According to data published by the Dutch Education Inspectorate, internationals studying at universities in the Netherlands are more likely to drop out than Dutch students.
The data reveals that, compared to students who completed secondary education in the Netherlands, students who come from abroad are more likely to drop out of university before completing their course of study. The drop-out rate amongst international students is 17 percent for first years, compared with just 6 percent for Dutch students.
The Education Inspectorate found that around a quarter of international students who start a bachelor’s programme in the Netherlands do not have a degree and are no longer studying at a Dutch university after four years. This is significantly higher than the figure for Dutch students (9 percent).
While the inspectorate says it’s not clear why so many international students drop out, it points out that the figures vary widely between nationalities, and that higher tuition fees for students from third countries could be a key reason for a lower dropout rate among non-EU students.
Interestingly, while students from abroad are more likely to quit their studies before making it to graduation, the ones that choose to continue with their courses are also more likely to complete their degrees within the traditional timeframe. Dutch students, on the other hand, regularly opt to delay their graduation date and extend their studies.
While 60 percent of Dutch students complete their course within four years, this figure is 65 percent for students from within the European Economic Area, and 61 percent for students outside of Europe.