Application procedure

Make sure you apply on time! For non-EU students application deadlines are set on 31 May (September start) and 31 October (February start). For EU students application deadlines are set on 15 August* (September start) and 15 January* (February start).

*You can still apply after this deadline, however the Central Student Administration cannot guarantee that you will actually be able to start the programme. If you promptly submit all the requested documents, CSA will do its best to assess your eligibility quickly and you might still have a chance to begin. Please keep in mind that some programmes have additional requirements and you won’t be able to start anymore. Check via this link if your programme has additional requirements and their respective deadlines.

Moreover, it is important to check if you hold the required diploma and if you meet the other requirements for the study programme of your choice. Some study programmes require you to participate in an entrance examination or attend an admission interview as part of the application process.

Be sure to check the information below, so you know what to expect.

Admission requirements

Important deadlines

You can apply through Studielink, the application and enrolment portal provided by the Netherlands Ministry of Education. You can find the frequently asked questions regarding Studielink here. Complete the following steps:

1. Go to the Studielink website. (Do you not know what this is? Watch their video on why you need Studielink)
2. Is this your first time using Studielink? Click on ‘Create account’ below the question ‘Don’t have a DigiD yet’?
3. Select your nationality and upload your passport or if possible (EU students only) your ID card, for more information please check Studielink information page.
4. Check and verify your personal details filled by the passport/ID infomation which you have uploaded. Add your calling name and Country of Birth.
5. Add your address and contact details. You will then be asked to check this information and to agree to the general terms and conditions of Studielink.
6. Add the previous education that provides admission to the study programme that you wish to follow and click 'next'.
7. Select NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences as the 'Educational institution'.
8. All available study programmes will be listed. You can use a range of filters to find your preferred study programme on the list. Select the study programme you wish to follow.
9. Select the start date and choose ‘Next’. Choose ‘Next’ on the following page as well.
10. Check all the details you filled out. If you need to make any changes, choose ‘Back to previous page’. If all information is correct, check the box to confirm this and then click ‘Confirm’.
11. You are now on your personal homepage for Studielink. Every time you log in to Studielink, this is where you can check the status of your enrolment application.

After you submit your application, you will receive an email on how to activate your student email adress. This is very important, because to this student email we send you all the information you need to finalize your enrollment.

Secondly, you will receive information by email on how to login to your iGO-portal and how to submit your application documents via this portal. In the attachment to this email, you will find instructions on how to use your NHL Stenden email credentials for the online portal and a list of documents to be submitted.

Important: upload at least 1 document as soon as possible to ensure your application stays active. This can be a copy of your passport or a grade sheet if you don’t yet have your diploma. This helps us enormously as it means we can start checking your application. You don’t need to upload all of your documentation at once, but do keep the document deadlines in mind.

Admission requirements check to receive Letter of Admission

To verify if you meet all the admission requirements, we need the following documents uploaded into the iGo portal:

• Copy of your passport or European/EED ID card
• A full-colour scan of your grade sheet and diploma
  (if you do not have your diploma yet, please upload a copy of your latest grade sheet)
• For NON EU students and EU students who applied for a Hospitality Management course, short-track program, fast-track program or Master program:
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Motivation letter

We will notify you if we want you to take an English-language proficiency test or send any additional documents. You can trace the application status via the iGo portal.

Letter of Admission
Once you have sent us all the required document and we have established that you meet all the admission requirements you will receive the Letter of Admission. The Letter of Admission is a conditional offer letter, showing that you have been accepted as a student at our institution. It mentions the next steps to complete your enrollment. These steps are also mentioned below in steps 4-5. 

Because of new Dutch legislation, this is now a mandatory part of the application process. In the Study Matching Questionnaire, you are asked to review the reasons for choosing your preferred study programme.

Based on your answers, you will receive non-binding study advice: either positive or conditionally positive. A positive study advice confirms that you have considered your choice well.

Please note: if you have applied to more than one study programme, you will be asked to participate in a Study Matching Questionnaire for each one of them.

Payment (EU students)
If you are from an EU/EEA Member State:

• Check that your bank is able to process international (SEPA) payments.
• Go to your personal Studielink page and follow the instructions provided on the Payment tab.

When will the automatic tuition fee payment take place?
When you have issued the digital direct debit authorisation for NHL Stenden to automatically collect the tuition fee from your bank account, it works as follows:

First option: yearly payment
If you pay the tuition fee in its entirety, the automatic transaction will take place around 25 September. You will need to re-issue the direct debit authorisation before the start of each academic year.

Second option: payment in instalments
If you choose to pay in instalments, the tuition fee will be automatically withdrawn from your bank account in 9 instalments. All instalments will take place on or around the 25th of each month, starting in September, May being the last instalment. 

Payment and student visa (non-EU students)
If you are from a non-EU Member State, you must transfer the necessary fees to NHL Stenden; the last page of your Letter of Admission contains the invoice for this purpose.

Once we have received your full payment and have verified that you meet the visa requirements, we will apply for a student visa on your behalf. After approximately three to six weeks, we will notify you by email whether your visa application has been approved. This email will also inform you about collecting your visa from the Dutch Embassy or Consulate in your country. For additional information about applying for a student visa, please visit the website of the Netherlands Organisation for International Cooperation in Higher Education (Nuffic).

Proof of sufficient financial means (non-EU students)
As a student from outside the European Union, you are obliged to provide NHL Stenden with proof that you will be able to finance your stay in the Netherlands. You may do so in one of the following two ways:

• A money transfer of €14,000 to NHL Stenden's bank account, which will be refunded upon your arrival after you have opened a Dutch bank account.
• Proof of a scholarship amounting to at least €14,000

Proof of enrollment

Once you have completed the final steps and payment, you will receive your Proof of Enrollment; you are now officially a student at NHL Stenden!