Universities admit more international students than agreed

Universities welcomed 3.5 per cent more first-year students this year than last year. The number of international students rose particularly sharply. Universities have exceeded the agreed maximum and have promised to take action.

For three years in a row, the number of new students at universities fell. International students in particular stayed away, and last year the number of Dutch first-year students also declined.

This academic year, enrolments rose by 3.5 per cent. The increase was even greater among international students, whose numbers rose by almost 6 per cent. A total of 17,600 international students began a degree programme.

Self-regulation

The previous government wanted to sharply limit the number of international students: the number of English-language programmes was to be reduced, and there were substantial cuts. The current government is less hostile towards international students, but believes that efforts to recruit them should be targeted.

The government has placed that responsibility with universities and universities of applied sciences: they have ‘self-regulation’ and may bring the number of international students into balance themselves. Universities had promised not to admit more than 16,766 international students a year.

Exceeded

That maximum has now been exceeded. The number of international students did, however, rise mainly at technical universities. Technology is one of the sectors facing staff shortages in which the government is keen to attract international talent.

But the government believes that more international students in one sector means less room for others. Universities must therefore take measures to limit the number of international students.

They will do so, the universities’ association UNL said in a press release. Several institutions will reduce the intake cap for a number of English-language programmes, including psychology, economics and business administration.

Decline

A total of 330 thousand first-year and continuing students are now enrolled at Dutch universities. That is about two thousand fewer than last year. According to forecasts by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the decline will continue in the coming years.