To be admitted to a program of higher education in the Netherlands, foreign students should first contact the institution which offers the programme.

You have to meet several requirements before being allowed to study in the Netherlands. First of all, you have to obtain a residence permit. For most courses you need to master the Dutch language, and in some cases a certain command of English is also required. The main requirement for admission to a bachelor's program is a secondary-school diploma at the appropriate level.

The higher education institutions will determine:

•    whether you can be admitted to the course with your foreign diploma;
•    whether your prior education has any deficiencies. If so, they have to be remedied before the start of the course;
•    whether you have to take one or several admission tests.