Despite promises from universities, more students from abroad are coming again – especially for technical studies

This year, Dutch universities admitted more international students than agreed, particularly in technical fields. Despite a commitment to limit numbers, 17,600 international students enrolled, exceeding the target of 16,766. Universities face challenges in controlling admissions due to the open nature of the Dutch higher education system. To address the situation, universities plan to tighten enrollment caps for popular English-taught programs. The increase in international students is partly attributed to a rise in technical study enrollments and changing dynamics in U.S. education policies under President Trump. Overall, the total number of students in Dutch universities has decreased, with projections indicating further declines in the coming years.