Education in the Netherlands is characterized by division: education is oriented toward the needs and background of the pupil. Education is divided over schools for different age groups, some of which are divided in streams for different educational levels. Schools are furthermore divided in public, special (religious), and general-special (neutral) schools, although there are also a few private schools. The Dutch grading scale runs from 1 to 10 (outstanding).
Maastricht University is a public research university in Maastricht, Netherlands. Founded in 1976, it is the second youngest of the thirteen Dutch universities.
Avans University of Applied Sciences is a Dutch high ranked vocational university. It is located in three cities: Breda, 's-Hertogenbosch, and Tilburg. The school has over 30,000 students studying 40 courses in 18 institutes. There are 3,000 employees.
The Open University of the Netherlands is a Dutch institution for distance learning at university level. It is an independent government-funded university and uses a variety of methods, including written materials, the Internet, and occasional evening seminars or day sessions.
Windesheim University of Applied Sciences is a Dutch vocational university institute for higher education and research. With over 27,000 students and over 3,000 staff at sites in Zwolle and Almere, Windesheim is one of the more prominent universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands. Elsevier and Keuzegids HBO have ranked Windesheim second among the universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands for several years in a row.
Dutch universities are supported by state funding so that universities do not have to rely on private funding to pay for tuition. All citizens of the Netherlands who complete high school at the pre-academic level (vwo) or have a professional Propedeuse at HBO level, signifying they have finished their first year course, are eligible to attend university. In the case of a HBO-Propedeuse some restrictions may apply as to deficiencies in High School subjects. Three universities have restrictive requirements based on academic ability; and all universities have restrictive requirements for some of their programs because the number of prospective students sometimes outnumbers the number of available places.
University College Maastricht (UCM) is an English language, internationally oriented, liberal arts and sciences college housed in the 15th century Nieuwenhof monastery in Maastricht, Netherlands. Founded in 2002, it is the second of its kind in the Netherlands. The college is part of Maastricht University and offers a selective honours programme with a high workload. The Dutch Higher Education Guide ranked UCM the best bachelors programme in the Netherlands in 2015 and 2016; in 2012, 2014 and 2015 they ranked UCM the best university college in the Netherlands. In 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2018 Elsevier Magazine ranked UCM the best university college in the Netherlands in terms of student satisfaction.
Maastricht Institute of Arts, formerly known as the Academie Beeldende Kunsten Maastricht and the Stadsacademie voor Toegepaste Kunsten, is a cluster of visual arts education from Zuyd University of Applied Sciences in Maastricht. The institute offers higher education in Bachelor of Education, Fine Arts and Design, Communication Design, Architecture and Interior Design, Interdisciplinary Arts, and in Master of Scientific Illustration, Architecture and Interior Design. Since 2020, the institute, in cooperation with the Academies of Music and Theatre, the Jan van Eyck Academy and Maastricht University, has offered the possibility of a doctorate in the visual arts. The institute focuses on the meaning of art as a phenomenon in its own right, with its own insights and laws.
Fontys University of Applied Sciences is a Dutch university of applied sciences, located in the southern Netherlands. It has over 44,000 students in several campuses. The three largest Fontys campuses are located in the cities of Eindhoven, Tilburg and Venlo. The name Fontys comes from the Latin word "fons" which means "source". Fontys offers 200 bachelor's and master's study programmes in the fields of economics, technology, health care, social work, sports and teacher training. A selection of these programmes is offered in German and English. In the independent Dutch ranking known as Keuzegids, Fontys is among the top-ranked large universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands. In 2014, former Fontys Chairperson Nienke Meijer was named the "Most Influential Woman in the Netherlands".
The Hague University of Applied Sciences is a university of applied sciences with its campuses located in and around The Hague in the Randstad metropolitan region in the west of the Netherlands. The city is home to the Dutch government, royal family and many major international legal, security and peace institutions. Since the university was founded in 1987 it has expanded to four campuses in the near-side cities of The Hague, Delft and Zoetermeer. The main campus in The Hague is located behind The Hague Hollands Spoor railway station by the Laakhaven Canal.
Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences is a large vocational university located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The AUAS mainly offers bachelor's degree programmes, but also has a number of (professional) master's degree programmes. For students from the AUAS' international partner institutes it is possible to study at the AUAS as an exchange student.
Hotelschool The Hague is a single sector university of applied sciences in the Netherlands. It was founded and funded in 1929 by the hospitality industry. In 2010, Hotelschool The Hague founded its university wide Research Centre, focusing on interdisciplinary research with a strong practice-oriented focus.
Inholland University of Applied Sciences is a large university of applied sciences located in eight main cities of the Randstad, the central-western region of the Netherlands and the country's economic, political and cultural hub. With over 37,000 students from more than 100 countries, the university follows the applied sciences mode of education.
Leiden University College The Hague (LUC) is a small interdisciplinary Liberal Arts and Sciences honours college part of the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs of Leiden University. The institution's curriculums focus on tackling global challenges, such as peace and justice, sustainability, prosperity and diversity.
Tio Business School is a private Dutch educational institution, founded by the business community in 1969 in the city of Hengelo. Tio has establishments in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Eindhoven, Utrecht, Hengelo and Groningen.
Ede Christian University of Applied Sciences is a Christian vocational university located in Ede, Netherlands. The CHE has a clear Christian basis: the Bible as norm and source of inspiration.
Maastricht University Campus Venlo is a satellite campus of Maastricht University located in Venlo, approximately 80 km north of Maastricht.
University College Venlo, often referred to as UCV, is a bachelor programme offered at the satellite location of Maastricht University, Campus Venlo. It welcomed its first students in September 2015. UCV was ranked second at the national Elsevier ranking 2016 of all university colleges in the Netherlands. Furthermore UCV has been ranked as the #2 Liberal Arts and Sciences programme in the Dutch University Guide: Keuzegids 2020 with a score of 84 points, making it a top rated programme.
The Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) is a university outside Lilongwe, Malawi. It was formed in 2011 by a merger between Bunda College of Agriculture of the University of Malawi and Natural Resources College (NRC).
