Keuzegids: Four excellent fields of study at NHL Stenden – more than any other institution
NHL Stenden is the only large university of applied sciences in the Netherlands to excel in four fields of study. This is according to the Keuzegids hbo 2026 which was published on Thursday. The guide, designed to help prospective students make their choice of study, also shows that NHL Stenden has strengthened its fourth place in the national ranking. No fewer than 32 study programmes have been awarded the title of top-rated programme, a new record for the university of applied sciences.
The Keuzegids groups programmes into different field of study and noted the following in its press release: “NHL Stenden (…) excels in no fewer than four study areas – more than any other institution. The institution achieved the highest possible score in law and public administration, healthcare, earth and environment, and engineering and design.”
For the fourth year in a row, NHL Stenden is ranked number four in the new Keuzegids. This means that for the eighth year running NHL Stenden is among the national top four of the best large universities of applied sciences. In addition, NHL Stenden’s overall score has risen again by two full points (to 65.5). The Keuzegids bases its scores on study success and student satisfaction.
32 top-rated programmes
Besides the ranking, Keuzegids also awards the title of top-rated programme to those degree programmes considered to be the very best in the Netherlands based on their high scores. In the Keuzegids hbo 2026, 32 of NHL Stenden’s programmes were given this label. They are offered at multiple campuses and cover several fields.
Emmen
- Biologie en Medisch Laboratoriumonderzoek
- Chemie
- Ad Industriële Automatisering en Robotica
- Ad Leisure & Events Management
- Leraar Basisonderwijs
- Logistics Management
- Ad Logistiek en Economie
Leeuwarden
- Biologie en Medisch Laboratoriumonderzoek (together with Van Hall Larenstein)
- Biotechnologie (together with Van Hall Larenstein)
- Chemie (together with Van Hall Larenstein)
- Chemische Technologie (together with Van Hall Larenstein)
- Civiele Techniek
- Docent Beeldende Kunst en Vormgeving
- Ad Didactisch Educatief Professional
- Elektrotechniek
- Leraar Aardrijkskunde
- Leraar Biologie
- Leraar Economie
- Leraar Frans
- Leraar Fries
- Leraar Geschiedenis
- Leraar Natuurkunde
- Leraar Scheikunde
- Ad Maritieme Techniek
- Maritieme Techniek
- Ad Online Contentcreator
- Ruimtelijke Ontwikkeling
- Vaktherapie
- Verpleegkunde
Meppel
- International Teacher Education for Primary Schools (ITEPS)
- International Teacher Education for Secondary Schools (ITESS)
Terschelling
Of the 32 top-rated programmes at NHL Stenden, 21 are retaining their title from last year while 11 are newcomers to the list. They cover a wide range of fields, from health and social studies (e.g. Nursing) to engineering, and from maritime to education.
Marc Otto, Chair of the Executive Board of NHL Stenden: “You always want to do better than the year before. And when it turns out you’ve succeeded, it’s a good feeling. For years we’ve been among the best, and now we’re very close to the top three. It’s also great to see that our strong results are spread across different disciplines. These outcomes give us the drive and motivation to keep doing our very best for our students every day.”
Keuzegids
Each year, the Keuzegids ranks all the higher professional education programmes in the Netherlands. The Keuzegids hbo 2026 includes all of NHL Stenden’s bachelor’s and associate degree programmes. Its rankings draw on several sources, including the National Student Survey (NSE), completed by almost 300,000 students, study success rates, and labour market prospects.
