List of universities in the Netherlands

See also: Dutch universities

A listing of universities in the Kingdom of the Netherlands: Leiden University 60-77 Leiden University 31-44 Leiden University 61-88 UA- Virtual HUB

Research universities

Research universities in the Netherlands are institutions of tertiary education that in Dutch are called universiteit. Their focus is towards academic education and scientific research. They are accredited to confer bachelor's, master's and (with the exception of the Netherlands Defence Academy) doctoral degrees. Prior to the Bologna Process, the universities granted drs. (doctorandus), mr. (for law studies) and ir. (for engineering studies) degrees, which are equivalent to current MA, LLM or MSc degrees. The term universiteit is reserved to doctorate granting institutes in the Dutch context, and the additional qualifier "research" is hardly ever used in practice. There are public Universities and Private Universities in Netherlands.

Name		Established	University status	City	Organisation	Type	Number of staff	Number of students
Members of the Universities of the Netherlands association
University of Amsterdam[1]		1632	1877[2]	Amsterdam	Public	Research university	4,062	32,739
	Academic Medical Center	1983		Amsterdam
	Amsterdam University College	2008		Amsterdam
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam		1880	1880[2]	Amsterdam	Special: Protestant	Research university	2,200	18,000
	VU University Medical Center	1964		Amsterdam
	Amsterdam University College	2008		Amsterdam
University of Groningen		1614	1614	Groningen	Public	Research university	5,000	26,500
	University Medical Center Groningen	1797		Groningen
Leiden University		1575	1575	Leiden	Public	Research university	3,973	19,328
	Leiden University Medical Center	1996		Leiden
	Leiden University College The Hague	2010		The Hague
Maastricht University		1976	1975	Maastricht	Public	Research university	3,000	11,463
	Academic Hospital Maastricht	1974		Maastricht
	University College Maastricht	2002		Maastricht
Radboud University Nijmegen		1923	1923[2]	Nijmegen	Special: Catholic	Research university	4,309*	17,650*
	Radboud University Medical Center	1956		Nijmegen
Erasmus University Rotterdam		1913	1937[2]	Rotterdam	Public	Research university	3,700	26,212[3]
	Erasmus MC	1950		Rotterdam				3,361
	Erasmus University College	2013		Rotterdam				270
Tilburg University		1927	1939	Tilburg	Special: Catholic	Research university	1,062*	11,399*
	University College Tilburg	2008		Tilburg
	TIAS School for Business and Society	1982		Tilburg
Utrecht University		1636	1636	Utrecht	Public	Research university	8,224	26,787
	University Medical Center Utrecht	1999		Utrecht
	University College Utrecht	1998		Utrecht
	University College Roosevelt	2004		Middelburg	Public	University College
Delft University of Technology		1842	1905	Delft	Public	Technical university	5,400	24,000
Eindhoven University of Technology		1956	1956	Eindhoven	Public	Technical university	3,000	12,000
University of Twente		1961	1961	Enschede	Public	Technical university	3,000	8,500
Wageningen University and Research Centre		2000	1918	Wageningen	Public	Technical university	6,500##	12,847
	Wageningen University	1876		Wageningen
	Agricultural Research Institutes	1877		throughout the Netherlands	Research Institute
Open University in the Netherlands		1984	1984	Nationwide; main office in Heerlen	Public	Open university	673	16,888[4]
Other universities
University of Curaçao		1979	1979	Curaçao	Public	National university
University of Humanistic Studies		1989	1989	Utrecht	Public	Research university	150	550[5]
Netherlands Defence Academy [nl]		1823	2005	Breda/Den Helder	Special: National Military Academy	Military Academy, since 2005 includes Department of Military Sciences	~75	~200
Privately Funded Universities (accredited as Universiteit by Dutch law) (by type)
Nyenrode Business University		1946	1982	Breukelen	Private	Business school
Protestant Theological University		1854	1939	Kampen	Private	University for Protestant Theology
Theological University of Kampen		1854	1939	Kampen	Private	University for Protestant Theology
Theological University of Apeldoorn		1894	1962	Apeldoorn	Private	University for Protestant Theology
Universities that no longer exist
Catholic University of Utrecht		1991–2007		Utrecht	Private: merged into University of Tilburg	University for Catholic Theology
University of Harderwijk		1648–1811		Harderwijk	disbanded by Napoleon
University of Franeker		1585–1811		Franeker	disbanded by Napoleon
University of Nijmegen		1655–1680		Nijmegen	closed in the aftermath of the 1672 rampjaar
University of Theology and Pastorate		1966-1999[6]		Heerlen	Private: merged into Radboud University Nijmegen in 1993, Heerlen location closed 1999	University for Catholic Theology

† 2003–2004; ‡ 2004–2005; # 2005–2006; * 2006–2007; ##including research staff at the associated institutes. All figures without signs are estimates or from undated sources. According to Dutch law, it is illegal to use protected titles which can only be given by universities that are accredited. Protected titles are ing. bc. mr. ir. drs. and dr.^[7] English variants (MSc BSc MA BA LLB LLM BEng PhD) are not (yet)^[8] protected by Dutch law^[9] (but using the title "dr." based on a PhD degree, without permission from DUO, is a violation of Dutch law as the title "doctor" is protected). One may bear in the Netherlands foreign titles according to the laws of the country wherein they were granted, but without translating them in Dutch.

