Let’s face it, college is expensive. However, perhaps the worst kept secret in the world of international education is just how good of a value that Dutch universities are. Many of them have tuition that is less than 10,000 euro a year, almost all of them offer three year degrees, and every year, more and more programs are offered in English.
However, one university has done a better job of marketing to Americans than just about all others, and that’s the University of Groningen. To be fair, Groningen has a lot going for it. More than three dozen bachelors degree programs are completely in English, it is ranked in the top 100 globally, and Groningen is an amazing student town.
There are a few disadvantages, though. The biggest is the fact that while Groningen does offer relatively affordable tuition, it doesn’t participate in the US Federal Loan program. That can make using 529s tricky. It’s not impossible, but it might require paying a penalty; this is definitely a question for your financial advisor.
Second, and perhaps scarier, is that because Groningen is so popular, the city physically fills up relatively quickly with students. Therefore, finding accommodation is challenging. In fact, the university itself advises that if you don’t have a place by August, don’t show up. That said, some early planning, especially in March and April, will almost always end up with a student having a place to stay.
The biggest advantage, however, is that Groningen has one of the best University Colleges in the Netherlands. This is one of the hottest trends (am I even allowed to say that?) in international education. The Netherlands does it better than anyone, and the University of Groningen is one of the best out there. Here, students can study a curriculum quite similar to what they’d find in the US, with a major, electives, and even a limited general ed requirement. For students who aren’t quite sure what they want to study, this is often a great choice.
Groningen’s application deadline is typically in April, but it’s best to apply earlier. This is especially true for the Numerus Fixus courses; these degrees have a capped number of students, and in addition to having earlier deadlines, often only take a small portion of those who apply. In comparison, non-NF courses in the Netherlands are more liberal with their admissions guidelines.
One other thing. It’s pronounced Grow-nin-en. You’re welcome.