Education and Science

Finding solutions together
© Bart van Overbeeke

Dutch scientific research is internationally recognised for its high quality. The Dutch government is committed to maintaining and strengthening the Netherlands’ position as a leading country in science and innovation. With 2.29% of GDP invested in research and development (R&D), the Netherlands is working towards the government’s target of investing 3% of GDP in R&D. At the same time, the government aims to ensure that scientific research contributes to addressing major societal and economic challenges.

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Educational exchange

Higher education in the Netherlands has an excellent international reputation. Students from 171 countries study in the Netherlands in the 2025-26 academic year, contributing to an internationally oriented and diverse academic environment where different ideas, cultures and perspectives come together.

 

The Netherlands is also a leading destination for English-taught higher education in continental Europe. Around 2,000 degree programmes are taught entirely in English, making the Netherlands an attractive destination for international students.

China was the seventh-largest source country of international degree students in the Netherlands in the 2025–2026 academic year.

Every year, Dutch higher education institutions welcome Chinese degree students, exchange students and PhD candidates. To learn more about the Dutch higher education system, institutions, degrees and study programmes, please visit Study in NL.

Scholarships

NL Scholarship

The NL Scholarship is meant for international students from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) who want to do their bachelor’s or master’s in the Netherlands.

For more information on other scholarship opportunities, please visit: Finances | Study in NL.

For more information in Chinese, please follow the official WeChat account of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in China: 荷兰驻华使馆.

Alumni Network

Whether you continue your studies, start a career, return to your home country or move to another country, staying connected with fellow students and with the Netherlands can help you maintain and develop your international network.

The NL Alumni Network in China, facilitated by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in China, connects Chinese and Dutch alumni who studied at a Dutch higher education institution and are currently living in China.

Through the network, alumni can connect with fellow graduates and students from their scholarship program, Dutch host institution or field of expertise. The network has alumni chapters in Beijing, Shanghai, South China and Chengdu, with more chapters and activities developing across China.

The network provides opportunities to:
•    participate in alumni activities in different cities;
•    learn about relevant career and job opportunities;
•    stay informed about developments and events related to the Netherlands.

Contact

If you have questions about education and science in the Netherlands, or would like to learn more about developments in the Chinese education and science sectors, please get in touch with us via the contact form or email pek-edu@minbuza.nl. 

The Netherlands and China have a long history of cooperation in scientific research and innovation. The first bilateral scientific exchange programs were established more than 30 years ago.

Since the early 1990s, the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) has coordinated funding programs for scientific cooperation with China on behalf of the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW).

In 2009, KNAW and the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) developed a joint strategic policy to promote scientific and research cooperation between the Netherlands and China. The policy aims to strengthen cooperation and improve the coordination of new and existing funding programs. 

Over the years, programs including the China Exchange Programme and the Strategic Scientific Alliances Programme have supported cooperation between Dutch and Chinese researchers across a wide range of scientific disciplines.