Top 10 countries of origin over time

Summary

• Germany has been the most common country of origin for international degree students throughout this period, although numbers have been in decline since 2021. There were 19,997 students from Germany registered at a Dutch higher education institution in 2024-25, 6% fewer than the year before.
• Romania moved up the most in this period. Between 2006 and 2024-25, Romania grew from 27th to 3rd most common country of origin for international degree students.
• Spain moved up from 5th to 4th place in 2024–25 compared to 2023–24, as the total number of Spanish degree students in the Netherlands increased (+296, +4.8%).
• There was a slight decline in the number of degree students from China in the Netherlands in 2024–25 compared to the previous academic year (-65, -1.1%). China dropped to 5th place, overtaken by Spain. Still, China remained the only non-EEA country among the top 10 countries of origin in 2024–25.
  

For more detailed information about all countries of origin, see Countries of origin.

For more data on university degree students coming from abroad to study in the Netherlands in 2024-25 and an analysis of current trends and developments, see our report Incoming degree mobility in Dutch higher education 2024-25 in Dutch or in English.

For further information, please send an email to analytics@nuffic.nl.