Study MBA in the Netherlands

While the Netherlands is known for its interest in arts, architecture, and philosophy, the country is also known to be one of the best open economies in the world. Due to this, there are plenty of fast-growing business sectors in the country along with multi-national companies that are willing to invest in the same. The most prominent sectors in the country are shipping and agriculture. Due to the ever-growing economy of the country, it is also deemed to be an ideal location for candidates to start their businesses.

The country has a few many internationally accredited business schools that are open to candidates from all over the world. The MBA programs in the Netherlands offer different kinds of specializations to candidates which will benefit them in their career prospects irrespective of the country they plan to move to after the completion of their education. A few of the topics that are focused on include finance, international business, digital economy, entrepreneurship, etc. Candidates who complete an MBA program from the Netherlands will be able to find the best-suited job for them in the international job market with ease.

Benefits of Studying MBA in the Netherlands

The country offers candidates with a multicultural environment owing to the number of international students and migrants in the country along with the tourist population that is present in the country throughout the year. The Netherlands also offers candidates with affordable living expenses which is required while doing a relatively expensive program like MBA within the country. A few of the benefits of doing an MBA in the Netherlands are as follows-

• Candidates will be able to learn and thrive in an international environment with most of their classmates coming from different parts of the world. This will help them gain business-related knowledge from across the world through interactions within the class.
• The MBA programs in the country provide internship options to candidates which will help them maintain contact with multinational companies even when they are just a student. This will provide them with enough exposure to get them started with their own business or high-paying job.
• The country offers candidates an orientation year after their graduation during which they will be able to look for jobs and start working without applying for a work permit. The orientation year will have a duration of 1 year.
• The MBA programs offered in the country are internationally accredited which makes the candidate an eligible candidate in the job market irrespective of when they graduate and which field they will want to work in.
• Candidates will be able to learn Dutch during their stay in the country which is a language that can work wonders wherever the candidate plans to go to. Knowledge in Dutch also increases the attractiveness of one’s resume and will be an added unique skill.
• Candidates will be able to create a vast network if they prepare accordingly during the course which will come in handy when they start working.
• The Dutch have a clear distinction between work and leisure time making work more enjoyable and less stressful than most other places. It is one of those countries where 4-day work weeks are an available option in every industry.

Eligibility Requirement for MBA in the Netherlands

The eligibility requirement for MBA programs can be very specific for different business schools and universities. But at the same time, most of the qualifications and documents required remain the same. These general documents are-

• Educational Transcripts until Bachelor’s
• GMAT/GRE Score, if required OR the Equivalent Examination of said University
• TOEFL/IELTS score
• Letters of Recommendation
• Resume
• Statement of Purpose
• MBA Essays
• Work Experience of 1-3 years, if required

Duration of MBA in the Netherlands

Candidates will be able to take up MBA programs in the Netherlands based on the duration of the course. The country offers both part-time and full-time MBA programs out of which the full-time program is more popular among international students. Candidates will also be able to take a general MBA or a specialization under the field which will be a deciding factor of the duration of the course.

The duration of an MBA program in the Netherlands can range anywhere between 1 to 2 years.

Cost of MBA in the Netherlands

The Netherlands offers candidates affordable rates for higher education for almost every course they provide. But at the same time, the fee for professional courses in the fields of medicine and management are priced higher than usual and is at par with other European countries that offer the same course. The fee is different for EU/EEA candidates and non-EU/EEA candidates in every institution the candidate might apply to.

The estimated fee for an MBA program at a top university starts at around €25,000 and can be anywhere above €40,000 depending on the institution and the specialization the candidate has chosen.

MBA Specializations Offered in the Netherlands

A few of the specializations offered for MBA are-

• Human Resource Management
• Digital Marketing
• Finance Management
• Information Technology
• Media Management
• Marketing Management
• Aviation Management
• Business Analytics
• Travel and Tourism

Top Universities for MBA in the Netherlands

A few of the top business universities in the Netherlands include-

• Erasmus University Rotterdam
• Tilburg University
• University of Groningen
• VU University Amsterdam
• University of Amsterdam
• Maastricht University
• Wageningen University and Research Center
• Radboud University

Top MBA Programs in the Netherlands

A few of the top MBA programs in the Netherlands include-

International Full-Time MBA- Erasmus University Rotterdam

This university offers candidates with the option of Executive MBA, International Full-Time MBA, and Cologne-Rotterdam Executive MBA out of which the International Full-Time MBA is ranked best in the country. This program has a duration of 12 months in all and deals with the foundations and practice of management through study tours, international exchange, projects, and even the electives they offer. The program will have a total of 152 students who come from different parts of the world.

The tuition fee for the program is €56,000 which includes an admission fee of €5,000 which is non-refundable.

Master in Business and Management- Tilburg University

This course is offered by Tilburg University and is recommended for candidates who wish to specialize in management fields or create their own business. The duration of the course is 2 years where the candidate will deal with topics like marketing management, supply chain management, strategic management, international management, business taxation, etc.

