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Article
Conditions for studying with a residence permit
Last updated: 9/25/2024, 11:31 AM

To study in the Netherlands, you must meet certain conditions. On this page you can read more about those conditions.

Conditions for studying in the Netherlands

You must meet these conditions: 

  • You have a residence permit asylum in the Netherlands.

  • You have a valid diploma at the level of training you want to take.

  • Your foreign diploma must have been compared to Dutch education. This is called a diploma evaluation. If you have not done this yet, contact the

    International credential evaluation (IDW)
    . 

  • You speak and write Dutch (or English) at the level required for the training you want to take.

  • You can pay the study fees.

The conditions you must meet differ for each level of education. You will find more information about this later in this article.

Conditons for studying at MBO

MBO
schools offer courses at 4 different levels. Which level you can choose depends on your previous education. Below are the main requirements for each level:

MBO level 1:

In addition to the general conditions for studying, you must meet the following requirements for MBO level 1 training:

  • You have at least Dutch language level

    B1
    .

  • You are at least 16 years old on 1 August of the year of enrolment.

  • You cannot start a course at MBO level 2, MBO level 3 or MBO level 4.

  • You do not need a diploma to start training at MBO level 1.

MBO levels 2 to 4:

In addition to the general conditions for studying, you must meet the following requirements for MBO level 2 to 4 training:

  • You have at least Dutch language level B1.

  • You have a diploma appropriate to the level of your training. You can find which diploma you must have on the website of the training you want to take.

Sometimes you can take training if you do not meet all the conditions

Sometimes an MBO school can make an exception to the rules about prior training. For example, if the school thinks you can successfully complete the training, while you do not meet the conditions, inquire about this with the training you want to do.

Conditions for studying at HBO or WO level

In addition to the general conditions for studying, for training at

HBO
of
WO
 level you must meet the following conditions:

  • Language level for training in Dutch: at least B2. You show that you have this level with a Diploma State Examination NT2.

  • Language level for training in English: minimum B2. You demonstrate this level with a certificate:

    IELTS
    ,
    TOEFL
     or Cambridge.

  • Some studies require you to do more to be admitted. This may involve certain classes you must have taken or specific training you must have completed. You will get information about this from the training you want to take.

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