2026

New tool helps Caribbean students prepare for studying in the Netherlands

Each year, over 1,600 students from the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands are starting a study in the European Netherlands. To ease the transition from preparatory education on the islands to higher education in the Netherlands, a special online tool has been developed. This tool provides prospective students and their parents with a comprehensive overview of everything they need to arrange before and after their departure. It is available in Dutch  and in English.

The tool offers guidance on students’ rights, necessary arrangements, and where to get help. Recent improvements, include automatically issuing a citizen service number (BSN) when Caribbean students apply for student finance. This allows them to access a DigiD (digital ID) and manage essential administrative tasks before leaving for the Netherlands.

Additional initiatives include the Caribbean Academic Foundation Year in Aruba, Curaçao, and from August 2025, Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius, which prepares students for studying abroad. The HBO Student Success Caribbean Students Collaboration provides integrated support for course selection, language and study skills, and adaptation to Dutch culture (HBO stands for Higher Professional Education).

The tool was developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, the Education Executive Agency, the Social Insurance Bank, SKGZ (formerly Zorgverzekeringslijn), Strategic Education Alliance, and the Public and Communication Service.

2025 

Update on the balanced internationalisation bill 

In 2024, the Internationalization in Balance Bill was introduced in the House of Representatives and input was provided. The bill is currently being debated in the House of Representatives.

The Balanced Internationalization Bill will ensure a balance between the advantages and disadvantages of internationalization in higher education. The bill provides educational institutions and the minister with instruments focused on the language of instruction (assessment of new and existing foreign-language education programs), the language skills of students, the admission of a maximum number of students to a program (numerus fixus), and taking control.

Stimulating equal chances in the selection procedures for students.

The way in which students are selected for study programmes can lead to inequality of opportunity. Certain groups of students e.g. students with a migration background, are less likely to secure a place in the institution of their choice. Many scientific studies have  been conducted and the knowledge on how to prefent this is available. Therefore it is now up to the universities to actually apply this knowledge in practice. This is what the Minister of Education, Culture and Science writes in a letter to the House of Representatives. He also opposes 'shadow education' as a preparation for selection procedures. In addition, The minister believes that institutions should better inform prospective students about the selection procedures to prevent them from being deterred.

Effects of decentralised selection
The letter is an elaboration of the foresight study of the system of further education and science. The Minister also responds to a report by the Inspectorate of Education. Last year, it concluded that decentralised selection can have unintended effects, such as inequality of opportunity. Certain groups of students may then have less chance of getting a place in a programme that has a maximum capacity. And that can have consequences for the diversity of the student population. 

Applying knowledge
The minister believes it is important that study programmes are aware of the risk of bias. Much more knowledge has become available about the side effects of certain selection criteria and selection instruments ⎯ and also how study programmes can take them into account. For example, the Higher Education Selection Handbook provides useful and practical insights for study programmes to design and evaluate their selection procedures. The minister applauds the fact that universities of applied sciences and universities will use this knowledge to take a more critical look at their selection procedures, to better substantiate them, to exchange knowledge and to give each other feedback. In doing so, he believes it is important that employee participation is involved. The knowledge of students and staff can help to sharpen the process.

Combating shadow education
The minister is also emphatically opposed to 'shadow education': paid training courses in preparation for selection procedures. This systematically disadvantages prospective students who cannot afford such training. This is also important for study programmes: selection should be about the qualities and skills of a prospective student, not about the thickness of the parents' wallet.
To prevent 'bias', the minister encourages study programmes to use selection instruments that are not trainable. After all, it makes a big difference exactly how study programmes use a selection tool. By placing more emphasis on non-trainable skills, such as communication or collaboration, training courses can reduce the risk of undesirable effects. Think of an on-site capacity test, in which the candidate carries out a collaborative assignment and is then asked to reflect on it. Another possibility to increase equality of opportunity is to write the motivation letter on location, instead of at home. Because at home, not everyone gets the same help for this. Finally, evaluating selection procedures helps prevent prospective students from having to jump through extra hoops unnecessarily. 

Selection is a challenge for many students: in order not to frighten candidates unnecessarily, the minister calls on institutions to ensure proper information and transparency about the selection procedures that are used.

Student success
Improving equality of opportunity in selection is in line with the Minister's aim to focus on student success. Selection can challenge prospective students, but it can also unnecessarily push them to get a place in a selective programme. For example, this government has taken steps to reduce the pressure to perform. Think of an approach to strengthen the well-being of students in the VET, university of applied sciences and universities, so that students feel more at home at the educational institution, for example. The starting signal has also been given for pilots with a 'smarter academic year', which should provide more breathing space during the academic year. And finally, the return of the basic grant and the expansion of the supplementary grant will provide more financial peace of mind.

2024

There were no policy reforms this year.