In recent years, more and more internationals have opted to study at a Dutch (applied) university. And they have done so successfully, the Inspectorate of Education writes in its annual report: ‘The State of Education’ (the report is in Dutch). They obtain a diploma more often and faster than Dutch students, both in higher professional education (abbreviated as ‘hbo’ in Dutch) and university bachelor programs. For more than five years, the difference in study success between internationals and Dutch people has been more than 10 percentage points.

They also do better in university master programs. Almost 80 percent of the internationals obtain their diploma with at most one year extension, compared to almost 70 percent of the Dutch students. Moreover, the number of Dutch university students who obtain a master degree with a maximum of one year extension does not increase or decrease if they have more international fellow students.

Study success

The Inspectorate of Education is pleased to note that more hbo students have obtained their bachelor degree. Of the cohort 2012-2013, 61 percent graduated within five years. The study success among both men and women increased, although the women are still doing much better: the difference in obtaining a diploma is 18 percentage points.

In academic education, the study success of bachelor students decreased for the first time in years: only 71 percent of the 2013-2014 cohort obtained the diploma within four years. The abolition of the government’s basic study grant could be an explanation, the inspectorate believes. Many students anticipated this development, making the class of 2013-2014 extra large.