours you are allowed to work. While you are not obliged to register with the Dutch Immigration Service (IND) as an EU student, it is highly advisable to do so as it will make a number of things easier, such as applying for a telephone subscription and finding a job. Registration is free.

Insurance

Health insurance

Dutch public healthcare insurance is called basiszorgverzekering, or ‘basic care insurance’. Dutch law requires everyone in Holland with resident or employee status to take out public healthcare insurance. Students under the age of 30 who are in Holland solely for study purposes are exempt from this general requirement and are allowed to have other insurance, such as private healthcare insurance. If you start a part-time job, however, you will immediately have to take out Dutch public healthcare insurance, since now you are no longer just a student, but also an employee. This applies no matter how many hours you work per week. You are advised to take this into consideration before starting a job, because Dutch public healthcare insurance may be more expensive than the insurance you otherwise use. This rule also applies to EU citizens who are covered by an EU Health Insurance Card. From the moment you start working, you need to take out Dutch public healthcare insurance. If you intend to work part-time on and off, make sure you choose an insurance company that allows you to switch between private and public healthcare insurance. For more detailed information, please check the ‘Healthcare insurance for international students in Holland’ factsheet on www.studyinholland.nl.

Healthcare allowance

As the costs of Dutch public healthcare insurance can weigh heavily on a small budget, the Dutch government provides a healthcare allowance to people with low incomes. As a student insured by a Dutch policy you are eligible to apply for this healthcare allowance. Since the online application tool requires an electronic signature it is generally easiest to order an application form through your local tax office. The healthcare allowance application form is only available in Dutch. To help students complete this Dutch form Nuffic has created a translated version, which can be downloaded from www.studyinholland.nl. Please note that you are not to submit this English application form; it is only a tool to help you fill out the Dutch form.

Agreements with your employer

Before you start a job, it is wise to settle all the formalities with your employer, such as the number of holiday days you are entitled to, your insurance coverage and your tax situation. Also make sure you know the organization’s own rules and regulations regarding the terms of employment.

Other formalities

Formalities upon arrival

If you intend to stay for over four months, you are required to register at your local municipality

To registry in municipality, you need to translate your birth certificate. People who were born before 1992 need to get new version of birth certificate from Latvian government and also an apostille from the Consular Department of the Embassy of the Netherlands. Your birth certificate will need to be translated in English and notary approved. The old version of birth certificate is not accepted in the Netherlands.

Explanation of different Dutch terms on housing subject

To get more information about Holland Education Support Centre, please, see this Presentation.
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