Universities of Applied Sciences

Universities of applied sciences (Dutch: hogeschool) in the Netherlands are focused on professional education rather than scientific research. While the literal translation of hogeschool is "high school", these are second-tier institutes of higher education, and can be compared with colleges or polytechnics or similar in other countries. They are accredited to confer bachelor's and master's degrees. Prior to the Bologna Process, they also conferred professional engineer's (abbreviated ing.) degrees. Dutch universities of applied sciences are not accredited to confer doctoral (PhD) degrees; PhD studies can sometimes be conducted in the context of a university of applied sciences, however, the title will be granted by one of the research universities, and a full professor of that university will be appointed as principal supervisor (promotor). In international contexts, the phrase University of Applied Sciences is used for the majority of these schools, as suggested by the Dutch Minister of Education.^[10] Some specific exceptions have been made. For example, tertiary art schools and schools of education use an internationally recognisable name of choice. The Dutch Universities of Applied Sciences include the following:

• Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor de Kunsten (Amsterdam University of the Arts), Amsterdam
• Artez Institute of Arts, Arnhem/Enschede/Zwolle
• Avans Hogeschool, 's-Hertogenbosch/Tilburg/Breda/Etten-Leur
• Breda University of Applied Sciences, Breda
• Christelijke Agrarische Hogeschool Dronten, Dronten
• Christelijke Hogeschool Ede (Ede Christian University of Applied Sciences), Ede
• Christelijke Hogeschool Nederland, Leeuwarden
• Design Academy Eindhoven, Eindhoven
• Fontys Hogescholen (Fontys University of Applied Sciences), Eindhoven/'s-Hertogenbosch/Sittard/Tilburg/Venlo
• Fontys Hogeschool Journalistiek
• Gereformeerde Hogeschool, Zwolle
• Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam
• The Hague University of Applied Sciences (De Haagse Hogeschool), The Hague
• Hanzehogeschool Groningen (Hanze University of Applied Sciences), Groningen
• HAS University of Applied Sciences, 's-Hertogenbosch
• Hogeschool De Horst, Driebergen
• Hogeschool Domstad, Utrecht
• Hogeschool Driestar educatief, Gouda
• Hogeschool Edith Stein / Onderwijscentrum Twente, Hengelo
• Hogeschool Helicon, Zeist
• Hogeschool IPABO, Alkmaar/Amsterdam
• Hogeschool Leiden (University of Applied Sciences Leiden), Leiden
• Hogeschool Rotterdam (Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences), Rotterdam
• Hogeschool van Amsterdam (Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences), Amsterdam
• Hogeschool van Arnhem en Nijmegen, Arnhem/Nijmegen
• Koninklijke Academie van Beeldende Kunsten (Royal Academy of Art The Hague), The Hague
• Hogeschool Van Hall Larenstein, Leeuwarden, Wageningen, Velp
• Hogeschool Utrecht (HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht), Utrecht
• Hogeschool voor de Kunsten (Utrecht School of the Arts), Utrecht
• Hogeschool voor Economische Studies (HES), Amsterdam/Rotterdam
• Hogeschool voor Muziek en Dans, Rotterdam
• Hogeschool Zeeland (HZ University of Applied Sciences), Vlissingen
• Hotelschool The Hague
• Inholland University of Applied Sciences, Alkmaar/Amsterdam/Delft/The Hague/Diemen/Dordrecht/Haarlem/Rotterdam
• Inter College Business School, Amsterdam
• Iselinge Educatieve Faculteit, Doetinchem
• Islamic University of Rotterdam, Rotterdam
• Katholieke PABO Zwolle, Zwolle
• NHL Stenden Hogeschool (NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences), Leeuwarden
• PC Hogeschool Marnix Academie, Lerarenopleiding Basisonderwijs, Utrecht
• Pedagogische Hogeschool De Kempel, Helmond
• Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Enschede/Deventer/Apeldoorn/Hengelo
• NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, Assen/Emmen/Leeuwarden/Meppel
• Stoas Hogeschool, Dronten/'s-Hertogenbosch/Wageningen
• Windesheim University of Applied Sciences, zilla University college,Zwolle and Almere
• Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences, Apeldoorn
• Zuid Nederlandse Hogeschool voor Muziek (Maastricht/Tilburg)
• Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, Heerlen/Sittard/Maastricht
  • Maastricht Academy of Dramatic Arts
  • Maastricht Academy of Fine Arts
  • Maastricht Academy of Music
  • Maastricht School of Translation and Interpreting

Private For-Profit Medical Schools

Although there are none of these schools in the mainland, many exist in the Dutch Caribbean either in the special municipalities of the Netherlands or constituents countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Only one (Saba University) has direct accreditation from Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders, which accredits universities in the Netherlands and Flanders.

