Choosing Between University Colleges in the Netherlands

University colleges differ in meaningful ways, from their concentration areas, to how long you’ll be guaranteed a dorm room. So how do you go about choosing between university colleges in the Netherlands?

While all will have an approach centered on academic rigor, broad learning across disciplines, and small-scale community living, the ~900 students at Amsterdam University College might feel enormous compared to the ~200 at Venlo.

Two primary areas to consider are residential life and the differences between programs themselves.

Residential Life Differences

The idea of autonomous, adult first-year students living independently is more profound than in the U.S. This impacts housing concretely.

Some parents of students who are unsuccessful finding housing before the semester starts may feel obligated to stay in town with their student, help navigate private applications, renting cars, and moving gear.

Other students may handle housing on their own. Do you want to be self-sufficient and find your own friends? Your own housing? Your own friends to then find housing with? Or would you prefer the university handle this? It’s a common stressor, and students have strong feelings on both sides of the debate.

University colleges all have a more residential approach than their traditional counterparts, but sometimes that just means offering a common room and a study association that hosts dinners. Here are the residential requirements of the UC schools:

University College	Residency Requirement
University College Roosevelt	Yes, all three years
University College Utrecht	Yes, two years
University College Maastricht	No
University College Tilburg	No
Amsterdam University College	Yes, all three years
Leiden University College The Hague	Yes, two years
University College Twente	Yes, one year
Erasmus University College	Yes, one year
University College Groningen	Yes, one year
University College Venlo	No
University College Fryslân	Yes, one year

Program Differences Between University Colleges of the Netherlands

What Programs Do University Colleges Offer?

A mixed discipline program may mean lots of freedom to construct your studies. Alternatively, it may look more like a high school, with limited course selection and some small choices – but a mostly pre-built journey through the program set by the university for all its liberal arts students.

Some UCs appeal better to self-starters.

Others will appeal to those desiring more structure.

Erasmus University College, University College Roosevelt, and University College Utrecht offer the most freedom in course selection. They require coursework across disciplines but allow students leeway to choose which courses these will be.

Programs are also differentiated from each other by program themes and specialties offered (some students will find their preferred discipline and interests are represented well across classes), or by teaching approach (problem-based learning and project-based learning are two popular methods). After all, no one needs extensive freedom in course selection when their program offers topics they love all the way through.

University College Program Specialties

Different approaches and major areas offered are listed here: 

University College	Known For	Major Areas
University College Roosevelt	Citizenship, music, pre-med	Social Sciences; Humanities; Science, Engineering; Combination Major
University College Utrecht	Philosophical approach	Social Sciences; Humanities; Science; Combination Major
University College Maastricht	Problem-based learning, Research themes of (1) Liberal Arts Education in Europe in the 21rst century (2) Politics from Below (3) EU as a Foreign Policy Actor (4) Psychology, Science, & Society	Social Sciences; Humanities; Science; Combination Major
University College Tilburg	European focus, Social Challenges	Social Sciences; Humanities; Business & Economics; Law; Neuroscience
Amsterdam University College	(1) Energy, Climate, and Sustainability, (2) Life, Evolution, Universe (3) Health and well-being (4) Information, Communication, Cognition (5) Social Systems and (6) Cities and Cultures	Social Sciences; Humanities; Science; Combination Major
Leiden University College The Hague	Global Challenges, Peace, Justice, Sustainability	Earth, Energy, & Sustainability; Global Public Health; World Politics; International Justice; Governance, Economics, & Development; Human Diversity: Culture, History, Society
University College Twente	Technology Meets Social Sciences / New Engineering	Technology & Liberal Arts & Sciences
Erasmus University College	Problem-based learning, Economics & Business	Social Sciences; Humanities; Life Sciences; Economics; Combination Major
University College Groningen	Project-based learning, increased breadth even for liberal arts programs	Social Sciences; Humanities; Science; Combination Major
University College Venlo	Problem-based learning, Health, Nutrition, and Business	Social Sciences; Life Sciences; Combination Major
University College Fryslân	UN Agenda for Sustainable Development	Global Responsibility & Leadership

Specialty areas are a great way to figure out if your favorite university college can accommodate your mix of desired coursework.

Tips for Assessing a University’s Specialties

While all the schools allow students to immerse themselves in a small-scale, intimate, and liberal arts education, they’re not all good at getting every student ahead in their chosen field.

For students who know what they want to study, a school’s program is a good starting point for identifying the best university college in the Netherlands for you.

Can I Use American Financial Aid to Attend a UC in the Netherlands?

The United States’ Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) website updates its list of schools participating in the U.S. federal loan program so students can see where they can use subsidized and unsubsidized loans for study in an international degree program. International schools do not participate in the Pell Grant program, so grants are unavailable abroad. Currently, the university colleges participating are:

• University of Amsterdam (Amsterdam University College)
• University of Maastricht (University College Maastricht, University College Venlo)
• University of Utrecht (University College Roosevelt, University College Utrecht)

Additionally, some limited scholarships are available to students with both stellar academic records and financial need from outside the EU.

These can be found in the “How to apply” section for each school. They vary widely from no school funding available to multiple, multi-year scholarships awarded each year. There are also independent sources of grant support for students that all students should consider.

Get a Degree in the Netherlands

Get the details about a university degree in the Netherlands, then explore more university college options, from University College Utrecht to University College Roosevelt. There are eleven university colleges, and with lots of differences between them, checking out the program differences and student perspectives can help you find the one that you can call home.