Enrolling in a course programme in the Netherlands

Have you found a course programme in the Netherlands you want to enrol in? Your next step is to submit an enrolment application via Studielink.nl. You normally need a DigiD to sign up for Studielink, but you can only apply for one if you live in the Netherlands. If you don’t live in the Netherlands yet and you want to apply in advance, you can sign up for Studielink as an international student.

Studielink also has a number of easy step-by-step plans you can use to guide you through enrolling in a course programme.

Application deadlines 

When you’re applying for a programme, make sure you stick to the following application deadlines: 

15 January: for programmes that have a numerus fixus. The selection process will start after this date. If you applied, you’ll receive your result on 15 April. Studielink will send you an email containing your ranking number, and you’ll also hear whether you are waitlisted or offered a spot immediately. Read more about numerus fixus. 

1 May: for bachelor’s degree programmes and associate degree programmes. If you don’t apply for your programme until after 1 May, the institute may choose not to admit you or impose additional conditions on your application, such as a positive studiekeuzecheck result. Read more about the studiekeuzecheck below.

Note: A number of course programmes, like some art programmes and university colleges, don’t have a numerus fixus but do use other forms of selection. Many of these have an application deadline that’s earlier than 1 May. That’s why it’s always good to check with the institution how the application and enrolment procedure works and when the deadline is. Read more about different forms of selection (only available in Dutch).

Private schools may set their own application deadlines. You’ll find them on the relevant course programme pages. It’s always a good idea to check the application deadline with the institution. 

Maximum of 4 course programmes 

You can apply for a maximum of 4 course programmes per academic year in Studielink. Up to 2 of these programmes may have a numerus fixus. If you cancel one of your applications, that spot opens up and you can apply for another course programme. By 31 August, you’ll have to make your decision definitive and cancel your other applications in Studielink. 

Participate in the (possibly mandatory) studiekeuzecheck 

After you apply for enrolment in a course programme in Studielink, the university or university of applied sciences will invite you to participate in a studiekeuzecheck (study choice check) as part of a matching process. Some institutions use different names, like 'matching'. This process ensures the course programme you’ve chosen is right for you. A studiekeuzecheck or matching activity can be done in different ways. It may be a test, a digital questionnaire or an in-person meeting. If you’ve applied for a publicly funded course programme by 1 May, you have a right to a studiekeuzecheck. The management of your course programme may also make the studiekeuzecheck mandatory. Following the check, programme management will give you an official advice. This advice is non-binding. That means that even if you’re advised not to pursue the course programme, you can still start. Do note that it would be wise to stop and think whether this really is the right course programme for you. 

Course programmes with a selection procedure in place do not offer a studiekeuzecheck or matching activity. The selection procedure replaces the studiekeuzecheck. 

Read more about the studiekeuzecheck (only available in Dutch).

Change your course programme by 1 September 

If you decide after 1 May that your course programme was not the right choice for you, for instance after you’ve taken the studiekeuzecheck, you have until 31 August to change your enrolment. Note that the management of your course programme may require you to do the studiekeuzecheck before allowing you to enrol. There may not be time for this when the deadline is coming up, which is why some universities and universities of applied sciences set an earlier final deadline. In short: don’t wait too long to make your definitive decision. And remember to double-check with the institution what the final date you can apply is.