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.