Studying in the Netherlands with a foreign diploma

You have earned a diploma outside of the Netherlands and want to study in the Netherlands. What you need to do, depends on whether you have already chosen a study programme.

Please note that this page is about higher education only. If you are looking for information about secondary vocational education (MBO), please visit Information about MBO.

If you know in which study programme you want to enrol in the Netherlands, follow these steps:

• Visit the website of the educational institution of your choice and look up the admission requirements for the study programme.
• If it says the institution considers your diploma to be sufficient for admission, get in touch with the institution to enrol.
• If you cannot find any information about your diploma and admission:
  • Search their website to find out which Dutch diploma is needed to be admitted to the study programme.
  • At education systems, look up whether we have compared your diploma to this Dutch diploma.
  • If we find your diploma comparable to the Dutch diploma in question, get in touch with the institution to enrol.
  • Is your diploma not listed under education systems? Or are you unsure whether the institution will be able to admit you with your diploma? Please contact the institution.

If you are still unsure about which study programme you want to take in the Netherlands, you can use this step-by-step plan to help you decide:

• See Studiekeuze 123 (in Dutch) or the websites of Dutch educational institutions for information about Dutch study programmes.
• Have you chosen a study programme? Go to Have you already chosen a study programme?
• If you have not decided yet but would like to know the level of your diploma in advance, there are 2 options:
  • Look up the level of your diploma under education systems.
  • If you cannot find the level of your diploma, you can request a credential evaluation via IDW. The IDW website explains how to apply for one. Please note: this is not free of charge.