Located in the far northwest of Europe, the Netherlands is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. The country ruled by the House of Orange-Nassau has been a great patron of art, culture, and education. In recent times, the Netherlands has become one of the most prominent outbound destinations for Bangladeshi students pursuing higher education. The simple rules and bunch of scholarship opportunities have made the Netherlands one of the better destinations for studying abroad. This article will focus on the current situation, cost, and scholarship opportunities for Bangladeshi students in the Netherlands.

Study and Living cost in Netherland

The cost of studying in the Netherlands is fairly less compared to other European countries or western countries. Like other EU nations, students belonging to the EU countries get significant tuition reductions from Dutch Universities. However Students from Bangladesh don’t get these benefits and international tuition fees apply for them.

Typically for bachelors, the annual tuition fees can range from between 6,000 to 15,000 euros, which is almost 6,00,000 to 15,00,000 BDT. For masters, the cost goes up to 8,000 to 20,000 euro annually which is almost 8,00,000 to 20,00,000 BDT. This rate applies to government and semi-government universities. Some IVY League private universities can charge as high as 30,000 euros per year.

Read Study in France: Scholarship Opportunities and Overview for Bangladeshi Students

The Ph.D. prospective students can expect to pay the same as bachelors students per year. Most of the EU countries have significant tuition subsidies for a Ph.D. candidate. But there’s no such provision unless the candidate receives a scholarship or research grant.

The living cost of the Netherlands is similar to other European countries. However, the average monthly cost may significantly vary depending on the city. A student can get by with just 650 euro or 65,000 BDT per month in cities like Enschede. But in cities like Amsterdam and Eindhoven, the cost can get as high as 1500 euro or 1,50,000 BDT per month. Typically, a student can get by with an average budget of 1000 euro or 1,00,000 BDT per month in the Netherlands.

Required Documents to Apply for Higher Study in the Netherlands

There are two standard methods of applying in the Netherlands. One is through the Studielink Tool which is a standard enrolment procedure for all students aspiring for higher studies in the Netherlands. However, not all universities follow the standard procedure for the admission of foreign students. Some universities and mostly the private ones use their own specialized admission method. This allows the student to explore more scholarship opportunities as well compared to the studielink. The general requirements include:

-          The designated application forms

-          Statement of Purpose

-          Academic transcripts

-          Optional essays

-          ECA/ research or job experience certificate for the Ph.D. applicants

-          Academic reference

Read Study in Australia: Scholarship Opportunities for Bangladeshi Students

English language proficiency certification is a must to get enrolled in a Netherlands university. Their universities accept different standardized test scores. It is to be noted that the IELTS overall score of 6 or equivalent isn’t accepted in the Netherlands. Instead, the university offers what it calls conditional acceptance. The prospective student will get 1 year in the Netherlands to improve their score and reach a band score of 6 before they can start their main academic courses.

Scholarship Opportunities for Bangladeshi Students in the Netherlands

There are several government and non-government scholarships including university-based scholarship opportunities in the Netherlands. Each of these scholarships has a different application process. The official website for process and application will be linked with each scholarship.

The Holland Scholarship

The Holland Scholarship is one of the first and premier scholarships for students outside of the EU nationality. This scholarship is slated for prospective master's and bachelor's students. This scholarship provides a one-time 5,000 euro or 5,00,000 BDT to the awarding student.

The duration of the scholarship is one year. This is not related to tuition reduction in any way. Rather this scholarship is like a grant which is directly received by the awardee.

Read Study in Norway: Scholarship Opportunities for International Students including Bangladesh

Amsterdam Merit Scholarships

This scholarship is administered by the University of Amsterdam. It allocates scholarship amounts ranging between 2,000 to 25,000 euros which amounts to almost 2,00,000 BDT to 25,00,000 BDT per year. This highly coveted scholarship is provided to prospective master's students with an excellent academic track record. The number of scholarships is not specified. However, students from Humanities, Arts, and Business schools are eligible for this scholarship.

ISS Ph.D. fellowships in Development Studies

The International Institute of Social Studies administers this fellowship for prospective Ph.D. candidates from the development field. This prestigious fellowship is awarded to 5 awardees based on their previous contribution to the development sector. As part of the fellowship, the prospective candidate will receive a full-ride Ph.D. opportunity at the ISS partnering university at their concentration of study. There is also a monthly allowance of 1600 euros as a living expense. This fellowship is highly competitive and requires previous research or development sector related experience.

Erasmus Mundus Scholarship

This is perhaps the most famous and coveted scholarship for masters and Ph.D. in all of Europe. The Erasmus Mundus Scholarship is provided to a select few students every year from EU and Non-EU countries. The students can pursue their masters or Ph.D. in at least two countries along with their applying country. This is a fully-funded scholarship opportunity for both levels. The complete expense for the duration of the study is covered by the scholarship including the airfare.

Read Higher Study in Germany: Scholarship Opportunities for Bangladeshi and Other International Students

Leiden University Excellence Scholarships

This scholarship is administered by the University of Leiden. The scholarship is provided to prospective master's students. It is valid for every stream except for LLM. This is a tuition reduction scholarship which grants either a 50% to 100% waiver on the yearly tuition. In order to be eligible for this scholarship, prospective students need to first get acceptance from the university. They must also state that they want to be considered for the scholarship at the time of application.

Final Thoughts

The Netherlands is one of the strongest welfare economies in the world. The patronage from the ministry of education, and other public and private universities opened a host of scholarship opportunities for international students in the Netherlands . Bangladeshi students can make use of these opportunities to be part of an excellent study destination.

Read Best Countries to Study and Work in 2021