Degrees at Universities in Holland

Students who enrol on higher education programmes will obtain a bachelor’s degree upon completion of the undergraduate phase and a master’s degree upon completion of the graduate phase.

Research Universities and Universities of Applied Sciences award both types of degrees, but with a difference in orientation:

• Most degree programmes at Research Universities focus on academic study and research.
• Study programmes at Universities of Applied Sciences oriented on practical, professional knowledge.
• Institutes for International Education offer master’s programmes, but no bachelor’s programmes.

 

Bachelor’s programmes

A bachelor’s programme at a University requires three years of full-time study (180 credits) to complete while a bachelor’s programme offered by a University of Applied Sciences requires four years of full-time study (240 credits).
 

Master’s programmes

Depending on the discipline, master’s programmes at Universities, Universities of Applied Sciences and Institutes for International Education will last one to two years (60-120 credits).
 

PhD

The doctorate (PhD) is only offered at Universities and takes at least four years. A master degree is compulsory for admission. For more information, download PhD programme in Holland (PDF).
 

Table of degrees

 

	Universities	Universities of Applied Sciences	Institutes for International Education
PhD	4 years		4 years (only possible at 5 institutes)
Master (M)		1-2 years
Master of Arts (MA)	1-2 years		1-2 years
Master of Science (MSc)	1-2 years		1-2 years
Bachelor (B)		4 years
Bachelor of Arts (BA)	3 years
Bachelor of Science (BSc)	3 years

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