• Aureus University School of Medicine
• Xavier University School of Medicine
• Avalon University School of Medicine
• St. Martinus University Faculty of Medicine
• Saba University School of Medicine
• American University of Integrative Sciences
• American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine

Private For-Profit Business Schools

A number of private universities of applied sciences (hogescholen) are active in the Netherlands. Some of these are exclusively distance learning (online) medium learning providers.

• EuroPort Business College (defunct)^[11]
• HBO Nederland (defunct)^[12]
• Leidse Onderwijs Instellingen (LOI)
• Markus Verbeek Praehep
• NCOI
• Nederlandse Talen Instituut (NTI)
• Schoevers
• Hogeschool Tio

Webster University: The American University in the Netherlands

Webster University Leiden is a university outside the Dutch system, offering Bachelor and Master programs in the Netherlands. Webster University is a private, non-profit American university, accredited in the United States by the Higher Learning Commission's North Central Association. The International Business and Management program, as well as the Applied Behavioral and Social Sciences program are accredited in the Netherlands by the NVAO at the hbo (professional master) level.

International rankings

In relation to their population size, Switzerland (first), Sweden (second) and the Netherlands (third) are the three countries with the highest number of universities among the 100 best of the Academic Ranking of World Universities (2014-2015).^[13]

Below are shown the international rankings of the government supported research universities of the Netherlands, and the number of times they rank in the top 200 of one of the six prominent global rankings:

University	QS World (2025)[14]	THE World (2025)[15]	ARWU World (2024)[16]	USNWR World (2024–25)[17]	CWTS Leiden (2024)[18]	CWUR World (2024)[19]	#a
University of Amsterdam	55	58=	101-150	33=	54	82	6b
Utrecht University	105=	66c	55	46	71	73	6b
Leiden University	141=	73=	101-150	56=	72	80	6b
University of Groningen	159=	80=	69	76=	97	102	6
Erasmus University Rotterdam	158	107=	101-150	70=	104	101	6
Wageningen University and Research	155=	67=	151-200	113=	75	191	6
Delft University of Technology	49	56=	151-200	187=	117	270	5
VU University Amsterdam	221	136=	151-200	78	60	150	5
Radboud University	272	143=	101-150	117=	80	166	5
Maastricht University	230=	132=	201-300	179=	169	256	3
Eindhoven University of Technology	136	185=	401-500	374=	177	355	3
University of Twente	233	180=	401-500	412=	274	459	1
Tilburg University	347=	251-300	701-800	631=	197	696	1
Open University	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	0
University of Curaçao	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	0
University of Humanistic Studies	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	0

Notes:
N.A.: Not Applicable
^a Number of times the university is ranked within the top 200 of one of the six global rankings.
^b The university is ranked within the top 150 of all six global rankings.
^c THE World University Rankings 2023 (rankings thereafter are not available).

See also

• List of colleges and universities by country
• List of colleges and universities
• Academic Degree

References

1. "Facts and figures". University of Amsterdam. Archived from the original on 24 June 2011. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
2. Rüegg, Walter (ed.): A History of the University in Europe. Vol. III: Universities in the Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries (1800–1945), Cambridge University Press ISBN 978-0-521-36107-1, pp. 39
3. "Annual Report 2015" (PDF). Erasmus University Rotterdam. Retrieved 4 January 2017.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
4. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 August 2015. Retrieved 2015-09-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
5. "Introduction - University of Humanistic Studies". www.uvh.nl. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
6. "Centrum Theologie en Pastoraat - Publicaties". Archived from the original on 12 January 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-11.
7. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 November 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
8. "Uitvoering motie bescherming naam universiteit | Kamerstuk". Rijksoverheid.nl. Archived from the original on 28 May 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
9. "Briskmagazine.nl: Zet gerust MBA achter uw naam". Archived from the original on 17 June 2009. Retrieved 2010-06-19.
10. "Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap | Organisatie | Rijksoverheid.nl" (PDF). Minocw.nl. Retrieved 1 August 2016.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
11. https://www.ad.nl/rotterdam/europort-business-school-is-accreditatie-definitief-kwijt~a97f3ec0/ ^{[bare URL]}
12. "Waarom Hogeschool HBO Nederland - Hogeschool HBO Nederland". Archived from the original on 4 April 2018.
13. "Top of the class". The Economist. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
14. "QS World University Rankings 2025". Quacquarelli Symonds Ltd. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
15. "World University Rankings 2025". Times Higher Education (THE). Retrieved 9 October 2024.
16. "2024 Academic Ranking of World Universities". Shanghai Ranking Consultancy. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
17. "2024-2025 Best Global Universities Rankings". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
18. "CWTS Leiden Ranking 2024 - PP top 10%". Centrum voor Wetenschap en Technologische Studies (CWTS), Leiden University. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
19. "Global 2000 List by the Center for World University Rankings; 2024 Edition". Center for World University Rankings (CWUR). Retrieved 18 May 2024.

External links

• Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO)
• CROHO (the official register of all recognized Dutch higher education studies)