Everything about Undergrad in Netherland for International Students

Q1. Entrance Exams – Do you need any?

No national entrance exam required.
You are eligible for direct admission to most bachelor’s programs in the Netherlands if:

• You have a CBSE/ICSE certificate (and 1 year of UG in India is not required)
  
• OR IGCSE/IB/A-levels
  For TU Delft, ENTRANCE EXAMINATION IS REQUIRED AND THUS TU DELFT HAS A WHOLE DIFFT TIMELINE AND SELECTION PROCEDURE , there are 550 seats in the cs bachelor program every year and thus an online exam is conducted in march after u apply, the univ even provides lectures to help u prepare and that might be competitive as tu delft is ranked 50 in qs

But.. some competitive programs may ask for:

• SAT/ACT (mostly for Economics, Business, Psych)
  
• Mathematics proficiency if applying to STEM/CS
  
• Portfolio for Arts & Design courses
  

🔍 Engineering at TU Delft & Eindhoven often expects high-level Maths and Physics in Class 12. If someone doesn’t have maths in class 12 he can apply to all engineering programs by giving a online math placement exam called OMPT-D

🗣️ Q2. Language Requirements & English-taught Courses

✅ The Netherlands offers tons of undergrad programs in English (one of the highest in Europe!). You’ll find 450+ English-taught bachelor’s programs.

Language Proficiency:

• IELTS (minimum 6.0–6.5 overall, no band <6)
  
• OR TOEFL iBT (80+)
  
• OR Cambridge English (C1 Advanced/C2 Proficiency)
  

📍 Official program listings:
https://www.studyinnl.org

Q3. Cost of Living

PLEASE FOLLOW this website for city-wise pricing of cost of living: https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_result.jsp?country=Netherlands
*Choose the city in the list and you will see everything you need to.

✅ Living cost is calculated separately from tuition during visa application.

✨ Breakdown:

• Rent: €350–€700/month
  
• Food: €200–€300
  
• Insurance: ~€100
  
• Misc: €150–€200
  

🎓 Q4. Tuition Fees (in € and ₹)

🎯 Tuition is usually paid yearly, and some allow installment plans.

If you apply for the Winter (SPRING) intake, you will need to pay the one year tuition fees in advance. But if you apply for the Summer (FALL) Intake, you only need to pay for 6 months tuition fees. 

📄 Q5. Visa Info + Proof of Funds

Visa Type: MVV + Residence Permit
Acceptance Rate: 95%+ if your documents are correct.

Required Proof of Funds (2025-26)

You must show:

• Tuition fee for 1 year (based on offer)
  
• Living cost: €1,134 x 12 months = €13,608 (~₹12.25L)
  

This can be in your own bank a/c or your parent’s + affidavit.

Language for visa: IELTS/TOEFL is enough if your course is in English.

You will be getting a 3 month visa as a student and after you come to Netherland, within 2-3 weeks, you need to apply and get a 4 years Residence Card. 

👷 Q6. Work Rules

✅ As a student, you can work:

• 16 hours/week during semester
  
• Full-time during holidays
  

❗BUT you need:

• Work permit (TWV) from your employer
  
• Health insurance covering work
  

Most students take up part-time gigs in hospitality, admin, research assistant roles, etc.

🪪 Q7. Residence Card / Post-Study Options

✅ After graduation, you get a 1-year “Orientation Year Visa” (zoekjaar)
➡️ You can live and look for jobs, no sponsor needed.

After getting a job, you can:

• Apply for a Residence Permit as a highly skilled migrant
  
• Eventually become eligible for Permanent Residency (5 years)
  

❤️ Health Insurance

Mandatory for all students.

Recommended: AON Student Insurance for Indian students (https://aonstudentinsurance.com)