More and more foreign students are living in the Netherlands
Five years after graduating, more and more international students are still living in the Netherlands.
Published on April 2, 2025
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Five years after graduating, more and more international students are still living in the Netherlands. This applies to a quarter of all foreign students. This is evident from research by Nuffic, an organization for the internationalization of education.
Of the students who graduated in 2023, 57% were still living in the Netherlands a year later. This is much higher than the percentage of students who graduated in 2018 (40%).
Many master's students
There are interesting differences within the group of international graduates. For example, the stay rate is higher among master's students who also did their bachelor's degree in the Netherlands. Of this group, 30% are still living in the Netherlands five years later.
Surinamese are the most likely to stay
And if we look at the differences between countries: Surinamese are the most likely to stay in the Netherlands. Five years after graduating, 80% of Surinamese graduates are still living in the Netherlands. They are followed by alumni from Iran (71%), Ukraine (58%), Turkey (52%) and Russia (50%).
Differences by region
There are also differences between regions. International students who graduated in Eindhoven are most likely to stay in the Netherlands. Almost half (49%) are still living in the Netherlands five years after graduating. This is followed by Delft (39%) and Utrecht (37%). Students from universities of applied sciences or research universities in Maastricht have the lowest stay rate in the Netherlands, at only 12%.
Many opportunities in the labor market
According to Michel van Smoorenburg, International Labor Market Analyst at the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV), the opportunities in the labor market are one of the most important reasons why international students remain in the Netherlands after their studies.
