{"id":145317,"date":"2022-10-18T17:00:59","date_gmt":"2022-10-18T15:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=145317"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:26:28","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:26:28","slug":"theres-a-hostile-atmosphere-in-the-netherlands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2022\/10\/18\/theres-a-hostile-atmosphere-in-the-netherlands\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018There\u2019s a hostile atmosphere in the Netherlands\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the past ten years, the percentage of international students on Dutch campuses has more than doubled. Several universities asked international students not to come to the Netherlands this academic year if they did not have accommodation, and the University of Amsterdam is discussing quotas for international students. What do internationals at Erasmus University think of this discussion, and do they still feel welcome in the Netherlands?<\/p>

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Students inform themselves about different organisations during International Day.<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAysha Gasanova<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Quota<\/h2>
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Anastasia Iarovaia.<\/span><\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>

Anastasia Iarovaia (22, Media & Creative Industries) from Russia agrees with the idea of a quota. \u201cUniversities should estimate how much housing is available and determine how many students they can accept based on that.\u201d She heard from friends that the universities in Amsterdam told them not to come to the Netherlands if they had not yet secured accommodation. \u201cI think that\u2019s pretty bad. That message should have been communicated much sooner.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anastasia still feels welcome in the Netherlands and thinks it\u2019s logical that international students are the topic of debate: \u201cIt\u2019s better to talk about it than to simply let students come and have them fight for rooms.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018No internationals\u2019<\/h2>
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Stanislaw Jodlowski.<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWouter Holleman<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>

\u201cThere\u2019s a hostile atmosphere in the Netherlands\u201d, says Stanislaw Jodlowski (19, International Business Administration). He has a very different view of the discussion about international students. \u201cPeople are using the same language used by racists, and many Dutch people don\u2019t even try to look at the positive side of international students.\u201d<\/p>\n

The student from Poland thinks the housing crisis is the cause of the problem, which he says is affecting not only the Netherlands, but all of Europe. Although he doesn\u2019t want to say that the Dutch are racist, he does see increasing discrimination against international students. \u201cThe group that\u2019s easiest to attack is the one that will be attacked.\u2019 According to Stanislaw, the housing crisis is being blamed on international students: \u201cFirst it was: immigrants are stealing our jobs. Now it\u2019s: foreign students are stealing our homes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stanislaw had a lot of trouble finding a room when he came to the Netherlands. He thinks this was because he didn\u2019t speak Dutch<\/a>. He responded to room adverts for two months, but didn\u2019t receive a single invitation. He ultimately had to arrange accommodation through an expensive broker.<\/span><\/p>\n

Learning Dutch<\/h2>
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Milka Laakkanen.<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWouter Holleman<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>

After completing a bachelor\u2019s degree in Maastricht, Milka Laakkanen (23) from Finland is now pursuing her Master\u2019s in International Commercial Law at Erasmus University. She understands both sides of the discussion. \u201cOn the one hand, I understand the idea of quotas, but at the same time it seems like international students aren\u2019t welcome.\u201d She believes Dutch universities admit too many students, especially now that more students are choosing to study in the Netherlands post-Brexit. According to Milka, universities should take a closer look at whether it all fits: \u201cIt obviously doesn\u2019t feel good if you\u2019re admitted to the university and then you get an email that says: don\u2019t come.\u201d<\/p>\n

Milka says the international character of the university enriches education, but she also believes it\u2019s important to integrate: \u201cI think that if you have a job here, you should try to learn the basics of Dutch.\u201d So does she do this herself? Milka answers with a laugh: \u201cI worked at a caf\u00e9 in Maastricht, but I don\u2019t speak the language yet.\u201d<\/p>\n\t

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In 2021, a total of 31,265 students were enrolled at Erasmus University, of which 23% were international students. Ten years prior, in 2011, that figure was 20,525 students, of which 10% were international students. Across the Netherlands, 24% of students were international in 2021, compared to 11% in 2011.<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t

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