Higher education

Unlike Dutch higher education, Indian higher education is not divided into HBO i and WO i . Indian higher education institutions can offer both types of education. This often means that for each diploma we have to determine whether it is HBO or WO. Below, we describe the diplomas that we often see.

Some Indian higher education institutions offer 3-year study programmes for a Diploma in Engineering. In some cases, students have to take exams via a state board of technical education. They then get their official diploma from that state board.

• Duration i : 3 years.
• Content: technical subjects (engineering or technology) and internships, no academic research methods or a thesis.
• Admission requirements: usually a Standard X diploma (or a variant thereof).
• Function of the diploma: work or access to the 2nd year of a bachelor's programme in a related field of study (lateral entry).
• Diploma: Diploma in Engineering or Diploma in + technical field of study, such as:
  • Diploma in Architecture Technology;
  • Diploma in Chemical Engineering;
  • Diploma in Civil Technology;
  • Diploma in Mechanical Engineering.

Please note: there are also technical Diploma programmes with a duration of 1 or 2 years. These are MBO i programmes. For questions, please contact the SBB. The SBB evaluates foreign MBO diplomas for people looking for work in the Netherlands.

Some Indian higher education institutions offer 3-year study programmes for a Diploma in General Nursing and Midwifery (DGNM). Students have to take exams via a board or council. That it why they get their official diploma from that board or council and not the educational institution.

• Duration: 3 years.
• Content: subjects in the area of nursing and midwifery, and internships, no academic research methods or a thesis.
• Admission requirements: a Standard XII diploma, often with extra requirements, such as certain subjects and/or grades.
• Function of the diploma: work as a nurse or midwife.
• Diploma: Diploma in General Nursing and Midwifery from a board or council.

• Duration: 3 years.
• Content: usually English, a modern Indian language and 3 arts electives (e.g. humanities and visual arts), science (e.g. chemistry, physics and mathematics) of commerce (e.g. business administration, accountancy, economics); no thesis.
• Admission requirements: a Standard XII diploma, often with extra requirements, such as certain subjects and/or grades. An institution can also consider another diploma sufficient for admission.
• Function of the diploma: access to master's programmes or work.
• Diploma: one of the following diplomas:
  • Bachelor of Arts (Pass)
  • Bachelor of Commerce (Pass)
  • Bachelor of Science (Pass)
    Instead of 'Pass' the term 'General' is also used.

• Duration: usually 3 years.
• Content: a specialisation within the discipline of the arts (e.g. English language and literature or visual arts) or science (e.g. chemistry or biology) or subjects related to the discipline of commerce (with more theory and/or specialisation than the pass bachelor’s degree); sometimes includes a thesis or final project.
• Admission requirements: a Standard XII diploma, often with extra requirements, such as certain subjects and/or grades. Usually, higher grades are required than for admission to the pass bachelor’s programme. An institution can also consider another diploma sufficient for admission.
• Function of the diploma: access to master's programmes or work.
• Diploma: one of the following diplomas:
  • Bachelor of Arts (Honours)
  • Bachelor of Science (Honours)
  • Bachelor of Commerce (Honours)

Please note: in terms of level, a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) or Bachelor of Science (Honours) is sometimes comparable to a WO bachelor's degree. This is the case if the diploma was obtained with at least first class/division and awarded by a top institution. This does not always apply to a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours).

• Duration: 3 to 5½ years.
• Content: lectures, often includes practicals and/or an internship and sometimes a thesis or final project.
• Admission requirements: a Standard XII diploma, often with extra requirements, such as certain subjects and/or grades. An institution can also consider another diploma sufficient for admission.
• Function of the diploma: work or access to master's programmes.
• Diploma: Bachelor, such as:
  • Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
  • Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA)
  • Bachelor of Engineering (BE/BEng)
  • Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.)
  • Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)
  • Bachelor of Technology (BTech)

Please note: some professional bachelor’s programmes, such as the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), vary from one institution to the next in terms of duration and content. Even within an institution, there are different variants of a BBA (or other professional bachelor’s programmes). We therefore compare some BBAs with 3 years of higher professional education and other BBAs with an HBO or WO bachelor's degree.

