International students don't always feel at home in the Netherlands

Every year, the student organisations ISO, LSVb, and the Erasmus Student Network commission a survey on the well-being of international students in the Netherlands. This time, approximately 700 international students completed the ResearchNed questionnaire.

Most are positive about the education they are receiving. More than eight in ten are satisfied or very satisfied with their instructors, who they say speak English well. In general, they are well-informed about their study programme and the admission process.

Dissatisfied with DUO
However, international students feel that the information they get regarding practical and administrative matters could be better. It is not always available in English. They are particularly dissatisfied with DUO; many do not know if they are eligible for financial aid and face long waitlists and language barriers.

Earlier this month, the news broke that a Tilburg-based company is exploiting this situation. For a hefty fee, the company “helps” international students apply for student financial aid. They charge hundreds, sometimes even thousands, of euros for a service that is actually free. The Public Prosecutor’s Office have called the company’s practices “morally reprehensible,” but not criminal.

Housing
Many international students also have a hard time securing a room: nearly one in three takes more than three months to do so. They regularly experience discrimination through ads that use phrases like “no internationals.” In addition, over fifty percent of respondents believe that they pay more rent than Dutch students. It is not uncommon for international students to be scammed.

Some international students believe that educational institutions should take more responsibility for this. “Don’t admit students if you can’t house them,” says one respondent.

Excluded
Many international students are positive about their social lives, particularly regarding other international students. They note that study associations are generally open to them, but student associations are less inclined to welcome them.

Interacting with Dutch students is often difficult. International students sometimes feel excluded when classmates speak Dutch and prefer to work in groups exclusively comprised of Dutch students.

Not feeling at home
International students have given their mental health an average score of 6.8, which is comparable to that of Dutch students. They have friends and are generally happy, but a third of respondents do not feel at home in the Netherlands.

Nevertheless, more than fifty percent of international students are considering staying in the Netherlands after graduation or returning later. One of the things they appreciate about the country is its work-life balance. The weather is frequently cited as a reason not to stay here.