The tuition fee for the program is €14,700 per year.

Masters in Business Administration- University of Groningen

This university offers candidates with master’s and Ph.D. in Business Administration with the master’s degree being most popular. The duration of the course is 12 months in all and the course will have specializations like change management, health, management accounting and control, small business and entrepreneurship, and strategic innovation management. Candidates with a background in subjects like economics and business are preferred for the course.

The tuition fee for the program is around €1,084 per year for EU/EEA candidates and around €14,816 for non-EU/EEA candidates.

MSc in Business Administration-VU University Amsterdam

This master’s program in Business Administration has a duration of 1 year during which candidates are expected to write a thesis on a specific topic under their specialization. The course has a multidisciplinary focus and candidates will be able to choose their specialization eventually according to their interests. The specializations provided include financial management, human resource management, international management, management consulting, strategy, and organization, etc.

The tuition fee for EU/EEA students is around €2,209 per year whereas the fee for non-EU/EEA students is around €16,830 per year.

Amsterdam MBA- University of Amsterdam

This course is offered on a full-time and part-time basis and international candidates mostly opt for the full-time MBA program. The duration of the full-time program is 12 months with the core courses containing subjects based on leadership, strategy and operations, finance and accounting, and contemporary management issues. Each class will contain only 25 students.

The tuition fee for the program is €39,900.

Executive MBA- Maastricht University

This is an Executive MBA program offered to senior managers and CEOs of different companies who have work experience of 5 or more years in the industry. The program has to be completed by the candidates within 4 years where they will be taught subjects that fall under 8 main themes in management out of which candidates will have to complete any 5. They will be able to take up any 3 specialization courses as the rest of the required modules.

The tuition fee for the program is around €28,500.

Executive MBA in Food and Agribusiness- Wageningen University and Research

This university offers a highly specialized MBA program in the field of Food and Agribusiness which has a duration of 2 years in all. It is offered in the campuses located both at Tilburg and Wageningen and is an Executive MBA program that targets candidates with ample work experience. Candidates will have to learn high-level integration modules in the subject and then do a final management project which will be considered as the capstone project for the course. Every class will contain a maximum of only 14 students.

The tuition fee for the program is estimated to be around €49,500.

MBA- Radboud University

This program has a duration of 1 year in all and candidates will be provided with 8 different specializations they can choose from during the duration of their study. Candidates will also be able to do a dual degree program by choosing more than one specialization at the same time. The specializations offered include business analysis and modeling, innovation and entrepreneurship, international business, marketing, strategic management, etc.

The tuition fee for the program is around €12,700 per year for EU/EEA students and around €17,000 per year for non-EU/EEA students.

Scholarships for MBA Students in the Netherlands

Candidates who wish to study in the Netherlands will be able to apply for and receive different scholarships that partially or fully fund their education. Most of the scholarships that are offered to international students are merit-based but they will also be able to find need-based scholarships if they look far enough. The scholarships are offered by Dutch Universities and even the Dutch government. A few of these scholarships are-

Holland Scholarship

This is one of the most popular scholarships offered by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science along with other Dutch universities. This is provided to international students who are not part of EEA and are doing their bachelor’s or master’s degree in the country which is inclusive of MBA programs. The eligibility criteria for the scholarship are different for the different universities that are part of this scholarship program.

The amount provided as part of this scholarship is €5,000 which will be given in the first year of the program they have enrolled for.

RSM MBA Diversity Scholarships- Erasmus University Rotterdam

This scholarship is provided by the Rotterdam School of Management which is part of the Erasmus University Rotterdam. It is provided to international candidates who are pursuing their MBA program in the country. The scholarship is provided to candidates after carefully analyzing factors like nationality, cultural background, gender, experience, etc. It is for the most part a merit-based scholarship and hence looks into GMAT scores, GPA, Admission Essay, etc.

The scholarship amount varies from candidate to candidate and covers up to 50% of the tuition fee.

Utrecht Excellence Scholarships

This scholarship is provided by Utrecht University on a merit basis. It is given to students from outside the EEA who are pursuing a master’s program in the university. The candidate must have completed their education outside of the Netherlands and they must have been part of the top 10% of their class to be eligible for the scholarship.

The scholarship amount is awarded either as the tuition fee or as the tuition fee along with the income associated with the residence permit the candidate has.

Career Options for MBA Graduates in the Netherlands

Candidates who have completed their education in the Netherlands are provided with an additional year if they apply for it to hunt for jobs within the country. This additional year is called the orientation year and candidates will not be required to get a work permit even if they start working within the year.

Most of the top universities in the country also connect students to multinational companies and their alumni network to build their career prospects even before they have graduated from the program. A few of the most popular career options for MBA graduates include-

• Supply Chain Management Consultant
• Human Resource Executive
• Human Resources Director
• Financial Officer