• Duration: 1-3 years.
  • A teacher-training programme (Bachelor of Education) usually lasts 1 year.
  • For the study of law, both a postgraduate bachelor’s programme (3 years) and a professional bachelor’s programme (5 years) exist. Both lead to the same diploma (in terms of level), the Bachelor of Laws.
  • The Library and Information Science study programme always lasts 1 year.
• Content: the teacher-training programme is usually aimed at teaching 2 school subjects and the curriculum consists of educational subjects, education theory and teaching methods. Students do an internship, but do not write a thesis. With law, the emphasis is on the theory, but students usually do not write a thesis. Library and Information Science is a combination of (practice-oriented) theory and practicals (no thesis).
• Admission requirements: a bachelor’s degree, often with certain grade average.
• Function of the diploma: work or access to master's programmes.
• Diploma: one of the following diplomas:
  • Bachelor of Education (Bed)
  • Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.)
  • Bachelor of Library and Information Science (BLIS)

• Duration: 1-2 years.
• Content: subjects in the area of the chosen specialisation (often business administration and management). In some cases, students also take 1 or 2 subjects on academic research methods. They usually do not write a thesis.
• Admission requirements: a bachelor’s degree (may be in a non-relevant field of study), usually with a certain average grade and sometimes an entrance exam.
• Function of the diploma: work and sometimes access to master's programmes.
• Diploma: Post Graduate Diploma + specialisation, for instance Post Graduate Diploma in Management.

• Duration: usually 2 years.
• Content: subjects in the field of science, arts or commerce, sometimes an internship and usually no thesis. In many cases, little or no attention is given to academic research methods.
• Admission requirements: a bachelor’s degree, which can also be in a non-relevant field. The admission requirements for students holding an honours bachelor’s degree are less strict than for those holding a pass bachelor’s degree: students holding a pass bachelor’s degree are sometimes required to take an entrance exam and/or to have obtained the pass bachelor’s degree with a higher average grade.
• Function of the diploma: access to further education (MPhil or PhD) or work.
• Diploma: one of the following diplomas:
  • Master of Arts
  • Master of Commerce
  • Master of Science

• Duration: 1-2 years, or 3 years (Master of Computer Applications).
• Content: subjects in the area of the chosen specialisation, sometimes an internship and sometimes a thesis or research project.
• Admission requirements: a bachelor’s degree, usually in a relevant field of study.
• Function of the diploma: work or access to further education (MPhil or PhD).
• Diploma: Master, such as:
  • Master of Business Administration
  • Master of Computer Applications
  • Master of Engineering
  • Master of Social Work
  • Doctor of Medicine

• Duration: 5 years.
• Content: a combined bachelor's and master's programme. Subjects in the chosen specialisation, sometimes an internship and sometimes a thesis or research project.
• Admission requirements: a Standard XII diploma, often with extra requirements, such as certain subjects and/or grades. An institution can also consider another diploma sufficient for admission.
• Function of the diploma: access to further education (MPhil or PhD) or work.
• Diploma: Bachelor + Master, for instance:
  • Bachelor of Engineering + Master of Engineering
  • Bachelor of Science + Master of Science.

The Master of Philosophy (MPhil) is a research master. Please note: in this context, the term ‘philosophy’ does not refer to any association of the programme with the study of philosophy, but rather to its foundation in research. MPhil programmes may be found in any branch of studies.

• Duration: usually 1 year.
• Content: research-oriented education and a thesis.
• Admission requirements: a master’s degree, often with a certain average grade and/or an entrance exam.
• Function of the diploma: access to a PhD programme.
• Diploma: Master of Philosophy.

A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is a doctorate from a higher education institution. Usually, candidates continue to study in the field of study of their master’s degree.

• Duration: usually 5 years.
• Content: academic research and a thesis, in some cases several subjects with regard to the research specialisation as well.
• Admission requirements: in some cases a bachelor’s degree, usually a master’s degree, often with a certain average grade and an entrance exam. For some study programmes, students must first obtain a Master of Philosophy.
• Diploma: Doctor of Philosophy.