Study in the Netherlands: Learning the international way

Study in the Netherlands: Learning the international way

"The Netherlands is an excellent choice for continuing your
studies," said Dina, a high school student in Semarang. Dina is
one of many Indonesian students who intend to continue their
studies in the Netherlands. When asked what the plus points are
of studying in the "tulip country", she answered simply, "The
adaptation period for studies in the Netherlands is only around 2
to 3 months and the Dutch language is not an absolute condition
to study there."

Dina explained that she had already visited many education
fairs for studies overseas, but after careful consideration she
chose the Netherlands. "I was interested in the International
Study Programs that were offered. These programs are taught in
English and have a very practical approach," said Dina who
visited the Holland Education Fair last January. The Netherlands
offer two kinds of higher education institutions: Universiteit
for those interested in scientific studies and Hogeschool
(universities for professional education) for the more practical
oriented.

Different from Dina, Indra had to postpone his studies because
he had to work. Indra will now continue his master's program at a
university because later he plans to obtain his PhD. After
comparing tuition fees in the Netherlands with those in other
countries, he finally chose the Netherlands. "The estimated
tuition fee for postgraduate studies ranges from 5,000 euros to
10,000 euros per year. Moreover, I will be able to work part-time
during my studies," he said excitedly.

At present, universities and educational institutions in the
Netherlands offer more than 1,150 study programs in English and
include various fields of undergraduate and postgraduate studies.
Short courses are also offered. Like Dina said, the ability to
speak Dutch is not essential as English is used widely. The
English language is a second language for a lot of Dutch people,
including university lecturers.

"While studying in the Netherlands, I will also be able to
travel to Paris, Berlin, London, Rome and other cities," Dina
continued.

For undergraduate studies, the estimated tuition in the
Netherlands ranges from 1,500 euros to 4,000 euros per year. Like
Indra said, the living expenses are around 650 euros per month.
That amount includes accommodation, transportation, food and
insurance expenses. In general, the living expenses are lower
than in other Western countries. For students who wish to work
part-time, the Dutch government allows them to work a maximum of
10 hours a week, except in the months of June, July and August
when they are allowed to work full-time up to 40 hours a week.

Because of the reasons mentioned above, the number of
Indonesian students interested in continuing their studies in the
Netherlands has increased from 1,525 in 2002 to 2,028 in
September 2003. This is an increase of 33 percent.

The Netherlands Education Center (NEC) has officially been
appointed by the Dutch government to provide information about
education in the Netherlands. They also provide additional
information about the curriculum, educational system, tuition
fees, length of education, enrollment, visa application,
transport and accommodation. All information is given free of
charge.

"Besides accommodation and study visas, NEC counselors also
guided me in choosing the best field of study and university for
me," said Indra who has chosen a master's program in chemical
engineering. The NEC also provides information about scholarships
offered by the Dutch government.

Unlike Dina or Indra whose tuition is being paid by their
parents, Sukma, a lecturer at a state university in Makassar,
expressed her happiness when she received the news from NEC that
she had passed the selection for a scholarship.

"I submitted my application for the STUNED scholarship program
last January and I am very happy to be given the opportunity,"
said the lecturer who has enrolled in a postgraduate program in
education. According to Sukma the NEC staff were very helpful in
assisting students choosing the right scholarship program for
them. She added that information about scholarships was easily
accessible through NEC's website (www.nec.or.id).

Through the NEC, the Dutch government offers several kinds of
scholarships for professionals like Sukma. The STUNED scholarship
program offers the opportunity to pursue postgraduate education
and the Netherlands Fellowship Program offers the opportunity to
pursue master's or PhD studies, short courses or tailor-made
training. The STUNED scholarship program is in line with the
development cooperation between the government of the Netherlands
and the government of Indonesia and aims to improve human
resources in Indonesia.

Although anyone can apply, priority is given to central and
regional government employees, lecturers at both state or private
universities as well as those who are active in non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) and journalists. Applicants should be active
in areas relevant to Indonesia's development and have the
possibility of transferring their knowledge to others upon their
return.

These scholarship programs offer full scholarships that cover
living expenses, tuition fees, accommodation, health insurance
and airline tickets. In order to enroll, every applicant has to
meet academic requirements with a minimum of 2.5 GPA and 550
TOEFL score or 6,0 IELTS score. Besides that, the applicants have
to apply to the universities and study programs they are
interested in and obtain an admission letter. They also need to
obtain a permit from their employers in order to continue their
studies and return to the same organization after finishing their
studies.

During the past five years (1998-2003), the government of the
Netherlands has given full scholarships to 1,371 Indonesians to
continue their studies in the Netherlands. The Netherlands is the
second biggest provider of scholarships for Indonesians. In the
framework of STUNED scholarships alone, every year between 100
and 150 students leave for the Netherlands. In 2003, the STUNED
scholarships were given to 130 out of 571 applicants. Of the 130
recipients, 51 percent were women, 36 percent came from outside
Java, 52 percent were lecturers, 29 percent were government
employees and 11 percent were NGO workers.

Evidently the Netherlands has more to offer than tulips and
windmills. The small country that houses head offices of big
companies such as Unilever, Shell and Phillips also offers
international education of an indisputable quality.