New enrolments - International degree students
Dutch higher education institutions received 48,139 new enrolments from international students for the academic year 2025-26. Germany is the most common country of origin for newly enrolled international students. It is followed by Italy (2nd), Spain (3rd), Romania (4th), and Belgium (5th).
Summary
- In 2025-26, 48,139 new international students enrolled in higher education in the Netherlands, -180 fewer than the academic year before. This slight decrease of 0.4% is only the second time since 2006 that the number of international new enrolments decreased from the previous year.
- In universities of applied sciences (UAS), the total number of new international enrolments dropped in 2025-26 compared to the previous academic year (-70, ‑0.6%). This decline was mainly due to fewer UAS bachelor’s level enrolments (-265, -2,9%), while there was an increase at the UAS master’s level (+195, +8.4%).
- In the 2024–25, there was a small decrease in new international enrolments at research universities (RU) compared to the previous academic year (-110, -0.3%). While new enrolments increased at RU master’s level (+559, +2.9%), they decreased at RU bachelor’s level (-669, -3.9%).
- With a 28% decrease in new enrolments compared to the previous academic year (+755), China showed the largest decrease in new enrolments among the top 15 countries of origin based on total numbers of international degree students (see Countries of origin).
For more data on university degree students coming from abroad to study in the Netherlands in 2025-26 and an analysis of current trends and developments, see our report Incoming degree mobility in Dutch higher education 2025-26 (in Dutch, the English version will be available soon).
For further information, please send an e-mail to analytics@nuffic.nl.